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Today on Chemistry Cachet, we are sharing a fun tutorial for homemade hazelnut extract!

This delicious and fragrant extract is perfect to gives as a gift for Christmas too!

Over the last five years, I have talked about extracts many times. I think extracts are one of the best chemistry techniques for all types of things.

And they are so easy to make too!

Let’s get started on the recipe, then we will share some important science behind it.

Homemade Hazelnut Extract

Can You Buy Already Roasted Hazelnuts?

Yes you can! The ones I buy from Amazon have no skins, and they are roasted, so it saves two steps.

How to Remove Skins From The Hazelnuts if Needed

The hazelnuts I have already have the skins removed, AND they are already roasted. I purchase them from Amazon here, and they are great quality. If you need to remove the skins from yours, here is a little more detail on doing so:

1.  Bring a pot of water to boil.
2.  Remove pot from heat, add in the hazelnuts.
3.  Allow hazelnuts to sit in the water for about 10-15 minutes or until water is cool enough to touch.
4.  Remove hazelnuts, then rub the skin off each one with a damp paper towel. This should be easy to do after boiling.
5.  Set hazelnuts on the baking dish and prepare to roast.

How Long Does Hazelnut Extract Need to Sit?

As mentioned in the recipe above, most extracts take at least 2 months to infuse the flavor. You can do up to 3 months if you want a more intense flavor. For our homemade chocolate extract, we suggest 3 months to get the richest flavor. It is really up to you how long, but no less than 2 months.

Is There a Substitution for the Alcohol?

The term extraction means to remove a flavor or substance with a solvent. The easiest solvent to use in the home is alcohol like vodka. I know many of our readers don’t like to buy alcohol or some can’t use it, so there is an alternative. You can use liquid glycerin. Most commonly, vegetable glycerin is good for extractions. Make sure it is food grade, like this one. I have used this method before, and it is a good alternative. It will not have as rich of a flavor though.

The Best Type of Container

For Hazelnuts, you need to make sure to use a container with a large opening so the hazelnuts can go inside easily. The lid needs to be secure and air-tight to get the best quality extract. If you want to use this as a gift idea, I recommend these jars! They are pretty and perfect for this extract. They have a 6 oz capacity also, so great for this solution. The labels we are sharing below will also fit this jar perfectly.

How Exactly Do Extracts Work?

Natural extracts are a very simple process involving flavor. A food substance is placed in a solvent, typically alcohol. The flavor from the food substance is absorbed by the alcohol leaving you with the flavor like vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate, etc. It is a concentrated flavor in a small portion. The science of flavor is fascinating! Flavor agents are chemical compounds. Each food substance has their own flavor compound. This article from Harvard goes into detail on each chemical compound plus how they are obtained naturally or artificially.

The beauty of doing your own extracts at home is you know it is a natural substance. Many store-bought options are natural too, but others are just the flavors obtained artificially.

Will the alcohol still be in the extract after using it?

Most store-bought extracts you are using contain alcohol. Like we mentioned above, it is the easiest and best way to extract a flavor from an ingredient. Just like with the store-bought versions, the alcohol isn’t noticeable and will evaporate at high temperatures. If you use the extract in coffee or drink flavoring, the alcohol won’t evaporate, but it is negligible.  You won’t smell it or taste it! It is the same as using an extract right from the store 🙂

If you don’t want to use alcohol, remember to try the substituted version above we talk about. It won’t be as rich in flavor, but can be used  as a good substitute!

How to turn this DIY hazelnut extract into the perfect gift:

This makes a beautiful gift for friends and neighbors. We have some simple labels created for you, so you can just print them out, glue them to the lid, and add in the date of completion! You can add ribbon or little ornaments to dress them up too. Don’t forget to hand write the date from 2 months after you package them so the receiver can know when the extract is ready to use! It also has the link to our website, so they can know more details on using the extract.

Here is the PDF version of the label below. Click on it to open, then print the labels. This makes three labels that fit these jars exactly.

Click Here for Printable PDF of hazelnut extract labels

If you have larger jars or smaller ones, you can save this photo below (right click and press save photo), add to a word document, then shrink or expand the photo for a different size:

Ways to Enjoy This DIY Hazelnut Extract:

Use it for anything that calls for extract!

• Pies
• Cookies
• Cakes
• Coffee
• Smoothies

So many possibilities!

I think you will enjoy making these extract! Please tag me on instagram if you make it! Also use #chemistrycachet!

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