04/09/2025
Did you know that the Italians have been combining hazelnuts and cacao since Napoleon times? When Napolean imposed restrictions on trading goods with Britain, cocoa supplies became scarce. Hazelnuts grew in abundance particularly in Piedmont, so hazelnut paste was combined with chocolate to make it go further. A chocolatier in Piedmont, Turin named the hazelnut chocolate bars, Gianduja, after a carnival character that represented the locals from this region.
The original Gianduja contained over 70% hazelnuts and 19.5% cocoa and was shaped into a solid loaf for slicing. After World War II, cacao was again scarce across Europe, so a baker from a small town called Alba added cacao butter to make it go further and more spreadable. Then in the 1960’s the baker’s son added cheaper ingredients including Palm oil and milk powder. That became the well known global hazelnut and chocolate spread.
Today there is very little hazelnuts (13%) or cocoa in that brand compared to the original recipe. Over 50% of the ingredients are palm oil and sugar. Skimmed milk solids, vanilla and lethicins are also added.
At Meraki Cacao we pride ourselves on the only using ingredients that are good for you. We wanted to create a hazelnut cacao spread that honoured the original invention. We are very proud to introduce our new product, containing only three ingredients - roasted hazelnuts, Palmyra Blossom Nectar and raw cacao powder.
Come and try it at our markets and events (see our FB page for details) or you can buy it directly online
www.merakicacao.com
