How to dry hazelnuts at home: 5 best ways

Are walnuts roasted?

For many lovers of a healthy lifestyle, it may show that the idea of ​​frying nuts is not the best and correct from a dietary standpoint. However, experts in the field of nutrition say that roasted walnuts are no less healthy than raw ones and they should be present in equal proportions in the diet of an ordinary person.

In terms of gastronomic qualities, roasted nuts look much more preferable. It does not lose its benefits, all vitamins, micro- and macroelements are retained in it, but at the same time the taste and nutty aroma become more intense and awaken the appetite. After heat treatment, the nuts acquire a special taste, while they perfectly saturate and reveal familiar familiar dishes from a different perspective.

Doctors believe that nuts, roasted in any way, have a positive effect on visual acuity, the nervous and genitourinary systems, and even help get rid of headaches and insomnia. It is believed that walnuts can have a depressing effect on the development of cancer cells, thereby preventing fatal pathologies.

The daily norm for a person is 30 grams. In such quantities it will only bring benefits and cannot harm, even to people with excess body weight.

Do I need to dry it?

A lot has been said about the benefits of hazelnuts or their cultural cousin, hazelnuts. It contains a lot of vitamins, nutrients, and amino acids important for the body. The plant grows successfully in most regions of central Russia and bears fruit abundantly.

In order to preserve the nuts for a long time, they must be dried. This way, excess moisture will evaporate from the fruits, they will become less susceptible to mold, and the risk of parasites will decrease. Drying also makes them crispier, more aromatic, and tasty. Astringency and bitterness are eliminated. Calorie content is slightly reduced.

At the same time, which is important, if you dry hazelnuts at home correctly, they will not lose their nutritional value. This is exactly what we will talk about today!

Preparing Walnuts for Roasting

The task does not seem too difficult, but in reality, not everyone knows how to fry nuts and properly prepare them for this process. In the meantime, you should take preparation seriously, otherwise there is a chance of hopelessly ruining a valuable product.

We decide on the cooking method. If the task is to cook nuts in the shell, then they need to be inspected for chips (a nut that has been left in a split state for a long time can go rancid, so it is better not to eat it) and rinsed under running water.

If roasted walnuts must be prepared without the shell, then the whole fruits must be peeled (to make it easier, you can put them in the freezer for 40-60 minutes). Be sure to separate hard partitions. If they were purchased in shelled form, they must be examined for signs of mold, and then tasted to see if there is a bitter taste. The peeled kernels are broken into quarters and placed in boiling water for 2 - 7 minutes, then laid out on a towel with a hard base and rubbed vigorously with palms. The dark skin will quickly come off, and the product will be fully prepared for heat treatment.

How to fry in a frying pan

There are no special secrets in how you can fry walnuts in a regular frying pan. This method is extremely simple and the most important task of the performer is not to overcook the product, otherwise the nut will become bitter and lose all its beneficial properties. In particular, high temperature, which affects the nuclei for a long time, can oxidize fats and give rise to free radicals, which are the main enemy of the body's cells. Therefore, before frying walnuts at home in a frying pan, you need to completely free yourself from other activities in order to pay maximum attention to controlling the temperature and cooking time.

Anyone can learn how to properly roast nuts; for this you need to prepare:

- bake;

- a frying pan with a thick bottom (preferably a large diameter).

The stove is set to low heat. The frying pan with the nuts sprinkled in (in a thin layer) is placed on the fire. The frying process takes about 20 minutes. In this case, the nuts are constantly stirred with a silicone or wooden spatula. Control is carried out over the smell and color: the kernels should have a pleasant aroma and a golden brown hue. If you need to fry a large batch, it is better to do this in several approaches.

You can also fry nuts in their shells in a frying pan. It is better to use a product with a non-stick coating. The frying pan is heated, nuts are placed on it and stirred vigorously. It will take no more than 10 minutes to prepare; readiness can be easily determined by the pleasant smell that appears.

In the oven

In order for the walnuts to turn out tasty in the oven, it is also necessary to control the temperature. The oven is preheated to 190°C. After which the prepared product is laid out on a baking sheet covered with baking parchment or foil in one layer and sent to the oven for 15 minutes. Stir once every 5 minutes. Before the end of frying, you need to try the kernel; if it seems that it is still damp, the frying time is extended by 2 - 3 minutes.

You can cook walnuts in their shells in the oven. The technique is the same: preheat the oven, spread the whole nuts in one layer and leave for 10 - 15 minutes. It is advisable to turn them 2-3 times during cooking.

Interesting recipes

Walnuts are a healthy and nutritious product. The kernels contain 7 times more calories, unlike pork, and there is much more vitamin C than citrus fruits. When consumed regularly, nuts help cure many diseases, such as skin pathologies, kidney and liver failure, and mental disorders.

Nuts can be added to soups, meat dishes, cakes, salads, ice cream, oil is obtained from the kernels, and jam can be made from unripened nuts.

Stuffed eggs

For preparation you will need the following components:

• mayonnaise;
• hard-boiled eggs;
• parsley;
• dry mustard;
• grated carrots;
• grated cheese;
• chopped nuts;
• lemon juice;
• salt pepper;
• milk;
• ground curry.

Recipe for stuffed eggs:

• Peel the eggs and cut into two halves. Remove the yolks and grate on a fine sieve. Mix parsley, mayonnaise, grated yolk and dry mustard in equal proportions. Add pepper, salt.
• Mix 0.5 tsp. cheese with the same amount of lemon juice, carrots, grated yolk and chopped nuts. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir 1 tsp. grated cheese with yolk, curry and milk until a homogeneous consistency is formed. Fill the insides of the egg white with prepared fillings in layers. You can use parsley for decoration.

Cake with nuts

To fill the cake you will need:

• 130 g dark chocolate;
• 3 cups peeled nuts;
• 125 g cream;
• 125 g sugar;
• 4 tsp. honey;
• 60 g butter.

To prepare the base you will need:

• 120 g butter;
• dry beans;
• 250 g flour.

• To prepare the base, flour is sifted simultaneously with salt, to which finely chopped butter is added. The resulting mixture should be finely chopped with a knife to the consistency of bread crumbs. While kneading the dough, add 5 tbsp. l. cold water. Make a circle out of the dough, wrap it in cling film, and put it in the refrigerator for an hour.
• Then roll out the dough into a circle approximately 40 cm in size. Place in a mold with small sides with a diameter of 35 cm so that the sides and bottom are covered. Remove excess dough. Using a fork, make several punctures and place in the refrigerator for half an hour.
• Pour dry beans into the dough and place in an oven preheated to 220 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and place the dough in the oven for another 10 minutes. Leave until cool.
• Stir sugar and a quarter cup of water in a saucepan, set over low heat and keep on the stove until the sugar has melted. Add heat and let the mixture boil. Cook until the mixture turns amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully add cream (hot caramel splatters). Pour into a saucepan, set over low heat and cook, stirring regularly, until a homogeneous mass appears.
• Add honey and butter, cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, immediately add grated chocolate, mix well. Add the ground nuts, mix everything again and spread the filling on the dough. Level the top layer, let cool, then place in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

Candied nuts

For preparation you will need:

• 1/4 cup sugar;
• 350 g of a mixture of different nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts);
• 2 egg whites;
• 0.5 tsp. salt;
• ground pepper;
• 0.5 tsp. cinnamon powder.

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Beat the egg white and add nuts to it. Mix everything together so that all the nuts are evenly coated.
• Mix salt, sugar, cinnamon, pepper. Pour the mixture into the container with the nuts and mix everything again.
• Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spread the nuts in one layer and place the baking sheet in the oven. You need to bake for no more than 30 minutes. Stir the nuts periodically during cooking. After cooking, let the nuts cool. Transfer to a container with an airtight lid.

Very aromatic and healthy nuts only get better after roasting. They, like fresh ones, have a whole complex of vitamins, nourish the body well, and have a positive effect on internal organs and systems. Roasted walnuts also have a strengthening effect and the ability to quickly restore strength.

Pine nuts are a universal product that can be useful for literally everyone, from a child to an old man. All lovers of this delicacy have their own cooking secrets. Some eat nuts raw, others roast them. During heat treatment, the chemical composition does not suffer, but the nut acquires a more pronounced aroma and a pleasant crunch. How exactly to fry purchased pine nuts in a frying pan, baking sheet, or in the microwave is an individual matter. But first things first.

In the microwave

It is very convenient to roast walnuts in the microwave. To do this, shelled walnuts are laid out on a flat plate in one layer and sent to the microwave. The time it takes to prepare is 2 - 3 minutes. For the first time, start the oven at high power for 1 minute. After this, the nuts must be stirred and the procedure repeated. Usually a couple of minutes is enough, but if the nuts still taste damp, it is recommended to run for another 1 minute. Before roasting walnuts in the microwave, it is worth considering that they will not have the same color as in the oven, but they will acquire the taste of roasted, so it is important to try so as not to spoil them.

Experts do not recommend stocking up on roasted nuts for future use. Heat-treated kernels deteriorate faster than raw ones. Two or three days and they acquire a bitter, unpleasant taste.

Many lovers claim that you can easily make a delicious dessert from fried kernels by simply sprinkling them with sweet syrup while frying. You can make a savory salty snack by dissolving salt and your favorite spices in water and sprinkle the prepared nut kernels with this water.

Walnuts processed by any of the above methods are a good option for an independent snack or an excellent ingredient for your favorite dishes, the main thing is to prepare the product correctly and use it immediately.

Storage after drying

To ensure that dried hazelnuts remain tasty and healthy for a long time and are not harmful to health, you should familiarize yourself with all the rules and nuances of their storage:

1. Choose natural containers for storage. Typically, fabric bags or glass jars are used. Containers must close well. Plastic bags are not suitable, as condensation forms in them, which leads to spoilage of the nuts.
2. The storage place should be dry and dark.
3. Hazelnuts are kept separate from other nuts. Otherwise, their aromas will mix and the taste will deteriorate.
4. Nuts absorb odors well. They are not stored with foods and objects that have an intense aroma.
5. If the kernels have acquired an unpleasant odor or become moldy, do not eat them. Spoiled hazelnuts are toxic.
6. It is not recommended to store it for more than six months. The shelf life of peeled kernels fried in a frying pan or in the oven at high temperatures is reduced to 3 months.

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