Piedmont hazelnut chocolate

Piedmont Hazelnut Chocolate

The Piedmont hazelnut chocolate from D.Barbero is a creamy milk chocolate from Asti in Piedmont, densely packed with whole, freshly roasted Tonda Gentile delle Langhe hazelnuts. A square 120 g bar made for classic breaking.

Cioccolato al latte con nocciole – the hazelnut chocolate from the Cioccolateria & Torroneria D.Barbero in Asti, Piedmont. Creamy milk chocolate surrounds whole, freshly roasted Tonda Gentile delle Langhe hazelnuts – densely embedded, with a crisp bite and a delicate creamy character. A square 120 g bar.

Creamy melt, crunchy hazelnut

The milk chocolate envelops every hazelnut with a gentle layer of creaminess and sweetness without overpowering it. When you bite into it, the nut crunches first, then the melt spreads on the tongue – a classic interplay of texture and aroma that generations have come to love.

At Barbero, artificial flavorings are deliberately avoided throughout the entire production process, keeping the character of the milk chocolate reduced to the essentials: milk, cocoa, and sugar. The taste of the Tonda Gentile remains clearly recognizable and is not masked.

Tonda Gentile delle Langhe, whole and gently roasted

The hazelnuts for the bar come exclusively from the Langhe, the hilly landscape south of Asti. The Tonda Gentile delle Langhe variety carries the IGP seal and is considered by confectioners to be the finest hazelnut of all – because of its intense aroma, its crisp bite, and its beautiful round shape.

At D.Barbero, the nuts are gently roasted so that they retain their freshness. They are then embedded whole – not crushed or ground – into the melted milk chocolate, which allows the bar to solidify into its classic square shape. This creates the Cioccolato al latte con nocciole as an artisanal bar with a recognizable nut content in every square.

Barbero is pedantic when it comes to hazelnuts, and that is meant as a compliment. The Tonda Gentile is hand-selected and sorted by caliber – thirteen to fourteen millimeters is the size that ends up in this bar. Nuts that are too small disappear into the melt, while those that are too large ruin the ratio between chocolate and nut.

Roasting is done gently so that the aroma opens up without becoming bitter – the nut should taste like a nut, not like roasting. This is exactly how you recognize a good hazelnut chocolate – it does not need vanilla to cover anything up. With an espresso, the roasted note of the gently roasted Tonda Gentile stands out even more clearly.

Seven generations of confectionery from Asti

In 1883, Melchiorre Barbero received the license in Asti to commercially produce "Torroni e Noasetti." Over the generations, the small torroneria grew into a complete cioccolateria, which today produces pralines, chocolate bars, and torrone under one roof – with a consistency in varietal purity that distinguishes the company.

Today, in family hands for seven generations, Giovanni Barbero and his nephew Davide Maddaleno run the manufactory at Via Brofferio 84 in the middle of the historic center of Asti. Tonda Gentile delle Langhe, almonds from Puglia near Bari, pistachios from Bronte – the origin of the raw materials is set in stone.

Here you will find more specialties from D.Barbero – the dark chocolate bar with hazelnuts for lovers of dark chocolate or the Gianduja bar for a creamy melt.

Let it melt on your tongue, don't chew

Let a piece melt on your tongue instead of chewing it; then the nut only comes through at the end and lingers the longest. A cappuccino in the morning or a glass of milk with afternoon coffee suits this bar well. It is also a classic companion for reading, as the bar can be broken cleanly and enjoyed square by square. 120 g, square, with a crunchy hazelnut in every piece. Stored closed, cool, and dry, it will stay fresh for at least three months.