Dazzle guests with decadent Italian Chocolate desserts perfect for holiday entertaining.

Have you ever tried Baci chocolates? Well they are something that has to be experienced. I have been a fan of the Baci milk chocolate treats for many years. When I found out that they now have a white chocolate version of this Baci treat I was intrigued….  Here is a little more information about this new treat from the website:

Perugina, the legendary Italian chocolatier and the only authentic Italian chocolate available in the U.S., recently  introduced its newest confection—Baci White.  Perugina’s Baci White confections are the perfect way to celebrate special occasions, with a “Kiss from the Heart of Italy.” “Baci” is the Italian word for “kisses” and the confections are produced in the hills of Perugia near the historic home of St. Valentine. In keeping with tradition, Baci confections include a special message of love tucked into each foil wrapper. Baci White have a gianduia center, a sensuous whipped chocolate filling blended with finely chopped hazelnuts, that is crowned by a crunchy whole hazelnut and enrobed in creamy, smooth white chocolate.

DAZZLE GUESTS WITH DECADENT ITALIAN CHOCOLATE DESSERTS PERFECT FOR HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING

Edison, NJ (December 2013) – This holiday season, surprise your friends and family with decadent Italian chocolate desserts. Viola Buitoni, legacy and third generation of the famed pasta and chocolate family, has created several original recipes for the holiday season made with Italy’s beloved Baci Perugina confections. Baci means “kisses” in Italian and each chocolate contains a special message of love that hugs the individual confection. Baci feature a silky, dark chocolate exterior that envelopes gianduia, a sensuous whipped chocolate filling blended with finely chopped hazelnuts, then topped with a whole hazelnut.

Trained at Perugina’s legendary La Scuola del Cioccolato, Viola currently teaches at the Italian Cultural Institute and the Italian Consulate in San Francisco. Viola’s deep passion for the culinary arts began during her childhood in Perugia, Italy, where she spent endless hours at the Perugina chocolate factory. Her passion for sharing her heritage inspired her to create contemporary recipes that incorporate traditional Italian ingredients. Baci Perugina, the legendary Italian Chocolatier, is America’s #1 authentic Italian chocolate brand. So impress your guests this holiday season by trying one of these irresistible chocolate desserts created by Viola. For more holiday dessert ideas, visit www.perugina.com.

 

Delirio di Baci alla Luisa

Baci and Luisa chocolate tart

for a 10” tart mold

for the crust:

3 tablespoons sugar

pinch of salt

1 stick softened butter

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 pound flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

for the filling:

1 bar Perugina Luisa Dark (51%) chocolate

8 Baci

1 and 1/2 cup cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

Combine the sugar, salt, butter, yolk and vanilla in the mixer bowl and start on medium. In the meantime, sift the flour and cocoa together. Pour the flour and cocoa into the mixer bowl. Turn up the speed and let it come together into big crumbs. Press into a ball, wrap tightly and let rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Roughly chop the chocolate bar and the Baci and melt them in a double boiler. Heat the cream until almost boiling and pour over the melted chocolate. Stir until the color is uniform and mix in the sugar while it is still hot so that it dissolves completely. Let cool slightly. Lightly beat the eggs and set aside. In the meantime, line the tart mold with parchment paper. Preheat the oven at 350°F. Roll out the crust to about 1/2” thick and unroll onto the mold. Press it down gently and eliminate the overhanging pieces. Quickly whisk the beaten eggs into the chocolate cream and pour the filling into the chocolate shell. The filling will appear quite liquid. Use the crust cuttings to make a decoration along the border of the tart. Place the tart

on a sheet pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until soft but set and not jiggly.

 

 Pere ripiene di Baci e amaretti in crosta

Baci and amaretti filled pears wrapped in pastry crust

by Viola Buitoni

for each 2 juicy and very ripe small to medium pears:

3 Baci

3 amaretti cookies

1 tablespoon Amaretto liqueur

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 dose pastry crust

1 egg

1/2 Perugina Luisa Dark (51%) chocolate bar

1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts or almonds

Finely chop the Baci and crumble the amaretti cookies. Mix the 2 together and toss with the Amaretto and sugar. Peel the pears and cut them in half. Using a melon baller, carefully scoop out the core to make a small hollow on each half. Fill the hollows with the chocolates and cookies mixture and recompose each pear by reuniting two halves. Roll the pastry crust to about 1/2” and carefully wrap each pear with it. If you are inclined to do so, you can make some decorations resembling leaves and a stem. Beat the egg and brush the pastry crust with it. Carefully place the wrapped pears on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden. Let cool

completely before serving. When ready to serve, melt the Perugina Luisa in a double boiler and finely chop the nuts. Place each pear on a plate, top with the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the nuts. Serve right away before the chocolate hardens.

 Those recipes sound amazing! We were very fortunate to be able to try a variety of Baci, and Perugina chocolates and we were very impressed!

This chocolate was smooth and delicious, just as I expected it to be. A word of warning, though… make sure to pick up more than one bag. 

My husband loved it so much he nearly finished the whole bag luckily he left some for my daughter and I to try… how nice of him. I will surely be purchasing this divine treat in the future I am sure this will be around for a long time white chocolate is such a great fit for this Baci hazelnut decedent treat.

 About Perugina:

Perugina’s commitment to the art of creating only the highest quality confections extends to chocolate bars, pralines, hard candy, and pannettone. Peruginaproducts are exclusively imported and distributed in the U.S. by Colavita USA. To find out more about the Baci Love Story, Perugina’s history and the full line of Perugina confections, visit www.perugina.com

Buy it:

You can purchase this divine chocolate at your local supermarket or specialty store.

Disclosure: The reviews and or opinions on this blog are my own opinions .I received chocolate for this post.  No monitory compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may differ. The opinions I have expressed are my own I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising .