How to Skin and Roast Hazelnuts (also known as filberts . . . I didn't know that!).
- Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to 2 cups boiling water;
- Add the nuts and blanch for 10 minutes. The baking soda neutralizes the acid skins, which can then be removed easily.
- Drain the nuts in a sieve and rinse with cold water.
- Place the nuts in a container of cold water.
- Remove the skins under running water and place peeled nuts in the sieve over a container.
- When all the nuts are peeled, dry them off by patting handfuls in paper towels.
- Salt the nuts to taste while still damp (optional).
- To roast the hazelnuts, place skinned nuts on a baking sheet in a 275ºF oven for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.
Found this from wikibooks. I'll test this method out and report back.
UPDATE: Works like a charm. The skins just falls off!
