D.I.Y. Hazelnut Extract
Last week I showed you how to make Vanilla Extract and Coconut Extract.
Vanilla Extract was easy & Coconut Extract was intermediate. Nuttier extracts are right down the middle. Meaning these Hazelnuts just take a few more steps.
Well worth it steps! :-D Baking with this flavor is amazing and adding this flavor to all your cups of coffee is even better!
Along side with coffee, you can make coffee creamer, syrups, ice cream, and also a chocolate hazelnut spread. Just about anything you desire for a roasted hazelnut flavor!
REMEMBER for Gift Giving: Start your extracts a few moths in ADVANCE.
In my opinion, nutty extracts are of medium difficulty. What makes nuttier extracts a little more challenging then mint, vanilla, and citrus extracts?
You must Remove the Skins off of the nuts or you will get a bitter taste. Remember, the alcohol pulls the flavor from whatever it is covering while it soaks over long periods of time.
I strongly advise not skipping this step!! If you did leave the skins on your nuts, then you would get a undesired flavor instead of just the flavor of the nut itself. Which in the end is what you want.
The skin removal can be done a couple ways. You can dehydrate the skins in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 min then rub the dry flaky skins off.
OR
Pour boiling hot water over the nuts, then rub them off in the water after the water has cooled down.
I prefer to boil the nuts in water (the skins come off so much easier than drying them in the oven).
After getting the skins off, I proceed to roast the nuts in the oven for 10 min at 350 degrees. This step brings out the nuts natural oils and makes the extract extra nutty! YES, you want this!
While the nuts are fresh out the oven and hot, put them into your glass container with the Vodka.
I absolutely love the sound when the oils on the nuts hits the vodka and starts to give a little sizzle. This lets you know that you are going to get a lot of flavor in your homemade batch of Hazelnut Extract!
For gift giving, you must start your extracts a few moths in advance. I’ve posted these extracts so you can get started now and have wonderful unique gifts for this holiday season. or for any special person who bakes.
Stay tuned for more extracts until all your favorite flavors are stocked in your pantry!
What other extract flavors do you love!? :-D Let me know in the comments!
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Whole Hazelnuts
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Vodka (Depending on Container)
4+ oz (118ml) Container with a tight fitting lid for storage
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then Bring 2 cups of water to a boil
- Add Hazelnuts to a large enough bowl and cover with the 2 cups of boiling hot water, let sit for 15min
- When water cools off to warm, reach into the bowl of hazelnuts and grab a nut individually and rub the skin off (it should rub of easily). Discard the skins and place skin peeled hazelnuts aside or on baking sheet
- Roast hazelnuts on baking sheet for 10 min at 350 degrees
- Place Hazelnuts in container that has a tight fitting lid (Preferably a glass container), then Cover Roasted Hazelnuts with the Vodka
- Cover with tight fitted lid and Store in a cool dark place for over 2 months
*Shake the contents of the container every week at least or every couple of days to mix the ingredients around.
Tips:
- Do NOT get tempted to skip the step of removing the skins!
- Make sure to fully cover the nuts in the container with vodka.
- You can use double the size ( just double the recipe) if the jar I used or use multiple, but any larger will require more Hazelnuts!
- Heat the extract before adding to anything that won't be cooked (iced coffee, milk, etc.) to eliminate the alcohol content
- You'll want to SAVE the DATE you started your extract on by either writing it on your container, calendar, or anywhere you will most likely remember!
If you have some extracts brewing at home, interrupt their cool dark space for a moment and take a picture! I’d love to see your extracts on Instagram, Facebook, and/or Twitter #chocolatemamalovesvanilla
