Armonie Italian Pralines

This weeks Taste to Try are the delectable Armonie Italian Pralines! These smooth, velvet-like treats are a perfect gift for the chocoholic in your life! Let us delve into the exciting history and tell you all a little more about where they come from, and how we've put them to great use in our hamper sets and more!

The praline is a treat which according to legend was initially inspired in France, around the 1600's by French Cook Marshal du Plessis-Praslin. The word praline itself derives from Praslin. Originally the praline was a whole almond, which were individually coated in caramelized sugar, instead of the nougat which most people today associate with them. 

The modern praline is a product which is often associated with Belgium, and was first crafted by the artisan chocolatier Jean Neuhaus II in the year 1912. They are made traditionally with a filling consisting of differing ratios of hazelnut, almonds, syrup, sugar and quite often milk-based pastes for that unmistakeable velvety texture. High in fat and with a low melting point, this is representative of the luxury end of the Belgian confectionery market, and are considered an important product for many Belgian chocolatiers.

The prestigious Praline is considered somewhat of a luxury confectionery product worldwide, often presented in display boxes and coming in all shapes and sizes. So it stands to reason that here at Hay Hampers and Italy 2 Eat, we include them as a product for you to try, and undoubtedly love. 

Our pralines are created by the experts over at CREA S.R.L, who are based in the Cuneo area in Piedmont, northern Italy. This area is famed for the production of chocolate, which is characterised by a high ratio of nuts. This area is also famous for nut production, and the artisans over at CREA S.R.L use these ingredients to their full potential, with over 35 years of experience behind them it's little surprise that we would source these wonderful gourmet pralines for our range!

As they say - The proof is in the pudding (or in this case, in the praline), so why not try them for yourself? You can find them on the Hay Hampers website in a range of our Christmas hamper sets, and if you like them that much, you can even buy them individually on the Italy 2 Eat store!