Toasting and skinning hazelnuts

Roasting hazelnuts enhances the flavour of the nuts and loosens their skins. Nuts really do roast very quickly so be sure to use a timer and keep your eye on them.

Once roasted, the skins can be rubbed off more easily.

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

• When the oven is hot, set a timer to 5 minutes. Place the hazelnuts into a high-sided baking tray and roast until browned, checking regularly that they aren't burning.

• Remove the toasted nuts from the oven and tip into a wire sieve. Shake the sieve to loosen the skins from the nuts, picking out any nuts that are completely free of their skins.