Extra Dark Cremino Chocolate Easter Egg

An iconic sweet from Turin gets a festive makeover in this extra dark cremino Easter egg from Venchi. Normally a perfectly geometric square of layers of chocolate-hazelnut gianduja and a creamy filling, the cremino has been a Turin specialty for 200 years. Inside the dark chocolate shell of this hollow egg, a layer of sweet almond cream and delicious gianduja await, reinventing the cremino for a sweet Easter treat.

The northern Piedmont region is known as the chocolate capital of Italy for its incredible density of master chocolate artisans, many of whom have been making fine candies there for hundreds of years. Turin, the region’s capital, is home to an annual chocolate festival that brings together more than 100 makers for a celebration of all things chocolate. It was here that chocolate was first introduced to Italians back in the 16th century, when Duke Emanuele Filiberto brought some of the newly arrived treat home from a visit to Spain, who had just brought cacao over from the Americas. It quickly became a fashionable treat, and master candy makers soon began perfecting their own recipes for chocolate confections.

It was in Turin that Silviano Venchi spent all his savings on two bronze cauldrons to start a chocolate business in 1878. He found success with nougatine, a combination of chopped, caramelized Piedmont hazelnuts coated in extra-dark chocolate, and quickly outgrew his humble beginnings. His uniquely delicious creations led Venchi to become the official chocolatier for the royal family of Italy in the early 20th century. Today, Venchi is known across Italy for their baroque “cioccogelaterias,” stunningly decorated shops where customers can enjoy decadent chocolates and more than 90 flavors of housemade gelato. Their motto is “Buono buonissimo” in honor of their commitment to using the best ingredients to make the most delicious sweets.