Modern hazelnut paste is a product with distant origins, whose main ingredient is the Mortarella hazelnut from Campania, a type of hazelnut with a particular aroma and flavour.
The Mortarella Hazelnut
In Campania it is possible to easily observe the traditional hazelnut groves of very ancient origins, among the most widespread varieties is mortarella, which produces an easily recognizable fruit. it is a small and cylindrical hazelnut, with a very thin shell, flattened at the bottom, light brown and with some light darker veins. Mortarella is very widespread throughout Campania because it is a fruit easily suitable for transformation.
The properties of the mortarella hazelnut
Hazelnuts are a good ally in a healthy diet. First of all, they are rich in fats which can be defined as good (more than 60%), followed by them being rich in proteins and fibre, 15% and 10% respectively, and 5.3% water. They contain vitamin A, those of group B, C and E. Furthermore, they are rich in mineral salts and amino acids. These principles mean that hazelnuts have various beneficial properties: they help, for example, the nervous system and are antioxidants. But they are still important allies against tumors and cholesterol.
How our hazelnut paste is made
The collection
To harvest hazelnuts it is important that they have reached full ripeness. It is easy to notice when this happens because the shell begins to become woody and detaches from the fruit more easily. Harvesting can take place either by hand or with the use of special machinery, which however does not damage the integrity of the harvest.
The drying
Hazelnuts as we are used to seeing them in the shop are the result of a drying process. This fruit, in fact, is quite moist in nature. Drying must take place in a cool but dry place and lasts from a minimum of 2 weeks to a maximum of 3, or it can be accelerated without compromising the quality of the hazelnuts, using a special dryer for 6 to 12 hours. From this moment the dried fruit can be stored for a maximum of two years protected by the shell. Finally the hazelnuts are shelled and cataloged according to their size.
The sorting
An important phase of the hazelnut preparation process to then have the perfect product to obtain a quality hazelnut paste is sorting. This is the moment in which only non-defective hazelnuts are chosen and any foreign bodies from the harvest are removed. The hazelnuts are, in fact, checked twice: the first with the help of a machine, the second by the expert hands of those who have grown them for generations.
The roasting
At this point the hazelnuts must be toasted and it is this process that gives these fruits their characteristic flavour, depending on how the toasting is carried out. In particular, the Mortarella Campania wines chosen for our hazelnut paste are cooked in hot air ovens, which further reduce their humidity and sharpen their typical flavor and aroma. Mortarella is subjected to a particularly intense process, which gives them a very strong and persistent flavour. When roasting it is essential to find an impeccable balance between temperature and cooking duration to obtain a long-lasting and crunchy product.
Controlling roasted hazelnuts
The hazelnuts are checked a second time to be 100% sure of their good quality. They are placed on a conveyor roller and checked by hand one by one.
Milling and refining
First of all, the toasted hazelnuts are pre-ground, then they are further refined thanks to roller refiners or steel ball refiners. The resulting hazelnut paste is passed through a sieve to remove imperfections, such as cuticles or small fragments of shell. The result is our hazelnut paste which is homogeneous, smooth, with a fineness between 16 and 18 microns. Before being packaged, the pasta passes through a further metal detector check to avoid the presence of foreign bodies.
How hazelnuts can be used in cooking
In addition to being consumed as dried fruit, hazelnuts can be used for the production of sugared almonds, nougats, chocolate, ice cream and various sweets. We want to talk to you about its use in pastry making, both in the professional and home environments. Hazelnut paste, in fact, can have multiple uses: it is ideal, for example, for preparing hazelnut desserts or creams, but it can also be used to prepare excellent hazelnut ice cream, semifreddos and other confectionery products. In short, it can help you indulge in the packaging of your desserts.
Dolcincasa hazelnut paste
Hazelnut paste is a semi-finished hazelnut product, toasted so that the hazelnut flavor is very intense. This is made possible by the particular production process, which is carried out in such a way that the oily part of the fruit and the solid part occur slowly and regularly. From this comes the pasta's ability to remain homogeneous and creamy for a long time. The hazelnut paste is made of 100% pure mortarella hazelnuts and can be used to fill desserts, prepare semifreddos and ice creams. Let's see how.
How to use hazelnut paste
For every 80-100 g of product per liter of milk-based mixture, white or yellow depending on your habits.
For pastry products, custard and cream, hazelnut paste can be used in variable doses depending on needs. It is necessary to mix before use.
For ice cream products it can be used both to make ice cream at home and with an ice cream maker or thermomix machine.
All you have to do is try it!
