At Carnival every dessert counts: I'm more like Gianduja than Harlequin

What is the most deserving carnival sweet and why is the answer precisely gianduia chocolate?
Wait, before you object, let me explain.

For years, supermarkets have been offering chiacchiere and crostoli from mid-January until the end of March in those banal, sad, and anonymous plastic trays, with the usual image of the current Harlequin printed on top to uplift the spirits from such sloppiness.

February is the grimmest month of the year. The Christmas holidays are over, students are in full exam mode, and singles are forced to endure hearts and sweetness everywhere, cut off from society at least until the 15th. In theory, to lift this gloom, they have served us carnival, where “all tricks are allowed,” or at least that's what they say.
However, it would be nice to understand why, if it is such a playful celebration, they propose anonymous sweets like crostoli and chiacchiere, the difference of which has never been understood. Why two different names if they are essentially the same thing? Fried dough with a bit of powdered sugar. But what about originality? What about elegance? How is it possible that we go from the regal nature of pandoro and panettone to this in less than a month?

I say that for carnival, every sweet counts. Because if it is such a joyful and festive holiday, then there must be something more colorful and flavorful than powdered sugar and frying. And I say that this something is gianduia. 

Gianduia is the perfect ingredient to brighten up carnival. The intoxicating aroma of chocolate, the cream's melt-in-your-mouth texture, the aftertaste of toasted hazelnuts in your mouth… Seductive and playful, aromatic and delicious, gianduia, in all its forms, could be the true star of the carnival, even if it is often underestimated. Moreover, what you probably don’t know is that this ingredient is directly connected to a typical Italian mask, namely Gianduja, which is little known because it is overshadowed by the more typical Pulcinella and Arlecchino (what’s with all this unjustified popularity, anyway? Bah).
Perhaps that's why I resemble Gianduja more than Harlequin: an unappreciated genius who holds the key to saving our carnival desserts.

Let’s quickly discover what gianduia is by answering the question that opened this introduction: let’s see how this ingredient can uplift our February.

In Carnival, every sweet counts (but if there’s gianduia, it counts a little more)

Let’s start by uncovering a bit of the history of this ingredient. I know, I would avoid it too, but due to agreements with the higher-ups, I have to talk about it. But don’t worry, the history of this cream is really interesting (and I wasn’t paid to say that).

First of all, you should know that gianduia, also called gianduja, is a product Made in Piemonte that, in its various forms, has spread all over the world. Gianduia is indeed available in spreadable cream and chocolates but also in many baked goods. The story of the relationship between Turin and gianduia dates back shortly after the discovery of America.
We are in a period where Emanuele Filiberto, then Duke of Savoy, after having served in the Spanish Court, returns from Madrid to Chambery in 1557, and three years later, he moves the capital of his State to Turin. And with him comes to Turin a beloved ingredient, chocolate. In just under a century, Turin becomes one of the most important chocolate production centers, exporting products across half of Europe and becoming a pioneering city of the chocolate-making art.

However, for the birth of our gianduia, one ingredient is missing: the hazelnut. The hazelnuts from the Langhe were snubbed by Piedmontese confectioners until the early 1800s when, following the trade blockade imposed by Great Britain on the Napoleonic continent, cacao was hardly making its way, and prices skyrocketed.

In Turin, to avoid closing shops and stalls, they began to think about how to “stretch” chocolate to still offer high-quality pastry products while limiting expenses. So one day in 1852, Michele Prochet had the idea of mixing cacao and toasted hazelnuts ground into a fine powder. A true work of art.
The new chocolate was launched on the market during the Carnival of 1865, achieving astonishing success also thanks to its packaging: the “gianduiotto,” produced by Caffarel, one of the oldest Italian confectionery companies, was the first individually wrapped chocolate.

So, what’s the link between gianduia and carnival?

Besides being objectively delicious and versatile, gianduia also has a historical, and for some, almost emotional connection to carnival. The success of gianduia can be traced back to the very name. Gianduja is the name of a popular Piedmontese mask of Astigian origins that belongs to the Commedia dell’Arte tradition. It is thus the typical mask of Piedmont that stands alongside more well-known masks like Balanzone, Colombina, Pulcinella, and Arlecchino in the carnival tradition.
During the Carnival of 1865, the chocolates were thus distributed by the mask itself, a practice that remained for many years and then gradually disappeared, while the name Gianduja passed from the mask to the product.

So, what exactly is gianduia?

•    Part of the answer to this question we have already addressed. Gianduia refers to both chocolates and spreadable cream. Both can be used to brighten up the carnival or simply to indulge yourself. If you feel like making sweets at home, you might be interested in the recipe for gianduia as a spreadable cream. Unlike Aunt's lasagna, the gianduia cream doesn’t have secret ingredients but rather a few well-known, genuine, and quality items, namely:
•    100g of sugar
•    70g of butter (or 60g of seed oil for the vegan version)
•    100g of dark chocolate
•    60g of already shelled hazelnuts
•    100ml of milk (soy milk for the vegan version)

First, roast the hazelnuts in the oven at 200°C for 8 minutes. Once they are warm, blend them in a powerful mixer to create a smooth paste.
Melt the butter with milk, sugar, and cocoa, then add the hazelnut paste to a container and continue mixing the mixture. Stir gently to avoid lumps, then pour the cream, which will be slightly liquid, into sterilized glass jars and store in the refrigerator. You’ll see how good it is!

However, if you are like me and don’t want to do all these things or if you simply want to pamper yourself a bit without dirtying the kitchen, then check out the selection  where you will find spreadable gianduia creams and gianduiotti rated 30 and beyond, made only with the best Italian ingredients (modesty aside, we selected the products ourselves, so no jokes here).

How to use gianduia for Carnival?

To be honest, I wouldn’t know what to tell you, do what you want with it. Spread it on bread, gift it, slap a spoonful on crostoli to give them some meaning, make a cake, put a teaspoon in yogurt, use it as a pasta dressing (in this case, I can’t guarantee results, let us know if it works). In short, it’s up to you…

In reality, searching on Google reveals that in Turin there is a cake called Gianduja (what creativity!) which includes gianduia chocolate, but you can also make cakes, Bavarian creams, and tarts, in addition to fritters and krapfen, which are perhaps the most carnival-like of all the sweets mentioned.

Additionally, gianduiotti can also be very special allies in the kitchen.
You could make, for example, a cake filled with gianduiotti or warm gianduia-filled brioche, or, why not, even a simple hot chocolate.

In short, answering the question with which we opened the article, gianduia wins over other carnival sweets because it is versatile, delicious, and classy, rich in aromatic nuances that other sweets don’t have. 
That’s why gianduia is the only sweet worthy of attention.

Did I convince you? I hope so. Really.
Now go hunt for the best gianduia to survive friends, relatives, sweet tooth kids, and scratched cars (with this story that every trick is allowed during carnival, some get a bit carried away). 
And if you’re still reading, then hurry to see what S&M has to offer! You will find the one that will steal your heart.

Maria Nardone

S&M