The hazelnut as a serious ingredient
The hazelnut has an unusual status in Italian food culture. It is, on one hand, one of the most widely used flavouring agents in the world — primarily through its association with chocolate, in spreads and confectionery that have made it globally recognisable. On the other hand, the hazelnut itself — the actual nut, from a specific growing region — is one of the most complex and rewarding flavours in the nut canon: roasty, sweet, slightly bitter at the finish, with a fat richness that carries flavour exceptionally well.
Gelatone uses hazelnuts from Piedmont, specifically from the Langhe and Monferrato areas — the same region that supplies Italy's finest confectionery and chocolate producers. These are the hazelnuts that have been cultivated for generations to produce a consistent, high-quality crop suitable for precision flavour work. They are not a commodity nut.
What makes Gelatone's hazelnut gelato different
As with the pistachio, the standard approach to hazelnut gelato in London is to use a commercially produced paste. This is efficient and consistent — and it produces a result that is fine but flat. The flavour of industrial hazelnut paste is recognisable but lacks the roasty depth and the natural sweetness of a freshly processed Piedmontese hazelnut.
At Gelatone, we start with whole roasted hazelnuts and process them to order. The result is a gelato that tastes of hazelnut — not of a hazelnut-flavoured product. The distinction is significant and immediately apparent if you taste them side by side.
The texture is also different: the natural oils in freshly processed hazelnuts integrate into the gelato base differently than a paste does, producing a smoother, more even mouthfeel and a flavour that lingers longer.
Nocciola as a flavour in context
In Italy, nocciola — hazelnut — gelato is a benchmark flavour. In the same way that a good cacio e pepe tells you everything about a Roman kitchen's confidence, a good nocciola gelato tells you about a gelateria's ingredient sourcing and technical ability. It has nowhere to hide: it is one ingredient and one preparation, with nothing to distract from the quality of the nut.
We treat it accordingly. The hazelnut gelato at Gelatone is made with the same attention to sourcing and process as every other flavour on the menu. It is one of the most consistently surprising things we make — because the standard in London is so low that the real thing lands quite differently.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find hazelnut gelato in London?
Gelatone at 23 Rose Street, Covent Garden, makes hazelnut gelato from Piedmontese hazelnuts — the variety used by Italy's finest confectionery producers.
What are Piedmontese hazelnuts?
Hazelnuts from the Langhe and Monferrato areas of Piedmont in northwest Italy. They have a stronger, more complex flavour than commodity hazelnuts and are prized for confectionery and gelato production.
Is hazelnut gelato the same as Nutella flavour?
No. Gelatone's hazelnut gelato is made from whole roasted hazelnuts with no chocolate or industrial additions. The flavour is pure hazelnut — roasty, complex, and distinctly different from a chocolate-hazelnut spread.
Is hazelnut gelato suitable for nut allergies?
No — hazelnut gelato contains tree nuts (hazelnuts). Please check with us in store about allergen information for all flavours.
What is the best gelato to pair with hazelnut?
Hazelnut pairs well with chocolate or a seasonal fruit sorbet. Ask in store for our current combination recommendations.