I just can’t snack on hazelnuts like I do with pecans so more often that not, I use them for baking. Here is a favorite use of hazelnuts paired with nutella.
Roasted Hazelnut Nutella Roulade
Ingredients:3 Eggs, at room temperature1 Cup Nutella1 Cup Granulated Sugar3/4 Cup Cream3/4 Cup Flour1/3 Cup Hazelnuts2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Hazelnut Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (I usually substitute this with nutmeg cause hubbie is allergic)
1/2 Teaspoon SaltPreheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Evenly spread out the hazelnuts on a small metal pan and roast in the oven for 8 minutes, or until the outside darkens and the visible hazelnut skin looks slightly tan. Remove from oven, lower the oven’s heat to 375, and set the hazelnuts aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until completely combined. Set aside. In an electric mixer beat together the eggs and sugar with a paddle attachment at medium speed for about 3 minutes. Lower the speed and alternate between adding the cream and the dry ingredient mixture until it is just barely mixed. Then turn off the mixer and stir in the hazelnut extract by hand with a rubber spatula.Pour the cake batter into a 13 x 18 x 1 inch sheet pan lined with greased and lightly floured parchment paper. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cooked and springy to the touch.While the cake is baking, place the hazelnuts in a plastic baggie, seal it, and crush them with a meat tenderizer. Set aside. Then lay out a clean dish towel and sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder over it evenly.When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and immediately invert it directly onto the towel. Gently roll it up with the fabric and set it on a wire rack to cool.Once cooled, unwrap it and frost the top of the cake with the nutella, then sprinkle the crushed hazelnuts over it. Roll up the cake without the fabric and serve immediately.