How To Make Hazelnut Praline Paste

Hazelnut praline paste is a delicious gluten-free and dairy-free breakfast spread and a base for many different pastries. It is an easy recipe with a 100 % guaranteed result!

While you can always buy a hazelnut praline, you can also make a homemade version. Just spend 50 minutes and enjoy the best hazelnut praline paste you can ever make yourself.

Enjoy it on its own (since it is homemade, it is magical), use it as a perfect breakfast spread on toasts, as a filling for crepes or pancakes, or make delicious desserts, such as Hazelnut Paris-Brest Dessert or Fig Tart With Praline.

There is nothing complicated in this hazelnut paste recipe, except the management of the caramel, which must not burn. There are two methods to make the caramel: the dry and wet method. Here, the dry process is used, and I will guide you through to success.

Also, to handle the grinding of hazelnuts, you will need a good food processor. You will reduce toasted and caramelized hazelnuts to a puree several times, in small steps to prevent the food processor from overheating.

Then you will get a jar of praline paste. Just be ready for a delicious moment: you can use it everywhere, it’s so delicious.

Jump to:

• What is hazelnut praline paste?
• The best nuts to make praline paste
• The difference between dry and wet caramel
• Stir or not to stir the caramel
• When the caramel is done?
• Why hazelnut paste recipe works
• Ingredients
• How to make hazelnut praline paste
• Expert tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More delicious praline recipes you will love
• Hazelnut Praline Paste

What is hazelnut praline paste?

Hazelnut praline paste is a French spread made from hazelnuts and caramel.

The best nuts to make praline paste

• Praline can be made with all different kinds of nuts, but the classic flavor is hazelnut.
• Replace hazelnuts with blanched almonds to make the almond praline paste. Enjoy it as a spread or make a gluten-free dessert Cinnamon Pavlova With Figs.
• If you combine half almonds and half hazelnuts, you might compete with the traditional French Almond & Hazelnut Praline by Valrhona.
• Experiment with roasted pistachios to get the pistachio flavored praline.
• Try cashews or macadamia nuts as substitutes for hazelnuts.

The difference between dry and wet caramel

First of all, there are two ways to make the caramel: dry caramel (without water) and wet caramel (with water). They are both the same – caramelized sugar, but there is some difference in cooking them.

While making a dry caramel, sugar is heated in a pan until it starts to liquefy and then caramelize.

While making a wet caramel, sugar is combined with water in a pot. At first, sugar dissolves into water over low heat, resulting in sugar syrup. Then sugar syrup is heated until all of the water evaporates, forming a liquefied sugar, which is further cooked until it caramelizes.

Stir or not to stir the caramel

Ideally, both dry and wet caramel should not be stirred. This is the secret of the caramel. Stirring dry caramel makes it to clump into large sugar lumps, stirring wet caramel may induce it to crystallize.

BUT to feel more confident in making caramel if you are a beginner baker, you can stir the caramel. Please, do not mix it violently during caramelization, but gently with a heatproof rubber spatula or a wooden spatula to loosen the sugar from the edge of a pot.

One day you will master the technique used by pastry chefs, and you will only turn/shake the pot from time to time on itself to make the sugar uniform.

When the caramel is done?

While making the caramel, there is a question of stopping its cooking. It can take on a golden, red, or amber color. The darker it gets, the bitter and stronger it becomes. So, it’s completely up to you.

When the caramel reaches the color you like, stop the caramelization process by pouring it over toasted hazelnuts (the recipe is below).

Why hazelnut paste recipe works

1. Three handy ingredients (hazelnuts, sugar, salt) result in a beautiful breakfast praline spread.
2. Homemade hazelnut praline is an inexpensive alternative to a store-bought hazelnut praline.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for detailed amounts and instructions. I recommend making this recipe as written for the best results. 

Hazelnuts: these nuts are the star of the authentic French praline paste. Feel free to experiment with other kinds of nuts.

Sugar: the recipe calls for granulated white sugar or caster sugar.

Salt: ideally, fleur de sel is used to make praline paste, but you can replace it with any coarse salt or sea salt. Please, don’t use iodized table salt because the taste would be too strong.

How to make hazelnut praline paste

To toast hazelnuts, preheat oven to 300 F/150 C. Spread whole nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Remove skins by wrapping warm hazelnuts in a clean tea towel (rub vigorously!) and let them sit 5 to 10 minutes. It is not necessary to remove all the skins; if there are any pieces of skin left, it is okay.

Place toasted hazelnuts as a single layer on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (photo 1).

To make the caramel, heat a non-stick pan with a heavy bottom for a few seconds and pour one-third of granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat, swirling and shaking the pan over your stove (photo 2).

Once the sugar starts melting, add another third of the sugar and continue to swirl the pan. Do not mix the caramel (when the sugar dissolves) with a spoon or spatula! Add the last third of the sugar and continue to cook.

The caramel might look lumpy and grainy (photo 3), but it will melt at some point. Lower the heat and cook until the caramel gets the golden color. The key is swirling the pan while cooking! Add a pinch of salt at the last moment of cooking.

Pour the caramel over toasted hazelnuts and cool completely, about 20 minutes (photo 4).

Break the caramel plate into pieces and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Turn on low speed and get a praline powder first (photos 5-6).

Then switch to higher speed and process more until it turns into the nut praline (photos 7-8).

Expert tips

1. Use store-bought toasted/roasted unsalted hazelnuts to save time.
2. Please DO NOT touch the pot or the caramel while it is still hot, or you may get burned.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to store hazelnut praline paste

Store praline paste in a mason glass jar at room temperature for up to one week, in the fridge for up to one month. Please, remember to stir it from time to time (for example, once a week), so the oil does not separate, and the mixture keeps all its smoothness.

Can you freeze praline spread?

Yes, you can freeze praline paste/spread for up to 6 months. To thaw, bring it to room temperature for a few hours.

More delicious praline recipes you will love

• Hazelnut Paris-Brest Dessert Recipe
• Fresh Fig Tart With Hazelnut Praline
• Cinnamon Pavlova With Fresh Figs 

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The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool. Please, read the disclaimers in our Privacy Policy.

The recipe was originally published on September 08, 2020. It has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.