Toasted Hazelnut Crust

By stancec44

To skin hazelnuts, bring a few inches of water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add about 1 teaspoon of baking soda and then the hazelnuts. Boil for several minutes, until the water turns dark brown and the skins begin to easily peel off the nuts. (You can test one by removing it from the pot, running it under cool water and seeing how well the skin slips off.) Drain the nuts from the water, let them cool until you can handle them, and then use your fingers to remove the skins. Toast the nuts on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant, shaking the pan about halfway through. Cool completely before using.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing the pan 3/4 cup hazelnuts, skinned and toasted (see Note)
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons ice water, or more as needed

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from portlandoregonian.or.newsmemory.com

Preparation

Step 1

You cook the crust even if it is for a pie that you don't usually do that for.

For the crust: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Use some butter to grease the sides and bottom of the 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Combine the hazelnuts, flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse to the consistency of coarse meal. Add the butter and pulse until there are only a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl; drizzle the ice water over and mix, adding another splash or so of water, as needed, just to bring dough together.

Use your fingers to press the dough evenly 11/2 to 2 inches up the sides and to cover the bottom of the pan; compact and smooth with a flat, straight-sided measuring cup or glass. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Bake (middle rack) for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden but not totally baked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.