The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2022 - Issue 31

bitechocolate A t the age of 16, most teenagers are either consider- ing their next steps in life or do not have a clue what their future holds. Silviano Venchi, having worked as an assistant at a confectioner’s workshop in Turin from the age of 16, became so passionate about chocolate that he invested his savings into two bronze cauldrons when he reached 20. He then opened a shop which became well renowned in town, appreciated for its exceptional quality ingredients and creative presentations. Initially founded in 1878, Venchi chocolate boutique launched the iconic giandujotto with Piedmont hazelnuts and chocolate often shaped like ingots and individual- ly wrapped in a gold or silver foil. Cremino is a perfectly square shape with three layers. At the same time, Nouga- tine contains chopped and caramelised Piedmont hazel- nuts wrapped in a layer of extra-dark chocolate. Chocaviar has a crisp Cuor di Cacao shell with granules that encase the softness of the cocoa centre. Hazelnuts come from the fruit of the hazel tree that thrives in the Mediterranean Basin, thanks to its climatic condi- tions. Tonda Gentile Trilobata, also known as Nocciola Piemonte IGP or the Piedmont Hazelnut, is the most prized variety that grows in the Langhe region of Piedmont, Italy. It has a spherical shape characterised by a fine and delicate flavour with a crisp pulp. Piedmont hazelnuts are produced between August and September but are marketed through- out the year in a shell or shelled formats. Chocolate dates back to around 4,000 years ago in Central America when the Mayans and Aztecs would prepare a co- coa-based beverage called Xocoātl, flavoured with spices or vanilla. The cacao plant was considered divine origin; its scientific name is Theobroma Cacao, or ‘food of the gods’. White chocolate combines sugar, cocoa butter, milk, vanil- la and lecithin (a natural emulsifier). It has a softly rich and creamy texture thanks to its cocoa butter base when it is high-quality. Often identified by its light brown colour, intoxicating scent and enveloping flavour, milk chocolate is defined as sweet with notes of milk, caramel and a vanilla aftertaste. Its nuances of different flavours depend on the cocoa's ori- gin; for example, Venchi's 47% Venezuelan milk chocolate features hints of nuts, ripe cherries and milk. Dark choco- late contains at least 45% cocoa, while extra-dark chocolate has between 70% and 100% cocoa. It is the bitterest variety but provides the healthiest benefits. The old recipe for gianduja chocolate is 100% Italian. Its creation is attributed to Turin-based confectioners who would mix the Nocciola Tonda Gentile hazelnut from Pied- mont with one part cocoa to lower chocolate production costs since Napoleon had ordered the economic blockade of products from Britain and its colonies which remained in effect until 1813. The new chocolate was dubbed Gi- anduja in honour of the carnival mask and gave way to the first wrapped chocolate treat - Gianduiotto. A recent variety, Ruby Chocolate, is characterised by its pink hue resulting from a unique cocoa fermentation process. The cocoa beans used to make this chocolate are grown worldwide in places like Côte d’Ivoire in West Af- rica, Madagascar in East Africa, and Ecuador and Brazil in South America. You will find ruby chocolate is neither bitter nor sweet but rather aromatic and slightly sour, with notes of fresh berries and tropical fruit. Indulging in Venchi chocolates is like taking an adventur- ous trip on a confectionery infested tropical island. Around a hundred recipes are created from the finest ingredients, such as single-origin chocolate from Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru, Piedmont Hazelnuts and Green Pistachios from Bronte, Italy. Green Pistachios are an Italian protected designation of origin (PDO) grown on Mount Etna’s west- ern slope in a specific area of thin volcanic soils and rugged terrain. Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Bar Choc- olight are made with 54% dark chocolate or milk choco- late with whole Piedmont hazelnuts and sweetened with natural Maltitol (sugar alcohol). White Chocolate Hazel- nut Bar Chocolight, also enhanced with Maltitol, contains Piedmont hazelnuts, almonds and lightly salted pistachi- os. Dark Chocolate Bar Chocolight with 54% or 75% ex- tra-dark chocolate is naturally gluten-free and sweetened with Maltitol. Expand your chocolate palate with Dark Cremino Chocol- ight, a layer of dark chocolate with almond paste between two layers of dark gianduja or Allegro Truffle, white ga- nache truffle with a crunchy nib, raspberry pieces and tof- fee flakes. Delight in Cuba Gin, a milk chocolate shell filled with Gin Occitan di Bordiga 1888 cream, Cuba Rhum, a 56% dark chocolate shell filled with chocolate cream and rum, or Coconut in Black, which has the sweetness of co- conut enveloped in an intense layer of dark chocolate. Fic-One in Black sees caramelised figs transformed into a soft filling enhanced by mascarpone cream and drizzled into an extra-dark chocolate shell. Enjoy the delicious taste of Classic Tiramisù dedicated to the most famous Italian dessert in the world, a praline with coffee paste and mas- carpone cream finished with Venezuelan cocoa. Or Dark Chocolate Tiramisú, a creamy note of mascarpone choco- late alternated with a layer of extra dark cuor di cacao and a pleasantly fruity coffee paste aftertaste. With the art of handcrafting and sartorial elegance com- bined to form the perfect chocolate, Venchi pralines are ideal for enjoying during a coffee break in their shops or as a sweet treat to share with those you love. Choose from delights such as Tiramisù, 56% dark chocolate filled with white mascarpone cream, coffee with a dark chocolate hearth and garnished with cocoa powder. Also in 56% dark chocolate, Mediterraneo is filled with pistachio cream and hand-decorated with a whole pistachio from Bronte. Crème Caramel with 56% dark chocolate is filled with tof- fee cream and dark chocolate. At the same time, Cremino is a layer of white chocolate with almond paste between two layers of milk gianduja made with Piedmont hazelnuts. White Gianduia with Salted Nuts contains creamy white