Turin's famed gianduiotto, a small, creamy chocolate that melts on the tongue,  is at the centre of a battle for European recognition pitting Italian artisans against Swiss giant Lindt. In his workshop outside the northwestern Italian city, Luca Ballesio kneads chocolate with spatulas before expertly slicing off pieces and lining them up on a tray.

The 42-year-old is one of the last chocolatiers who makes gianduiotto the old-fashioned way, a hand-made approach which gives the sweets their typical prism shape. He is part of a committee of around 40 artisan chocolatiers, as well as companies such as Ferrero, Venchi and Domori, who are seeking to obtain a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for the gianduiotto from the European Union.