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 (praliné maison in French) 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.

It is also perfect as a filling for crepes or pancakes or to make delicious French desserts, such as 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 methods. Here, the dry process is used, and I will guide you through the whole process to success.

Also, to handle the grinding of hazelnuts, you will need a good food processor or a high-speed blender.

You will reduce toasted and caramelized nuts to smooth paste several times in small steps to prevent the food processor or blender 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.

What is hazelnut praline paste?

Hazelnut praline paste is a popular French spread made from caramelized hazelnuts and/or almonds and caramel.

These are crushed until they release their oil to make a paste resembling peanut butter.

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 the water evaporates, forming a liquefied sugar, which is further cooked until it caramelizes.

Stir or not to stir the caramel

Ideally, you should not stir both dry and wet caramel. This is the secret of caramel. 

Stirring dry caramel makes it clump into large sugar lumps; stirring wet caramel may induce it to crystallize.

BUT to feel more confident in making caramel! If you make it the first time or are a beginner baker, you can stir the caramel.

Please, do not mix it violently during caramelization, but gently with a heatproof rubber spatula, wooden spatula, or wooden spoon 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. As a result, 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 below).

Why you should try this recipe

1. Three handy ingredients (raw 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: high quality nuts are the stars of the authentic French praline paste. Use raw nuts to toast yourself or store-bought toasted hazelnuts.

Feel free to experiment with another type of nuts: almonds, a mix of hazelnuts and almonds, pecans, pistachios, etc.

Sugar: the recipe calls for granulated white sugar or caster sugar. Replace it with organic cane sugar if desired.

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 roast hazelnuts, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F/150 degrees C. Spread whole raw hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.

Remove skins by wrapping warm hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel (rub vigorously!) and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

It is unnecessary to remove all the skins; if there are any pieces of skin left, it is okay.

Place roasted hazelnuts as a single layer on a sheet pan, a baking tray lined with parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat (photo 1).

To make the caramel, first, heat a non-stick pan with a heavy bottom over medium-high heat 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 with sugar granules (photo 3), but it will melt at some point.

Lower the heat and cook until sugar melts and the caramel gets the golden color, and you feel a caramel flavor.

The key is swirling the pan while cooking! Then, add a pinch of salt at the last moment of cooking.

Pour the caramel over toasted hazelnuts in a single thin layer and cool completely, about 20 minutes (photo 4).

The next step is to break the caramel plate into smaller 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 a higher speed and process more until paste forms, and it turns into the creamy paste, nut praline (photos 7-8).

Recipe variations

So, what are the best nuts to make praline paste?

Praline can be made with all different types of nuts, but the classic flavor is hazelnut.

Replace hazelnuts with blanched almonds to make the almond paste. Enjoy it as a spread or make a gluten-free dessert Fig And Cinnamon Pavlova.

If you combine half almonds and half hazelnuts, you might compete with Valrhona's traditional French Almond & Hazelnut Praline.

Experiment with roasted pistachios to get the pistachio paste.

Try cashews, macadamia nuts, or even pine nuts as substitutes for hazelnuts.

How to serve it

You can serve and use this hazelnut spread in so many ways. But, first and foremost, you can enjoy it on its own or with your favorite ice cream.

Second, you can spread it on crepes, pancakes, or brioche. It tastes great with butter as well as peanut butter too.

Third, you can create a hazelnut chocolate spread, resembled Nutella. Just add ¼ cup of high-quality melted chocolate or a few teaspoons of cocoa powder to the paste and mix.

Finally, you can add praline paste to whipped cream and use it as a Sponge Cake or cupcakes frosting.

Storage

Store your praline paste in an air-tight container, like a mason jar.

You can keep it at room temperature away from light for up to one week or 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.

You can also freeze this hazelnut praline paste for up to 6 months. To thaw, bring it to room temperature for a few hours.

Expert tips

1. Use store-bought toasted 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.
3. Depending on your taste, mix your praline spread for a longer or shorter time. 
4. Do not overheat the praline paste while mixing: do not hesitate to pose between the mixing periods.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe

The nutritional 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.