Gianduiotto
Photo: Massimiliano1985max · CC BY-SA 4.0

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.

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Common allergens: Tree nuts (hazelnut), Milk

Make it at home

Yield 30Hands-on 45 minTotal 3 hrDifficulty Intermediate

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

  1. Toast the hazelnuts at 160 C for about 10 minutes, then rub off skins in a clean tea towel.
  2. Grind hazelnuts with icing sugar in a high-powered processor until a smooth paste forms (8 to 12 minutes); it should be liquid.
  3. Melt the two chocolates together in a bain-marie to 45 C; add the hazelnut paste and salt and combine.
  4. Cool the mass to 28 C, then warm gently to 31 C (tempering); spoon or pipe into small ingot moulds.
  5. 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.

Where to eat gianduiotto

Gianduiotto in Turin

Guido Gobino ★ 4.7

€ BakeryContemporary chocolate, giandujaVanchigliaWalk-in only

Guido Gobino's flagship workshop in Vanchiglia is the contemporary gianduiotto reference. The small Tourinot, salted cremino, cafe view on workshop.

Worth the queueTourinot (mini gianduiotto), salted cremino

Directions

Pasticceria Stratta 1836 ★ 4.6

€ BakeryRoyal House confectioneryCentro StoricoWalk-in only

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 queueMarron glace candied chestnuts

Directions

Caffe Baratti & Milano ★ 4.2

€€ €10-20BrunchHistoric Liberty cafe brunchCentro Storico

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.

OrderBicerin, cornetto, gianduiotto on the saucer

Directions

Caffe Al Bicerin ★ 4.7

€€ Coffee roasterQuadrilatero RomanoPublic cafe

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.

BeansSouth America blend, Espresso blend

BrewsEspresso, Bicerin

Directions

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