Nut paste

Hazelnut paste is a semi-fluid paste made entirely from hazelnuts, with no other ingredients. The hazelnuts are toasted and then blended until they form a semi-fluid mixture.

You can buy it ready-made or make it at home; you may also find it called “hazelnut butter” or “hazelnut cream” (this applies to all types of dried fruit).

If you buy it, pay close attention that it does not have other ingredients inside, because in general Paste and Butter are 100% nuts, but Creams often have other ingredients such as powdered milk, oil, lecithin, sugar, etc. because they can be enjoyed like this , while 100% Paste is very concentrated and cloying on the palate if eaten alone.

It can be used to flavor creams, mousses, ice creams, etc 

For example, try this recipe from hazelnut custard.

Also try the hazelnut praline, it's similar but contains caramelized sugar. The recipe here.

Procedure

Preheat the fan oven to 180˚C.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. 

Pour over the hazelnuts. 

Toast for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spoon. The skins should come off. 

Let it cool for 10 minutes at room temperature. Then remove the skin. I suggest two methods.

Rub the hazelnuts between your hands to remove as much of the skin as possible. 

Alternatively, transfer the hazelnuts to a clean tea towel, seal tightly, and rub the towel. 

Transfer the hazelnuts to a powerful food processor. Blend at maximum power. 

Now it will take several minutes to get to the final result.

First of all the hazelnuts will be chopped into a coarse powder.

Then a paste will begin to form, the paste now is still thick and rough, it is not ready, you need to continue blending to release all the oil contained in the hazelnuts.

When the dough is semi-fluid, it's ready. Transfer it to a container.