How To Make A Cup Of Homemade Hazelnut Goodness

Let's get to the heart of this whole hazelnut thing, shall we? At the local cafe the barista pumps flavored syrup into a regular cup of coffee. Is that the only way to get a sweet, nutty brew? Of course not! Here's a secret: If there's a syrup and it didn't come out of a maple tree, there is a better way to get that flavor. Chocolate syrup is tasty, but not tastier than actual melted chocolate. The same goes for strawberry and caramel syrup. So why settle for hazelnut flavor that gets squirted out of a pump bottle like scented shampoo?

Hazelnuts are naturally sweet and full of nutrients.

A Brief History Lesson
Hazelnuts come from the corylus avellana, a tree which originated in Europe and western Asia. It first became part of organized agriculture some nine millennia ago, in what is now Scotland. Those ancient people didn't have much in the way of meat up in that part of the world, so they relied on nuts to keep them full. The nut's fatty and nutritious composition would have kept them solid and healthy. Imagine that, 9,000 years pass and people are still eating the same things, albeit with a little extra sugar nowadays - though hazelnut coffee probably doesn't count as part of the paleo diet.

These days, hazelnuts are grown all across the globe, in Turkey, Poland, the U.S. and China. Hazelnut spreads and candies are the chief uses of the nut and public demand for the unique flavor just keeps growing. You can also grab a cup of hazelnut coffee in just about every restaurant and cafe across the globe, but none of those made with sugary syrup will be as good as the cup you brew at home.

Making your own hazelnut coffee is worth the extra effort.

How To Make Your Own
Okay, so you've been convinced of the superiority of non-syrup-based methods of flavored coffee. Here's how you can go about making your own hazelnut flavored brew from scratch.

1. Pick your roast. Hazelnut coffee is typically served as a light roast coffee, but the great thing about making it at home is that you get to decide every factor. You go right ahead and have that dark roast hazelnut!
2. Grab a bag of shelled, unsalted hazelnuts. You should be able to find these at just about any grocery store, or you can order them off the internet {cap} by the pound.
3. Put the beans and nuts in a coffee grinder. Measure them out to a ratio of two parts beans to one part nuts. You may have to play around with this ratio a little as you find your exact preference. Grind the mixture on a very coarse setting. The Mr. Coffee® Blade Grinder with Chamber Maid Cleaning System has a setting that's perfect for this blend.
4. Brew it in a French press. The press will ensure you get the most flavorful cup possible.
5. Enjoy. That's it! This method might take a little more effort than just pressing down on a syrup pump, but the end result is a much better taste.