Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Easter Egg

Crack open a showstopping surprise this Easter with this hazelnut and dark chocolate Easter egg from D. Barbero. Based in Asti's chocolate-loving northern Piedmont region, the Barbero family has been making adorable Easter sweets since 1883. Their hollow chocolate eggs are made with luscious extra-dark chocolate and exquisite local hazelnuts displayed like a precious gem inside a stunning transparent box. Each egg also contains a surprise trinket to delight the kids, such as a keychain, toy jewelry, or colored pencils. The only way to find out what you got? Give the egg a hard tap, open it, and enjoy the delicious shell.

As in many parts of the world, Italian Easter celebrations are decked out with springtime symbols like bunnies, lambs, and eggs. But here, the humble Easter egg gets an especially glorious upgrade—by super-sizing it. Mammoth chocolate eggs are a beloved part of every Italian Easter, sometimes decorated with icing, chocolate, or studded with hazelnuts or almonds. Traditionally, the children in the family get to give the egg a mighty crack, often revealing a small trinket or toy to make the ritual even sweeter.

For seven generations, the Barbero family has been making delicious sweets in Asti, just east of Turin. Part of Piedmont’s proud chocolate-making tradition, D. Barbero has been selling high-quality torrone and chocolates since 1883. They use local nocciole Piemontese—the ultra-flavorful hazelnuts that only grow in Piedmont—and chocolate sourced from the finest cacao-growing regions of the world to ensure the highest quality in everything they make. Barbero is so dedicated to tradition; their headquarters in Asti are home to a chocolate museum! Their Easter goodies are beloved by local children, who line the courtyard outside their shop and factory to admire the colorfully wrapped and decorated treats.