The winners of the chocolate spreads; plain and flavoured hot chocolate; and packaging categories have been revealed just weeks after the Filled Chocolate winners were confirmed [http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Academy-of-Chocolate-Golden-Bean-2017-Filled-Chocolate-winners].
Only the Bean to Bar category winners remain to be announced, expected next week.
In line with the Academy’s aims, the awards’ criteria specify that products must contain natural ingredients with no artificial flavouring or colouring.
The 2017 awards ceremony will hand out the winners’ prizes in July, alongside the Golden Bean, Newcomer, Rising Star, Mott Green Sustainability, and the new Golden Bonbon Award, which will celebrate the highest-scoring filled chocolate for the first time.
This year’s awards saw a record number of entries [http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Academy-of-Chocolate-Awards-2017-receives-record-number-of-entries]‒ over 900, up from 500 last year ‒ with entries from across the world, including from Argentina to the Solomon Islands to the UAE to Vietnam.
Organised by the Academy of Chocolate – whose patron is Michel Roux OBE –, the competition was founded in 2005 to promote understanding of good quality chocolate and chocolate making, and develop better links with chocolate producers and cocoa-growing countries.
This year, freelance pastry chef and consultant Sarah Hartnett – who is also an ambassador for chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut ‒ is chair of judges.
The Academy of Chocolate committee comprises Sara Jayne Stanes OBE, Chantal Coady OBE, Marc Demarquette, Sarah Jane Evans, Clive Marytr, Marie Pierre Moine, Christopher Reeves, Will Torrent, and Simon Wright.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
SPREADS
Gianduja & High Cocoa Content Spreads
SILVER
Georgia Ramon, Hazelnut Spread Gianduja
Idilio Origins, Caranero Superior, Barlovento
Slitti, Gianera
BRONZE
Domori, La Crema Nocciola
Mamuschka, Mamuschka Cream
Slitti, Riccosa
Wilkin & Sons, Chocolate Spread (nut-free)
Salted Caramel with Milk Chocolate Spreads
GOLD
Ottar Chocolate, Sweet Sea salt Fennel Caramel
SILVER
Ottar Chocolate , Sea Salt Rosemary Caramel
BRONZE
Ottar Chocolate, Sea Salt Caramel
Paul A. Young, Sea Salted Caramel
HOT CHOCOLATE
Plain Hot Chocolate
SILVER
Åkessons's Organic, Åkesson's Choc Drops Brazil 75% Cocoa Organic
Åkessons's Organic, Åkesson's Choc Drops Madagascar 100% Cocoa Organic
Malagos Chocolate, Malagos Unsweetened Chocolate
The Chocolate Quarter, Tetteh Drinking Chocolate
BRONZE
CoCouture, Co Couture Organic Hot Chocolate Mix 70%
CoCouture, Co Couture Organic Hot Chocolate Mix 85%
Creo chocolate, Midnight Truffle
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate, Dick Taylor Chocolate Belize Drinking Chocolate
Idilio Origins, Idilio, Drinking Chocolate, Carenero Urrutia
Taste Artisan Chocolate, Palo Santo 75% Drinking Chocolate
Flavoured Hot Chocolate
BRONZE
Creo chocolate, Mayan Spice Sipping Chocolate
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate, DickTaylor Chocolate Peppermint Drinking Chocolate
PACKAGING
Bars
GOLD
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate, Dick Taylor Inclusion Bar Envelope Line
Lapos Csokolade Kft, Wrapping of Nica La Dalia 72% Dark Chcolate
Letter Press Chocolate, Ucayali Peru
SILVER
Beaucacao, BEAU CACAO Serian Estate 72%
Hummingbird Chocolate, Hummingbird Chocolate Bar
Krakakoa, Limited Edition Single Origin Gift Set
Palette de Bine, Fabrique de chocolat Mont-Tremblant (single origin bar)
COMMENDED
Conexión Chocolate, VIRGIN 70% CONEXIÓN CHOCOLATE; 70% CONEXIÓN CHOCOLATE; 64% CONEXIÓN CHOCOLATE
Garçoa, Garçoa Bar Collection
Georgia Ramon, Carolina Reaper Chili; Haiti 80 %
Jasper and Myrtle, Jasper and Myrtle Chocolate bars
Boxes
GOLD
Piccola Pasticceria Snc Di Cerullo & Saimura, EQUATORE
Soma Chocolate, Soma Chocolate - Birch Branch
SILVER
Sawade Sawade chocolate box, 100g; Sawade chocolate box, 40g, Brandenburger Tor; Königin Luise Pastete
Trinidad & Tobago Fine Cocoa Company, Steel Pan Tin
COMMENDED
Bonbonier, Chocolate bonbon packaging series
Chocomaze, 3x3 SELECTION
Sweetic Csokoládé Manufaktúra, Sweetic dragee selection box / Drazsé válogatás