For a true gourmet dinner, be inspired by Venchi’s recipe and prepare an unforgettable risotto with dark chocolate, red wine and Parmigiano Reggiano. A Special Dish for a Special Occasion Cooking for your loved ones is a beautiful gesture of love—and some occasions deserve to be celebrated with something truly special, like chocolate pasta or, even better, a chocolate risotto. This unique dish is sophisticated, full of flavour, and guaranteed to impress! The Perfect Chocolate Risotto Recipe Risotto in itself requires time and attention, and this cocoa version calls for even more care: the key component is a dark chocolate demi-glace, a rich sauce base made with beef bones, chocolate and red wine—featured in our Beef Fillet with Cuor di Cacao Chocolate Sauce recipe. Difficulty: MediumPreparation time: 6 hours for the demi-glace + 30 minutes for the risotto Ingredients for the chocolate risotto: 480 g Carnaroli rice 2 shallots 100 g cocoa butter 1 glass white wine 2 litres vegetable stock 2 artichokes Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste Salt, to taste Vegetable oil, to taste Preparation Method First, slice the shallots and soften in a saucepan with half the cocoa butter (the rest will be used to finish the risotto). Add the rice and toast over a medium-high flame until the grains become slightly translucent, then deglaze with the white wine.Once the wine has evaporated, add the vegetable stock gradually along with a few tablespoons of the pre-prepared demi-glace made with 100% Venchi dark chocolate, cooking the rice for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the sliced artichokes in plenty of vegetable oil and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.When the rice is cooked and the stock absorbed, remove from heat and stir in the remaining cocoa butter and a generous sprinkle of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. For a dish as exquisite as Carnaroli with dark chocolate, the plating must do it justice: opt for a dark plate that contrasts with the delicate hue of the risotto, or use a ring mould to create a perfect, neat shape. Finish with a generous spoonful of demi-glace and garnish with crispy artichoke slices for an elegant touch. How to Feature Dark Chocolate Risotto on Your Menu This risotto is a showstopper—visually stunning and full of character—so it’s important to balance your menu around it. Our tip? Create a tasting experience with dark chocolate as the common thread.Start with a chocolate savoury cracker appetiser topped with soft cheese, chopped walnuts and a drizzle of honey—ideal because you can prepare it in advance and assemble in minutes, leaving you free to focus on the main course.Follow the risotto with a meat-and-chocolate main: depending on the season or your guests’ preferences, opt for a rich wild boar stew or, for something more delicate, a tender beef fillet.For dessert, a white chocolate bavarois topped with fresh raspberries is always a winning choice—but to keep the wow factor going until the end, we recommend serving an assortment of hazelnut and pistachio Baci di Dama, the perfect accompaniment to coffee.
