Why Piedmont hazelnut deserves a real tasting
Some ingredients get eaten without ever really being tasted. Piedmont hazelnut is often one of them, reduced to a garnish or the base of a breakfast slice. That's a mistake. When it is worked into an artisan spread, with no palm oil and no emulsifiers, it develops an aromatic profile comparable to a great cheese or a quality chocolate: toasted notes, a slight bitterness, length on the palate, a lingering roundness.
The timing is right: Nocciola del Piemonte IGP, the Tonda Gentile delle Langhe variety, is harvested between mid-September and mid-October. Right now is exactly when freshly processed hazelnuts reach the market. The roasting aroma is sharper, the texture meltier. Which is to say autumn is the natural season for tasting it.
IGP: what the designation actually guarantees
The protected geographical indication Nocciola del Piemonte covers hazelnuts grown in the Langhe, the Monferrato and the Basso Piemonte area. The Tonda Gentile variety stands out for its perfectly spherical shape and its high natural fat content — which is why a 100% hazelnut purée needs neither added oil nor texturing agent to be perfectly smooth the moment you open the jar.
This 100% Piedmont hazelnut purée is in fact what professionals use in pastry: no added sugar, pure flavour, controlled dosing. For tasting at home, the spread is more approachable, with a measured sweetness that doesn't mask the nut.
Spread or purée: two textures, two moments
It's worth drawing the distinction clearly:
- Hazelnut spread contains sugar, sometimes cocoa. It's designed to be spread, tasted on its own, used as a filling or an accompaniment. This is the product for tasting directly.
- 100% hazelnut purée is a raw ingredient for cooking and pastry: creams, ganaches, sauces, ice creams. No sugar, intense flavour.
This article is about the first one. The cocoa and Piedmont hazelnut spread follows the same pairing rules, with an extra layer of chocolate that opens up other directions.
---
The best pairings for an autumn tasting
The idea isn't to spread, but to pair. A small bowl of spread set on a board, a few chosen elements around it, and you let your guests explore the combinations. It's the simplest format and the most revealing.
Autumn fruit: fig, pear and quince
Seasonal fruit makes the best partner for hazelnut. Three pairings to try:
- Fresh or dried fig: fig brings a dense sweetness and a slight fermented note that contrasts with the toasted hazelnut. The pairing works instantly. Late in the season (through mid-October), violet figs from Solliès or black figs from Carombe work particularly well.
- Williams or Conference pear: pear is the most elegant. Its juicy flesh and fine sweetness don't dominate the hazelnut, they amplify it. Cut it into thin slices and place a spoonful of spread straight on top.
- Quince: this is the most complex pairing. Quince on its own is too astringent, but as a jelly or a quince paste (cotognata), the residual acidity cuts through the softness of the hazelnut very precisely. The pairing never fails to surprise.
Bread, biscuits and tasting bases
The base changes everything. Industrial sandwich bread is the least interesting: too sweet, too soft, it makes the nuances disappear.
- Toasted country bread: the best choice for a serious tasting. The crust brings texture and a slight acidity that cleans the palate.
- Sesame or spelt crackers: less sweet, more neutral, they let the hazelnut express itself fully.
- Plain shortbread biscuit: for a more indulgent approach, a sablé breton or a very lightly spiced speculoos opens up an extra dimension.
Cheese and sweet-savoury pairings
This is the least expected pairing and often the most memorable. Hazelnut spread lends itself to sweet-savoury combinations, provided you choose the right cheese:
- Young pecorino: its slight saltiness and melting texture sit with the sweetness of the hazelnut without any conflict.
- 12-month Comté: the toasted hazelnut notes in Comté literally echo the spread. The pairing mirrors itself.
- Fresh goat's cheese: the lactic acidity of fresh cheese cuts through the roundness of the hazelnut. Less obvious, but very clean on the palate.
Avoid: blue cheeses (Roquefort, Gorgonzola), whose intensity completely overwhelms the hazelnut.
---
Pairing summary table
| Ingredient | Pairing | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh or dried fig | Hazelnut spread | Dense sweetness, fermented note, toasted contrast |
| Williams or Conference pear | Hazelnut spread | Amplifies the hazelnut, fine texture |
| Quince (jelly or paste) | Hazelnut spread | Residual acidity cuts the softness |
| Toasted country bread | Hazelnut spread | Texture and palate-cleansing acidity |
| Sesame or spelt crackers | Hazelnut spread | Neutral, lets the hazelnut express itself |
| Plain shortbread biscuit | Hazelnut spread | An extra indulgent dimension |
| Young pecorino | Hazelnut spread | Saltiness and melting texture in harmony |
| 12-month Comté | Hazelnut spread | Toasted notes that mirror each other |
| Fresh goat's cheese | Hazelnut spread | Acidity cuts the roundness |
---
How to set up a tasting at home
A tasting doesn't need to be complicated to be convincing. The key is not to mix everything together and to follow an order.
The order of service
- Start by tasting the spread on its own, with no base, from a teaspoon. Let it melt slowly. Note the roasting aroma, the roundness, the very slight bitterness on the finish.
- Move on to the neutral bases: toasted bread, crackers. Watch how texture changes what you feel on the palate.
- Bring in the fruit: pear first (the mildest), then fig, and finally quince or quince jelly if you have some.
- Finish with the cheeses, going from the mildest (fresh goat's cheese) to the most assertive (Comté).
If you want to widen the tasting, the set of five spreads lets you compare hazelnut with pistachio, almond and cocoa-hazelnut on the same accompaniments. The differences are instructive.
---
Frequently asked questions
Can Piedmont hazelnut spread be paired with wine?
Yes, in a dessert or end-of-meal board setting. A Tuscan Vin Santo, a light Sauternes or a Passito di Pantelleria brings a residual acidity that balances the roundness of the hazelnut. Avoid tannic red wines: the bitterness conflicts with the sweetness of the spread.
Can hazelnut spread be used in savoury cooking?
It's rare, but possible. A spoonful of hazelnut spread dissolved into a butter sauce to go with pasta or white meat gives a surprising result. It isn't a classic tasting use, but Piedmont hazelnut has enough character to work in low-sugar savoury dishes.
What difference does an artisan hazelnut spread make compared with an industrial version, in pairing terms?
The artisan version without palm oil is less uniform in texture and less sweet. That's exactly what makes it interesting for tasting: it has a real hazelnut flavour, with variations depending on the roast, and it doesn't saturate the palate as quickly. The pairings described here apply to a quality spread; with a very sweet industrial version, many of these combinations come through less clearly.
lucangeli.it
