Cuneesi Nut Mix

Cuneesi Nut Mix by Mandrile Melis with Hazelnut, Gianduja, and Pistachio

Cuneesi Nut Mix by Mandrile Melis is a selection of three alcohol-free pralines—dark hazelnut, gianduja, and pistachio—coated in milk and dark chocolate. Each praline is individually wrapped in colored paper, and the 200g bag is ready for coffee tables and office drawers alike.

Cuneesi Nut Mix is a selection of nut pralines from Mandrile Melis in Piedmont, centered entirely around hazelnuts and pistachios. The bag is simply labeled "Le praline," underneath which are the three varieties: Nocciola fondente, Gianduja, and Pistacchio. None of them contain liqueur; they are alcohol-free pralines, so children can also enjoy them at the coffee table.

From dark hazelnut to creamy pistachio

The Nocciola fondente is the dark variety in the bag, a soft hazelnut cream with hazelnuts and cocoa under dark chocolate. It has a robust cocoa flavor, and Mandrile Melis describes it as a combination of intense dark chocolate and the best hazelnuts from their own hills.

The Gianduja is lighter and milder. Its filling is one-fifth hazelnuts and melts slowly under milk chocolate—delicate and crisp, as the house describes the variety itself. The pistachio, in turn, brings together pistachio cream and milk cream, along with dark, milk, and white chocolate. Each variety tastes different—bold, delicate, and creamy—so you can choose whatever you're in the mood for with every grab from the bag.

A small note on the mix: each bag contains all three varieties, but the number of individual varieties is purely random.

How chocolate and hazelnut became Gianduja

In Piedmont, the combination of chocolate and finely ground hazelnuts that emerged in 19th-century Turin is called Gianduja. It gets its name from a character in the Turin Carnival, a good-natured farmer in a tricorn hat. If you have ever unwrapped a Gianduiotto, you will recognize the taste immediately.

The hazelnut grows in the hills of Piedmont and has a firm place in many sweet regional specialties, from cakes to pralines. The yellow-wrapped praline embodies this tradition in a small format, as soft as a cream yet with a bit of bite. The Nocciola fondente plays the same nut with more cocoa, and the pistachio adds a different nut to the mix as a third variety.

For sharing at the coffee table and on the go

Because each praline is individually wrapped, the bag is easy to empty into a bowl. The color of the paper reveals the variety: brown for dark hazelnut, yellow for gianduja, and green for pistachio. This way, everyone at the coffee table can reach for their favorite color, and the bowl will be empty before the coffee goes cold.

Each praline weighs about 18g, and the 200g bag is enough for a long coffee session with guests or for several afternoons at your desk. They are also perfect for a DIY Advent calendar or a Christmas stocking. If you store them in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight, the pralines will retain their shine and melt-in-the-mouth quality.

If you prefer lemon, Marsala, and wild berries, the Cuneesi Liqueur Mix is available. The pistachio variety is also available on its own as Cuneesi Pistacchio in a small bag. All pralines from Mandrile Melis are listed on the manufacturer's page, and you can find more pralines and truffles in their own dedicated category.