Chocolate truffles – pistachio liqueur – 5 pcs.

Chocolate balls with pistachio liqueur from Distilleria Marzadro

Chocolate balls with pistachio liqueur from Distilleria Marzadro are milk chocolate pralines with a creamy filling made from pistachio paste, cream, and alcohol. We pack five pieces into a cellophane bag, turning a handful of pralines into a lovely gift for your host.

Chocolate balls with pistachio liqueur are filled pralines from Distilleria Marzadro in Nogaredo, Trentino; each weighs around 14 grams and is individually wrapped in foil. We pack five of them into a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon, making them suitable as a small gift.

Nutty filling under mild milk chocolate

The milk chocolate shell gives way on the first bite, revealing a creamy center of pistachio paste, cream, and alcohol that flows slowly as you chew.

Nutty, creamy, and with a warming kick at the end—that’s the impression the filling leaves. Because it remains creamy, you can safely bite into the ball without anything spilling out.

With at least 35 percent cocoa, the shell is milder than that of dark liqueur pralines, and for good reason. Milk chocolate and pistachio are an old pairing that has nothing left to prove.

Poured high in the mountains

The pralines are made by Ciocomiti in Dimaro Folgarida, a chocolate manufacturer in the heart of the Dolomites that produces not only bars and creams but also chocolate-coated apple slices from Trentino.

There, the cocoa is ground on stone rollers and refined at high altitude, which gives the chocolate its dense melt. Both companies operate in Trentino—one down in the Adige Valley, the other up in the mountain valley.

A filled sphere requires more care than a bar, as the hollow shell must have a uniform thickness all around. If the liqueur finds a thin spot, it will leak while still in the packaging, which is why each ball is individually wrapped in foil.

Sabina distilled, Attilio drove

Distilleria Marzadro traces its roots back to Sabina and Attilio Marzadro, who began distilling grappa in Brancolino near Nogaredo in 1949.

Sabina had a local coppersmith build a still and set it up in the family home. Meanwhile, her younger brother Attilio loaded the bottles into the sidecar of his Guzzi and delivered them to customers, while Sabina stayed with the stills.

Today, the third generation runs the company, and over the years, liqueurs have been added to the grappa range. The pistachio liqueur used to fill these balls comes from this collection.

A bag for late in the evening

There is alcohol in the filling, which is not apparent from the outside of the balls.

If you are giving the bag as a gift, it is best to mention this, and these chocolate balls are not suitable for children. Ciocomiti recommends a storage temperature of 12 to 20 degrees Celsius: any higher and the filling will press against the shell; in the refrigerator, it will lose its creaminess.

The bag weighs almost nothing, yet it makes quite an impression next to a plate. If you have been invited for dinner and don't want to show up with yet another bottle of wine, these five balls are the perfect solution.

The pistachio liqueur from the same producer is available as Crema Alpina Pistacchio in a bottle; you can find grappa and gin at Distilleria Marzadro. You can find more filled treats under Pralines and Truffles, and more sweets in our Chocolate section.