Frequently Asked Questions: Kent Cobnuts

Below we have placed answers to the most frequently asked questions about cobnuts. If you have a valuable question that you think will be good for this page let us know.

Kentish Cobnuts are great freshly cracked and on their own. Alternatively, there are a range of recipes that use Kentish cobnuts as a unique and seasonal ingredient.

We have gathered a few recipes here however there are lots more online. The Kent Cobnut Association also has a brilliant list of recipes. They circulate new recipes in their paper newsletter to association members known as the Cobweb.

As mentioned above, Kentish Cobnuts are a specially cultivated and heritage variety of hazelnut. It can generally, be identified by the long oval shape shell.

Kent cobnuts are also traditionally eaten ‘fresh’ , ‘raw’ or ‘green’. This is when the husk (leaf) that encloses the shelled nut is green. The edible kernel is very flavoursome and has a higher moisture content than dried hazelnut kernel. This can add to the confusion because it is a fresh long nut that looks very different to a dried and shelled hazelnut.

Kentish Cobnuts can be dried and roasted. They can be identified by the long oval kernel shape (which contrasts to the spherical hazelnut). When drier or dry, cobnuts have a sweeter flavour.

The general term ‘cobnuts’ and ‘filberts’ are another name for hazelnuts. Whereas ‘Kentish Cobnuts’, ‘Kent Cobnuts’ and ‘Kent Cobs’ are usually refering to the specific variety. For example a ‘Bramley’ apple is a very distinctive type variety of apple and has different characteristics to say a ‘Gala’ or ‘Pink Lady’.

At Roughway Farm we grow over 50 different varieties of cobnut / hazelnut and the main ones sold for consumers are Kent, Ennis, Gunslebert and Cosford. Each of these are very unique and different.

You can buy Kentish Cobnuts directly from us and also at supermarkets (Morrisons & Waitrose), independent retailers and directly from a number of farms. The Kentish Cobnuts Association has a list of suppliers.

Kentish cobnuts are usually eaten when they are green and fresh however they are also eaten later in the season when they become sweeter and the kernels begin to dry. Kentish cobnuts are available from late August-December depending on the season. The peak is usually Late September / Early October.

Recently people have been trying to re-label general hazelnuts as Kentish Cobnuts so we recommend that you look into the nuts in more detail particularly the origins and shape to avoid mis-selling of the ‘Kentish Cobnut’ variety. General ‘cobnuts’ could refer to a number of varieties. ‘Kentish Cobnuts’ or ‘Kent Cobnuts’ are a specific variety.

Cobnuts are grown on trees and in Kent are grown in fields known as Plats. Kentish Cobnut Plats are beautiful areas and unique to the Kentish landscape.

View gallery of images from the 2016 cobnut harvest

Cobnuts can be eaten fresh (raw, green) or dried. They have different tastes depending on moisture content. Cobnuts can be roasted, toasted and used in a wide variety of recipes.

Fresh nuts are better in salads and roasted in cakes and sweets. Cobnuts can be further processed into nut butter, flour, confectionery, dukkah and many other products.

If you want to store and keep your cobnuts for a while and maintain large kernels you should keep them in the fridge salad draw.

Please see more on the different options below.

• Fresh Green Cobnuts

Green / Golden Kentish Cobnuts should be kept cool and ideally in the fridge. This keeps the nut kernel full of moisture. We recommend putting them in an open container or lose in a salad draw so that they do not sweat. Do not for example keep your cobnuts in an enclosed/unbreathable plastic bag.

• Drier Cobnuts

If you like your nuts drier and sweeter we recommend keeping them in a bowl away from direct sun and heaters. A cooler room in the house is preferable. This is so the cobnut kernels do not become excessively dry and shrivel.

Nuts that are left in their husks will dry more slowly than dehusked cobnuts.

Husked cobnuts will darken and the husk will go from green to golden and then brown. The husk should be kept on these and you should monitor the nut kernels (if wanting to keep for a month or more) as these will sweeten however you will want to avoid them shrivelling due to to much warmth.

• Few Extras

Sensible monitoring of green and dried cobnuts will mean that you will be able to enjoy cobs for months from purchase well into Christmas and the winter months.

You should check your dry cobs and green cobs for mould and if there is a bad nut this should be removed. In a good cluster of nuts it can be possible for there to be one bad nut. So do not through away the cluster instead simply break off the bad nut.

• The Life Cycle of the Kent Cobnut

More information on about the development of Kent Cobnut in flavour and appearance can be found here: “The Life Cycle of the Kent Cobnut”

• Dig for cobnuts – A Novel Approach to storage…

We have had details from one customer who said that they choose to store their cobnuts each year in a tin buried in the garden. They recommend it as a technique as it keeps them cool and fresh.

Kent Cobnuts can be eaten straight from the tree and are traditionally eaten this way. However, they must be picked at the correct time as the nut kernel will otherwise be underdeveloped. Cobnuts are usually ready for picking in September. You will need to get there before the squirrels!

Kentish Cobnuts are traditionally hand picked from the tree. Other varieties of hazelnuts around the world are picked by a mix of machines and by hand. The machines collect the nuts from the orchard floor.

To remove the skins or felt from cobnuts you need to either; toast, roast or use a baking powder solution. We recommend toasting or roasting for best results. But the baking powder method is useful to know for the right occasion. Watch our video on removing skins from Kentish cobnuts.

Fresh (raw or green) cobnuts are great in range of recipes where a milkier, fresher nut is more complimentary to the dish. They have a higher moisture content than toasted and roasted Kent cobnuts. This means they are good in salads and vegetable dishes. As mentioned above we have a range of recipes on our recipe page.

Our fresh cobnut recipes include; Creamed mushrooms with fresh cobnuts, Duck with blackberries and fresh green cobnuts, Cobnut crusted goat’s cheese

Another favourite is fresh cobnuts with a bit of salt.

Cobnuts are a great food for vegetarians and vegans with high nutritional value and protein content. We have partnered with the Vegetarian Society and they have approved all of our Cobnut varieties.

You can grow a tree from a cobnut. However, this would be known as a seedling. It will not crop to type, meaning that it might not produce nuts or carry the traits of the tree it fell from. To produce nut trees you require clones of the parent plant. These are produced by the tree in the form of whips / suckers that grow up from the base of the tree.