Guido Gobino ★ 4.7
Guido Gobino's flagship workshop in Vanchiglia is the contemporary gianduiotto reference. The small Tourinot, salted cremino, cafe view on workshop.
Worth the queue: Tourinot (mini gianduiotto), salted cremino
History
The hazelnut-and-cocoa paste behind gianduiotto was born of mid-1800s cocoa scarcity in Europe. In 1865 Caffarel's Michele Prochet completely ground hazelnuts (Tonda Gentile delle Langhe) to a paste before adding them to cocoa and sugar, shaping the boat-form gianduiotto for the Turin Carnival. Gianduja, the traditional Piedmontese mask, gave its name to the chocolate. It was also the first chocolate to be individually wrapped.
Common allergens: Tree nuts (hazelnut), Milk
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 200g toasted skinned hazelnuts (Tonda Gentile delle Langhe or Piedmont IGP)
- 200g icing sugar
- 150g milk chocolate (32 percent cocoa minimum)
- 100g dark chocolate (55 to 60 percent cocoa)
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
Method
- Toast the hazelnuts at 160 C for about 10 minutes, then rub off skins in a clean tea towel.
- Grind hazelnuts with icing sugar in a high-powered processor until a smooth paste forms (8 to 12 minutes); it should be liquid.
- Melt the two chocolates together in a bain-marie to 45 C; add the hazelnut paste and salt and combine.
- Cool the mass to 28 C, then warm gently to 31 C (tempering); spoon or pipe into small ingot moulds.
- Refrigerate 2 hours until set; unmould and wrap each piece in gold or silver foil.
Tip from the editors. Use Piedmont IGP Tonda Gentile hazelnuts if available; the rounder fat profile is what makes a real gianduiotto silky.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat gianduiotto
Gianduiotto in Turin
Pasticceria Stratta 1836 ★ 4.6
Stratta on Piazza San Carlo in Turin has confected since 1836, supplier to the Royal House. Marron glace from the basement lab, jellies, hazelnut pralines.
Worth the queue: Marron glace candied chestnuts
Caffe Baratti & Milano ★ 4.3
Baratti & Milano on Piazza Castello in Turin is the all-day cafe option: bicerin, cornetto, savoury tartine and a gianduiotto on the saucer in the Liberty.
Order: Bicerin, cornetto, gianduiotto on the saucer
Caffe Al Bicerin ★ 4.7
Caffe Al Bicerin in Turin has poured coffee since 1763 and roasts its blend in-house. The bicerin coffee-and-chocolate ritual is the morning institution.
Sources from: South America blend, Espresso blend
How they serve: Espresso, Bicerin
More cities are in research. Want gianduiotto covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.