Nuts, Seeds & Pastes
Hazelnut Paste (Piedmont IGP) in gelato
Pure roasted paste of Piedmont IGP hazelnuts (Tonda Gentile), a 100% nut product with no added sugar or oil. In gelato it is a flavor and fat carrier: rich in fat (~64%) and solids (~97%), it builds body and mouthfeel while contributing almost nothing to sweetness or freezing-point control.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 97% |
| Water | 3% |
| Sugars | 4% |
| Fat | 64% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 15% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 4 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 4 |
Typical use: 6-12% of the total mix for a pronounced hazelnut gelato; 4-6% for lighter or blended flavors.
Balance hazelnut paste (piedmont igp) in a real recipe
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Add pure hazelnut paste as a flavor and fat source, typically alongside milk, sugars and a small amount of stabilizer. Because it is ~64% fat and ~97% total solids, it markedly raises fat and total-solids figures, enriching texture and slowing melt. Its sugar load is tiny (~4 g sucrose/100 g), so it barely moves POD or PAC (pa=pac=4 per 100 g of paste): treat freezing-point control and sweetness as coming from your sugar blend, not the paste. When adding several percent of paste, recalculate fat and solids and trim added cream/fat to avoid an over-rich, gummy body.
Origin & background
Piedmont hazelnut paste is made from the Tonda Gentile Trilobata cultivar grown in the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato hills of north-west Italy. The Nocciola Piemonte designation was granted EU Protected Geographical Indication (PGI/IGP) status in 1993, and the variety is prized in confectionery for its round shape, thin skin and intense roasted aroma, the same nut at the heart of traditional gianduia.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central — Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts, raw (SR Legacy): fat 60.75 g, protein 14.95 g, total sugars 4.34 g (sucrose-dominant), water 5.31 g per 100 g. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-search/
- Aprifel (French CIQUAL-based nutritional table) — Hazelnut, raw per 100 g: fat 56.9 g, protein 17 g, sugars 4.90 g, fiber 11.6 g, water 7.30 g. https://www.aprifel.com/en/nutritional-sheet/hazelnut/
- Pariani — Pasta di Nocciola Piemonte IGP tostata scura (pure roasted Piedmont PGI hazelnut paste), nutrition per 100 g: fat 65.1 g, protein 14.8 g, carbohydrate 6.6 g (sugars 4 g), fiber 8.8 g, salt 0.05 g. https://pariani.org/en/inventario/ingredients/paste-di-frutta-secca/pasta-di-nocciola-piemonte-igp-tost-scura/
- Consorzio Tutela Nocciola Piemonte IGP — Tonda Gentile Trilobata cultivar, EU PGI status. https://www.nocciolapiemonte.it/the-nocciola-piemonte-pgi/?lang=en