Chocolate in Turin has a very long history. When we think of chocolate we think of Switzerland or Belgium.
Not many people know, when they are buying their chocolate it can come from Italy, from Turin.
Cocoa beans came to Sicily thanks to the Spanish evasion. At that time chocolate was known only in liquid form but everyone loved it. Later, the house of Savoy moved to Turin. Turin became the capital city.
At that time, in the 16th century, chocolate became Turin’s speciality.
In the 18th century bicerin was discovered. It’s a drink made from coffee, chocolate and fresh whipped cream.
In 2001 bicerin was pronounced as the traditional Piedmotese drink.
Chocolate liqueurs are also very popular in Piedmont and Turin. One can find this liquid chocolate with a kick in bottles in shape of a famous Turin’s Mole Antonelliana.
As the legend tells us, the famous candy with nuts happened by mistake. That how famous praline candy was born. Sugar glaze was poured onto the whole almonds.
The most interesting thing is that all chocolate candy as we know it was born in Turin, thanks to a machine introduced by Signore Dore. This machine was bought by Caffarel family. This name is still one of the most known chocolate brands today.
The chocolate and gianduia “stubs” came out in 1852. At first their name was “givu,” local dialect for cigarette butts. During the Carnival in 1865, the chocolate company Caffarel had Turin’s Carnival character, Gianduia, hand out these givu during Carnival festivities. From then Caffarel’s stubs were known as Gianduia.
The year of 1946 was important – one of the most popular forms of chocolate and hazelnuts worldwide is Nutella. Ferrero-Rocher, located in the nearby city of Alba, began producing the popular spread.
In 1964 Nutella became known around the world.
Nocciolati- Nocciolati are gianduia chocolate bars with whole roasted hazelnuts throughout. These, along with other chocolate variations, decorate many chocolate storefront windows in Turin. Nuts are used only from Nocciola delle Langhe region. They are sold by weight. Nocciolato fondente is a dark chocolate bar with hazelnuts; nocciolato latte is milk chocolate with hazelnuts, and nocciolato bianco is white chocolate. Little bite-size versions are called nocciolatini.
Tartufi (truffles)- Although they are a specialty of Turin, you can find truffles all over the world. Named after the expensive fungus they resemble, these balls of ganache, sometimes with a little liquor added to the ganache, are traditionally rolled in cocoa powder.
Rochers - Ferrero-Rocher (the company that also makes Nutella) introduced these “rocks” to the world in 1982. Many chocolatiers in the city make them. Generally, they start with a chocolate-covered hazelnut at the center; gianduia cream enrobes it. A very thin wafer is wrapped around the gianduia cream, separating it from the final coating of milk chocolate and chopped hazelnuts.
CriCri- At this chocolate’s center is a toasted hazelnut. It’s then covered in dark chocolate and rolled in large white sugar crystals.
Now in Turin is made 40% of all Italian chocolate.
In our tour we will visit chocolate factory http://www.lariveracioccolato.com/ and eat a lot of chocolate!
