Gianduiotto
Gianduiotto is an Italian praline made from Piedmontese "Tonde Gentili delle Langhe" hazelnuts. The Turin specialty is named after the local carnival figure Gianduja , a cunning farmer who symbolizes the essence of the tough and practical Piedmontese in the Commedia dell'arte .
Origin and manufacture
In 1852 the government imposed heavy taxes on foreign luxury goods such as cocoa. Michele Prochet, who works for the Caffarel family, came up with the idea of simply reducing the amount of cocoa and adding local hazelnuts to it. Initially, the company called the product “Givù” (“appetizers”). Fifteen years later, a “Gianduja” gave away the chocolates at the carnival; when that was well received, they were renamed and given the shape of a triangular boat, reminiscent of his hat. Gianduja became the name of the processed nougat mass.
Today, in addition to cocoa and 30% Langhe hazelnuts, vanilla pods or vanilla oil resin and sucrose obtained from sugar beet or sugar cane are processed. The pralines are made by hand in traditional companies. Traditionally they are packed in gold-colored aluminum plates.