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If you live in India and have heard the term Hazelnut Praline for the first time, you might be wondering—what is this fancy thing? But by the end of this easy Hazelnut Praline Paste recipe from scratch, you’re probably going to laugh just like I did. Trust me, it’s so simple and so familiar to us, we’ve basically been eating it for centuries!
Yes! See, when I say Hazelnut Praline, you might raise your eyebrows, but if I say Hazelnut Chikki, what would you do except laugh? Chikki! Our signature winter snack! And now you’re telling me I have to learn how to make it? But here’s the fun part—while our beloved chikki uses a healthier ingredient, jaggery, the praline is made with sugar. So in simple words, if you make any nut chikki using sugar instead of jaggery, that’s praline! 😄
Related: Viral Dubai Chocolate Fudge Recipe With Easily Available Ingredients
Honestly, I truly believe that human nature doesn’t really know boundaries. The ingredients might change slightly depending on climate or tradition, but the core principles of cooking remain surprisingly similar across the globe. And no, I’m not just randomly throwing philosophy into food talk—cooking has its own universal language that goes beyond borders.
However, you know this fancy dessert has such desi roots, the hazelnut is the master ingredient that creates a magical flavour difference. So don’t go anywhere! Here’s a step-by-step guide to making Hazelnut Praline Paste. Scroll down to see pictures too, and enjoy this deep dive into how our humble chikki and the “gourmet” praline are practically cousins!
What is Hazelnut Praline Paste, And Where is it used?
When the toasted hazelnuts are mixed with the caramelised sugar to make them crunchy, solid, golden layered Hazelnuts. These glossy sugar-layered hazelnuts are called Hazunut Praline, and if we grind them till the consistency of a paste, this paste is called the Hazelnut Praline paste. And this is not the only praline; you can make different pralines by using different kinds of nuts and seeds such as Almonds, pistachios, peanuts sesame seeds.
Where You Can Use Hazelnut Praline Paste:
- Buttercream assembly: Decorate the buttercream with a nutty caramel crunch on top of the cake sponges.
- Chocolate Filling: Bonbons, truffles, and chocolate bar goodness. It has this deep, nutty sweetness
- For dessert: drizzle it over brownies, tarts, or cheesecakes for your glossy gourmet topping.
- Morsels for dumplings or croissants: Just like the Gujiya filling or croissant top with the praline paste, modern fusion.
- Bread or cake spread: Spread on bread just like peanut butter, but richer and deeper in taste. You can also spread on a cake base before your frosting to give a rich flavour to your cake.
- Swirled into milkshakes or coffee: A spoonful can elevate your morning coffee or a dessert shake.
- Fusion Indian sweets: Mix it in barfi, stuff it in modaks, or drizzle over rasmalai for a rich, creamy and nutty twist.
- Ice cream base or topping: You can blend it into homemade ice cream or simply swirl it over vanilla scoops.
Note: This Hazelnut Praline Paste is going to be the secret ingredient of my upcoming Moong Dal Halwa Cake Recipe.
Hazelnut Praline Paste Recipe From Scratch (Step-By-Step Guide)
Ingredients:
To make hazelnut praline paste, you just need two ingredients:
1. Hazelnuts (120g)
Since we’re making Hazelnut Praline, we need hazelnuts! If you live in a metro city like Delhi or Mumbai, they’re easy to find at gourmet stores. If you’re in a smaller town or rural area, just order them from Amazon. And honestly, if hazelnuts are hard to find, use peanuts instead—your desi hazelnuts! Although the taste will not be the same, it will also be amazing.
\2. Sugar (80g)
Sugar is essential for this recipe. If you want to use jaggery, don’t replace the entire sugar quantity. Sugar gives that signature crunch to praline. In fact, even in chikkis sold in markets, a mix of sugar and jaggery is what gives them that perfect texture.
Instructions:
Step 1: Toast the hazelnuts for 10 minutes in a microwave at 160 degrees, if you have one. Otherwise, roast them like me in a pan on a low flame. Stir constantly to avoid burning. Low flame is important
Step 2: In a saucepan, pour 80g of sugar and let it melt completely on low heat. Do not stir the sugar while it’s melting—it may crystallise
Step 4: Add the toasted hazelnuts to the melted sugar. Gently stir and coat them well until each hazelnut is covered with caramelised sugar.
Step 5:Transfer the mixture onto parchment paper or a silicone mat and spread it out. Let it cool and set.
Step 6: Once cooled, refrigerate it for about 10 minutes. This step helps form a solid, crunchy layer.
Step 7: Break the praline into smaller pieces and put them into your mixer or grinder jar.
Step 8: Grind the praline into a coarse powder first. You can save some of this to sprinkle on cakes or ice cream.
Step 9: Then, continue grinding until it turns into a creamy, smooth paste.
Step 10: Transfer the Hazelnut Praline Paste into a clean jar and enjoy it as a topping for cakes, sweets, or other desserts!
Why You Should Make Hazelnut Praline Paste At Home
1. Better Taste and Aroma
Since it’s homemade, it’s fresh—no preservatives! And the aroma? Absolutely divine compared to store-bought versions.
2. More Affordable
Anything homemade is always cheaper. Save that money and invest it in more fun ingredients for your kitchen!
3. Stays Fresh Longer
Because you know when and how it was made, it’ll stay fresh longer than most market products (which might already be weeks old by the time you buy
Final Thoughts
Now you know exactly what Hazelnut Praline is and how to make it from scratch. Remember what I said at the beginning—that you’d laugh in the end? So…did you? Let me know in the comments!
Also, remember how I talked about the language of food that goes beyond boundaries? Hazelnut Praline is just one example. When I first learned about Salsa, I instantly thought of Chokha, and again, I laughed! Food truly connects us all. So if you’ve had similar experiences where you found a fancy global dish that reminded you of a desi one, drop it in the comments. Let’s build a list together and celebrate this beautiful, universal language of cooking.