Ölmühle Solling Natural Brazil Nuts. Unroasted organic Brazil nut kernels in a screw-top jar – creamy and mild, slightly sweet with a subtle tartness.

Ölmühle Solling Natural Brazil Nuts are whole organic Brazil nut kernels, unroasted and unsalted, in a glass jar with a screw lid. Ölmühle Solling, based in Boffzen on the Weser, carries them as part of their nut range. Contents: 350 g; the only ingredient is organic Brazil nut kernels.

Natural Brazil nuts from Ölmühle Solling are the large ones among nuts. An individual kernel is as long as a thumb joint, angular, and covered by a thin brown skin. For these kernels, "natural" means they are neither roasted, salted, nor seasoned after being shelled. What is in the jar is the nut in its original state. Botanically, the Brazil nut is the seed of a tree from the South American rainforest, Bertholletia excelsa. Its name refers to the Brazilian state of Pará; another name is the Para nut. Several of these seeds sit tightly packed inside a hard, round capsule that falls from the tree when ripe. The screw-top jar keeps the kernels well-preserved after opening and sits neatly in the pantry.

Flavor

According to the manufacturer, the Brazil nuts taste slightly sweet and creamy-mild, with a fine, slightly bitter note. Upon the first bite, they are firmer than a cashew and softer than an almond. They quickly turn creamy in the mouth, leaving behind a subtle tartness.

This combination makes the Brazil nut a mellow nut. It does not push itself to the foreground, leaving room for other ingredients. Those who love strong, roasted nuts may find them too reserved. Briefly roasted in a dry pan, they gain more depth. Yet it is precisely this restraint that makes them a great partner for chocolate, honey, and ripe fruits that already bring plenty of flavor of their own.

Uses

The manufacturer suggests a wide range of uses: desserts, cakes and pastries, muesli, salads, fish, and vegetables. Coarsely chopped, the kernels can be added to breakfast muesli or a bowl of porridge with banana. In brownies and banana bread, they replace walnuts and provide a buttery note.

In savory cooking, they go well over a salad of beetroot, lamb's lettuce, and goat cheese. Finely chopped and mixed with herbs and breadcrumbs, they make a crust for a fish fillet. They are also great over roasted vegetables with pumpkin and sweet potato. Eaten plain, they make a snack for in-between meals, for example with a few dried apricots.

Our tip: Roughly chop a handful of Brazil nuts, toast them briefly, and sprinkle them with a little honey over vanilla ice cream or yogurt. Roasting brings out their mild sweetness more strongly.

Origin

Brazil nut trees grow in the tropical rainforest, primarily in the Amazon region. According to the product description, they can hardly be specifically cultivated on plantations, and the nuts are mainly collected from the wild. The organic logo for these kernels indicates EU/non-EU agriculture and the control body DE-ÖKO-039.

Before the raw material is processed at Ölmühle Solling, the mill states that it tests for pesticides and plasticizers. This is in addition to internal and external audits by recognized laboratories. According to their fact sheet, the mill from Boffzen carries six varieties of nuts and kernels—a small assortment alongside their many oils. It was founded in 1996 by Gudrun and Werner Baensch.

For whom?

These Brazil nuts are for you if you like to alternate between different nuts in your muesli, pastries, and salads. They also fit well into a self-mixed trail mix for a hiking backpack or the office desk, along with almonds and cashews. They contain tree nuts (Brazil nuts). Store the jar in a cool, dark place and close the lid tightly after opening. Other mild nuts include natural cashew kernels, and a classic baking nut is natural almonds. You can find all nuts and oils on our Ölmühle Solling page. The kernels are not suitable for those with a nut allergy.

Large, unroasted organic Brazil nuts in a screw-top jar – for muesli, pastries, and a scoop of ice cream with a crunch.

Image credit: Ölmühle Solling/Maike Wittreck