IngredientsNuts & dried fruit
Haselnüssehazelnuts
The fruit of Corylus avellana. Toasted it turns sweetish and plainly nutty; raw it tastes bland and milky.
In German baking it is the default nut: ground in nut cake and biscuits, chopped and caramelised on Bienenstich, milled into nougat.
In Mexikoin Mexico
They are called avellanas. Supermarkets, baking suppliers and Costco carry them, but the price bites.
Where that matters, almonds or pecans will do. Both are milder, and the cake loses the hazelnut note.
Kaufenhow to buy them
Buy whole kernels, not ground. Hazelnuts are more than half fat, and ground they go rancid within weeks in this heat: they smell of old oil and taste bitter.
Store them cool and dark, better still in the fridge. Toast them in a dry pan shortly before baking, let them cool, then grind.
Vorsichtwatch out
In Mexico nueces on its own usually means pecans, not hazelnuts and not walnuts either.
Ask for avellanas by name and check what is actually in the bag.