I have an order for a new customer this coming weekend and he wants HAZELNUTS in his carrot cake. I've only heard of walnuts or sometimes almonds. Has anyone else heard of this??? If so, would I have to roast them before adding them to the batter????
Help me...I just might be going nuts! 
-Michelle
Well, lightly toasting them would pull out the flavor, like almonds. It might be that he doesn't like walnuts. I personally can't STAND walnuts and get so mad when they seem to be in EVERYTHING.
Carrot and Hazelut would be a great combo, IMO...
In my family, it's really tough - I HATE walnuts (find them terribly bitter), MIL LOVES them... rest of the family LOVES hazelnuts, MIL Loves them too, but she developed an allergy to them. We all dislike pecans, so I use almonds almost exclusively in cakes and muffins. MIL keeps "forgetting" I don't like walnuts (also makes my mouth feel tingly)... so she still mostly uses walnuts! LOL
Melissa
Yeah...that tingly feeling...most likely a developing allergy. That's how it started out for me with pistachios. I loved them so much that I kept eating them until I had a full anaphalaxic reaction. Bummer. I didn't let it get that far when the tingle started with cashews. 
the two best nuts ever and I'm allergic.
They are also called Filberts, you may have heard of them under that name. There are specialty shops that carry roasted and skinned Hazlenuts, quite expensive. I try to buy them in the shell during the Christmas holidays, then I crack, roast and skin them, chop and freeze them. Less expensive that way but a lot of work, I'd rather pay a bit more and buy them ready to use.
Thanks for all the info everyone!
Melissa- you MIL sounds like some of my family members! They forget that I hate butter!
So...I just got back from Trader Joe's with Hazelnuts in hand. Now what? They have been shelled, but the skins are still on. Will they fall off as I grind them up a bit or should I try to remove them first? Shirley you mentioned that you roast them...someone else said that makes them loose flavor...do you roast just so you are able to freeze or you prefer the taste? I'm sorry I am such a hazelnut idiot!!!!
-Michelle
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