Chocolate Christmas Tree - Christmas

Spiced Chocolate Christmas Tree from La Perla di Torino

Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give the chocolate Christmas tree from La Perla di Torino its warmth, while a hint of mandarin keeps it bright. This milk chocolate from the Turin workshop is cast in the shape of a tree and later broken up like a chocolate bar.

Chocolate Christmas Tree is the festive holiday figure from La Perla di Torino in Turin, Piedmont, cast from milk chocolate with at least 33 percent cocoa. Finely ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are infused into the chocolate, along with a red coloring agent made from radish, apple, and currant.

Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in creamy milk chocolate

Cinnamon sets the tone, ginger provides a fine sharpness, and nutmeg serves as a warm undertone beneath it all.

The milk powder makes the mixture creamy enough to carry the spices without any harshness. The mandarin aroma keeps the spice blend bright, preventing it from becoming too heavy, as can easily happen with gingerbread mixtures. On the tongue, the pieces melt slowly, and the heat of the ginger lingers for a moment.

Dried ginger tastes warmer and less floral than fresh ginger; its heat builds slowly and persists. Nutmeg, which is the seed of an apricot-sized fruit, adds a resinous sweetness when ground that ties the cinnamon and ginger together.

Ground spices release their aroma into fats, and cocoa butter is a patient carrier for this purpose. This is why the spices feel rounder here than in baked goods, where they must be distributed through flour and sugar.

The red color comes from radish, apple, and currant

The red color is provided by a concentrate of radish, apple, and currant, reduced until it is strong enough to provide a rich hue.

Coloring foods of this type result in a muted, warm tone rather than a glaring, artificial red, which is exactly the right shade for a figure sitting amidst candles and evergreen boughs. There is no trace of radish on the tongue, as the proportion is too small and the chocolate is too prominent. La Perla di Torino puts the same level of care into their seasonal figures as they do for the truffles made in the same workshop.

Why the figure shines and breaks cleanly

The shine and smooth broken edges are the result of tempering, long before the liquid chocolate is poured into the tree mold.

Cocoa butter crystallizes in several forms, and only one of these produces the firm, reflective surface expected of high-quality goods. To achieve this, the chocolate is heated, cooled in a controlled manner, and slightly warmed again before being poured into the molds at La Perla di Torino. When successful, the figure releases from the mold on its own, and the edges remain smooth when broken.

A tree for the gift table

Placed on the table throughout the Advent season, the tree gradually gets smaller, shared among friends and family rather than hung on a branch.

Paired with a cup of espresso, the spices stand out more clearly; next to a glass of mulled wine, they encounter familiar aromas and appear milder as a result. On a plate with lighter varieties, the bold flavor profile asserts itself with ease.

Store it in a cool, dry place at 15 to 18 degrees Celsius, and the surface will retain its shine until Christmas Eve. If you prefer these winter spices in truffle form, choose the Tartufo Christmas; for a nutty version, opt for the Chocolate Christmas Tree Pistachio. Further varieties from La Perla di Torino can be found in our chocolate collection.