Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts (also known as cobnuts, and commercially as filberts) contribute a wonderful aromatic flavor to all types of baked goods. When ground, they may replace some of the flour and fat in cakes and cookies. Hazelnuts make an excellent butter and are often used to flavor ice cream, especially in Italy. Most hazelnuts are cultivated in Europe and North America. They grow in clusters, each nut surrounded by a fuzzy husk that opens when the nut is ripe. The skin is so hard to remove from the kernel that the nuts must be toasted and then rubbed with a towel. Handle ground hazelnuts with special care so that the oil does not separate in a batter, making it heavy.