Cooking the Hazelnuts
Scale the ingredients precisely and bring them to room temperature.
Warm the hazelnuts in the microwave oven for about 30 seconds.
Combine the water, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a saucepan on medium heat. When it reaches a boil, wash the side of the saucepan with a damp pastry brush—Cook to 246°F (119°C).
Remove the saucepan from the stovetop. Stir in the nuts and mix until they are a sandy consistency.
Place the saucepan back on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Continue to cook until the sugar melts and the nuts are evenly caramelized, frequently stirring.
Do not rush this process. If the sugar starts to smoke, lower the heat.
Turn off the heat when the nuts are roasted in the center, and the caramel is golden brown.
Spread the nuts on a Silpat mat to cool completely.
Step 1: Cooking the Hazelnuts
- 300 g Hazelnuts whole skinned, blanched
- 65 g Water
- 200 g Granulated sugar
- 1 g Fine sea salt or fine table salt
- 5 g Vanilla paste or extract
Step 2: Processing the Nuts
Break them into small pieces. Place them into a food processor and grind them until they become the texture of wet sand. Then place the mixture into the freezer for about 15-20 minutes.
Then grind the mixture to the consistency of peanut butter.
Step 3: Storage & Shelf Life
Store the hazelnut paste in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.