Hazelnut Milk
Made by blending hazelnuts, hazelnut milk carries a distinctive caramelized, nutty aroma. It's a traditional European nut milk and a natural starting point for homemade chocolate-hazelnut drinks.
Nutrition
Hazelnut milk contains about 3–5 grams of fat per 100 grams, depending on concentration, and retains hazelnuts' abundant vitamin E and monounsaturated fats. Its rich, naturally toasty, nutty flavor gives it a nutritional profile fairly close to whole hazelnuts.
How to Choose
Commercial hazelnut milk is fairly niche, so check the proportion of hazelnuts and favor a plain version without excess added sugar or flavoring. If making it yourself, use fresh raw hazelnuts with no trace of rancidity.
Cooking
To make hazelnut milk at home, lightly toast the hazelnuts for about 10 minutes at a low temperature to bring out their aroma, soak for 2 hours, then blend and strain. Hazelnut milk is good drunk on its own, mixed into flavored coffee drinks, or used as a base for vegan dessert sauces.
Storage
Homemade hazelnut milk should be refrigerated and finished within 2–3 days. Store-bought versions keep at room temperature or in the fridge as labeled, and should be finished promptly once opened to prevent the nut oils from oxidizing and dulling the flavor.
Tips
Hazelnut milk's bold, distinctive flavor makes it a great substitute for regular milk in desserts like tiramisu or hazelnut cake, lending a naturally rich, toasted-nut flavor with no added flavoring needed. The leftover pulp from homemade hazelnut milk can be dried and ground into flour, then folded into batter for hazelnut-flavored baked goods — a good way to use every part of the ingredient.
