All About Hazelnuts
Posted: 01 Sep 2025

Hazelnut Heaven: Flavour Combinations to Fall in Love With
One of our favourite flavours to pair with chocolate is the classic hazelnut – whether enrobed in caramel and encased in milk chocolate or ground into a sumptuous paste with sugar or chocolate to create decadent fillings for bonbons and bars. And don’t forget gelato and chocolate drinks! Keep reading to find out how you can add hazelnut to your product range with our selection of nut products and flavourings, and use code HAZNUT20 to save 20% on Nutural World’s Hazelnut Nut Paste in September…
by Lyndsey Hall
01 September 2025
The History of Hazelnuts
The humble hazelnut has been around since prehistoric times, originating in Asia – where the delicious tree nut was considered one of the five sacred foods of that time – with evidence of hazelnuts found across Europe since around 8,000 BCE.
Not only are hazelnuts a versatile ingredient, with a distinctive flavour, great texture, and nutritional benefits, they’re also woven into many cultural traditions. The Ancient Romans used hazel branches in wedding ceremonies, and in Ireland, hazel was referred to as the ‘Tree of Knowledge’, and in medieval times, was a symbol of fertility. In England, hazelnuts were carried as good luck charms, and hazel rods were used for water-divining and warding off evil spirits.
Italy, the home of gianduja (and your favourite chocolate and hazelnut flavoured spread) is the world’s top consumer of hazelnuts today, with 78,000 metric tons eaten each year! Turkey, the biggest producer of hazelnuts, comes in second place, with 60,000 MT consumed per year.
With the popularity of the classic nut still growing, especially in bakery and confectionery, we wanted to take a deep dive into everything hazelnut and show you how to make the most of this versatile nut!





Hazelnut Paste, Praliné, Gianduja or Hazelnut Cream?
You’d be forgiven for thinking hazelnut paste and hazelnut cream were the same, but what about praliné and gianduja? Don’t worry, we’ve got the answers:
Hazelnut Paste – a nut butter made from 100% nuts
Hazelnut Cream – a creamy spread made from nuts, sugar and sometimes cocoa powder
Praliné – a combination of nuts and sugar, caramelised
Gianduja – a blend of nuts and chocolate, often in a solid block
Which Flavours Pair Best with Hazelnut?
Hazelnut blends beautifully with lots of different flavours, thanks to its sweet, nutty, buttery and earthy notes. Try one of the following for a pairing that will bring out the best in this popular little nut:
Vanilla
The sweetness and warmth of vanilla perfectly complements the rich, nuttiness of hazelnut. Layer vanilla ganache with hazelnut gianduja for a decadent bonbon filling.
Coffee
Sweet, nutty hazelnut and earthy, rich coffee: a match made in heaven! Encase an indulgent hazelnut praline in a Callebaut Cappuccino Flavoured White Chocolate shell. Or whip up a hazelnut milk and Van Houten Milk Chocolate Drink Powder mocha!
Caramel
Whole hazelnuts in caramel, encased in milk chocolate are a staple of every chocolate box for good reason! The buttery, rich, sweetness of caramel perfectly balances the earthy undertone of hazelnut. Put a modern twist on this duo with a caramel alternative, like dulce de leche or toffee! Read our blog post Caramel Alternatives Your Customers Will Adore for more inspiration.
Spices
Hazelnut also makes the perfect foundation for a warming, spiced sweet treat. Use cinnamon or nutmeg to add depth and gentle heat to your chocolate and patisserie creations.
Fruits
Lots of fruity flavours taste fantastic with the addition of hazelnut, whether you prefer stone fruits like peach and cherry, pome fruits like apple and pear, tart but sweet berries, or even citrus fruits!




Chocolate
Hazelnut and chocolate is the classic combination, found in so many variations across confectionery and patisserie. Here are a few of our favourite couvertures that pair beautifully with hazelnut:
Dark Chocolates
- Veliche Essential 54
- Veliche Sensation 72
- Valrhona Alpaco 66%
- Cacao Barry Excellence 55%
- Cacao Barry Extra-Bitter Guayaquil 64%
- Cacao Barry Ocoa 70%
- Cacao Barry Chocolat Amer 60%
- Cacao Barry Venezuela 72%
Milk Chocolates
- Veliche Intense 35
- Valrhona Hukambi 53%
- Callebaut Origin Ecuador 39%
- Cacao Barry Alunga 41%
- Cacao Barry Lactée Barry 35%
- Valrhona Caramelia 36%
- Callebaut Caramel Flavoured Milk Chocolate
White Chocolates
All our Hazelnut Products in One Place
Ready to add a hint of hazelnutty goodness to all your autumnal recipes? Give one of our hazelnut products a try – from fillings and spreads to whole nuts and sauces, there’s something for every application:
- 100% Hazelnut Nut Paste from Nutural World (Get 20% off until 30 Sept!), Pure Semi-Liquid Hazelnut Paste from Callebaut and Hazel Paste from Kessko
- Whole Roasted Hazelnuts and Caramelised Nibbed Hazelnuts
- Heritage Hazelnut & Almond Praline from Cacao Barry and Lubeca 50% Hazelnut Praline Paste
- Semi-Liquid 50% Hazelnut Paste and Hazelnut and Almond Paste from Callebaut
- Mouselinemasse Smooth Hazelnut Cream from Kessko
- Colac Hazelnut Flavour Compound and Benone Flavour Compound – white chocolate flavour with crunchy hazelnut pieces!
- Colac Hazelnut Topping Sauce, Choc-o-Nut Topping Sauce, and White Choc-o-Nut Topping Sauce
- Lubeca Solid Hazelnut Praline Paste, and Callebaut Dark Chocolate Gianduja and Milk Chocolate Gianduja
- Callebaut Crema Nocciola and Doppia Nocciola
- Milk Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread and White Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread from Keylink Essentials
- Valrhona Hazelnut Pastes and Almond and Hazelnut Pastes
Our Favourite Recipes with Hazelnut
Give one of our hazelnut recipes a try, from tiffin and stuffed cookies to chocolate truffles, bonbons and a scrumptious hazelnut mocha!
Hazelnut & Vanilla Caramel Chocolates
Rose, Pistachio & Hazelnut Truffles
St. Remy XO Brandy & Hazelnut Chocolates
Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookie
White Chocolate Hazelnut Stuffed Cookie
Hazelnuts are one of the most well-loved and versatile nuts around, with so many perfect flavour pairings and ways to enjoy! Whether you prefer a classic Paris Brest or a chocolate and hazelnut stuffed croissant, or even a decadent gelato made with hazelnut paste, there’s so many options – the possibilities are endless!
And for the month of September, we’re offering 20% off our Nutural World Hazelnut Nut Paste, just use code HAZNUT20 at the checkout.
We love to see what you make with our products, don’t forget to tag us @ keylinkltd on social media in all your hazelnut creations!

Lyndsey is a marketing executive, writer and lover of books and chocolate from Sheffield.
Her favourite chocolate is Cacao Barry Lactee Superieure.