Homemade hazelnut oil - with or without a press

Variant 1: Homemade hazelnut oil with a press

Ingredients:

• 250 g hazelnuts (roasted)
• 500 ml high-quality vegetable oil (e.g. rapeseed oil or sunflower oil)

Items needed:

• Hazelnut oil press or an oil press
• Coarse sieve or cheesecloth
• Big bowl
• Sealable glass bottle or bottles

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Preparation of the hazelnuts:

   • Toast the hazelnuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly browned and fragrant. This takes about 8-10 minutes. Make sure to stir the hazelnuts constantly to prevent burning.
   • Let the roasted hazelnuts cool.

2. Crushing the hazelnuts:

   • Once the hazelnuts have cooled, place them in the hazelnut oil press or oil press.

3. Pressing the oil:

   • Use the press to extract the hazelnut oil from the hazelnuts. The fresh hazelnut oil is collected in a container.

4. Filtering the oil:

   • Pour the fresh hazelnut oil through a coarse sieve or a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl to remove any residue.

5. Filling and storage:

   • Pour the fresh hazelnut oil into a sealable glass bottle or bottles. Make sure the bottle is clean and dry.
   • Store hazelnut oil in a cool, dark place to extend its shelf life. The oil should last for several months if stored properly.

Tips for use:

• Hazelnut oil is a delicious, aromatic oil that is ideal for salads, sauces, dips and marinades.
• Also use it as a topping for grilled vegetables or pasta.
• Be sure to shake the oil well before use as sediment may form at the bottom of the bottle.

Variant 2: Flavored hazelnut oil without a press

Ingredients:

• 250 g hazelnuts (roasted)
• 500 ml high-quality vegetable oil (e.g. rapeseed oil or sunflower oil)
• 1-2 teaspoons hazelnut flavor extract (optional)

Items needed:

• Food processor or blender
• Coarse sieve or cheesecloth
• Big bowl
• Sealable glass bottle or bottles

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Preparation of the hazelnuts:

   • Roast the hazelnuts as described in variant 1 and let them cool.

2. Crushing the hazelnuts:

   • Place the cooled hazelnuts in a food processor or blender.

3. Mixing the hazelnuts:

   • Crush the hazelnuts into a fine powder. This may take several minutes.

4. Making the flavored oil:

   • In a large bowl, mix the ground hazelnut powder with the vegetable oil. If you want, you can also add hazelnut flavor extract to enhance the hazelnut flavor.

5. Filtering the oil:

   • Pour the hazelnut oil through a coarse sieve or a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl to remove any coarse hazelnut residue.

6. Filling and storage:

   • Pour the flavored hazelnut oil into a sealable glass bottle or bottles.
   • Store in a cool, dark place to extend shelf life. Flavored hazelnut oil should also last for several months if stored properly.

Tips for use:

• Use this flavored hazelnut oil as a special flavor element in dressings, to drizzle on desserts or as a dip for fresh bread.
• It can also serve as a gift idea if you fill it into pretty bottles and package it decoratively.