The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the D.A.CH. (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and Eastern European Craft Chocolatier competitions, which were judged remotely in Spring 2023. 

Winners of these rounds will pass through to the World Final organized later in 2023.

This craft competition awards prizes for craft chocolatier products including filled chocolates/bonbons, pralines, enrobed fruits and nuts and chocolate spreads made with bean-to-bar chocolate as well as flavoured bars made with couverture. Plain/origin and flavoured bean-to-bar products from all European chocolate makers were judged at the 2023 European, Middle Eastern and African Bean-to-Bar competition.

Craft Chocolatier Competitions

Starting with the 2021-22 season, we relaunched our filled chocolate competitions as “Craft Chocolatier Competitions”, with an increasing focus on cacao sourcing and traceability. With these ideals in mind, we have made the decision that, from the 2021-22 season onwards, all our chocolatier competitions will now be solely dedicated to dark and milk chocolate products made with cacao with an identifiable and traceable source. (Note: this rule does not currently apply to white chocolate or cocoa butter). This new approach reflects not only current trends in craft chocolate, but also our own founding philosophy and focus on fine cacao.

The International Chocolate Awards is an independent competition recognizing excellence in fine chocolate making and in the products made with fine chocolate.

Judges

The judges were drawn from local experts, food journalists, our IICCT Alumni and members of our permanent international Grand Jury.

Prizes

The categories judged included filled chocolates, enrobed fruits and nuts and chocolate spreads, as well as flavoured bars (not bean-to-bar). All judging is anonymized, including at the Grand Jury final session, where Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes are awarded by private voting.

Awards are awarded only to entries that meet the required standard for each prize.

The 2023 D.A.CH. Craft Chocolatier Winners are:

(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)

Barras saborizado

Barras de chocolate negro con inclusiones o piezas

Barras de chocolate negro con relleno

Barras de chocolate con leche con un relleno

Ganaches, palets, ganaches pralinés y trufas

Ganaches o trufas de chocolate negro saborizado

Ganaches o trufas de chocolate con leche saborizado

Ganaches o trufas de una combinación de chocolates saborizados

Nueces

Pralinés de nuez cubiertas de chocolate con leche

Grajeas de chocolate blanco, nueces enteras cubiertas de chocolate blanco

Pralinés de nuez cubiertas de una combinación de chocolates

Grajeas cubiertas de una combinación de chocolates, nueces enteras cubiertas de una combinación de chocolates

Otros – fruta/azúcar/mantequila/crema/misceláneos

Frutas enteras cubiertas de chocolate negro

Cremas para untar

Cremas para untar de chocolate negro (sin leche en polvo)

Cremas para untar de chocolate con leche

(*)  Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.

(**) Winner has declared the product is made with their own bean-to-bar chocolate or couverture.

The 2023 Eastern European Craft Chocolatier Winners are:

(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)

Ganaches, palets, ganaches pralinés y trufas

Ganaches o trufas de chocolate negro saborizado

Ganaches o trufas de una combinación de chocolates saborizados

Nueces

Pralinés de nuez cubiertas de chocolate con leche

Grajeas de chocolate con leche, nueces enteras cubiertas de chocolate con leche

Grajeas de chocolate blanco, nueces enteras cubiertas de chocolate blanco

Pralinés de nuez cubiertas de una combinación de chocolates

Caramelos

Caramelos bañados en chocolate negro

(*)  Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.

(**) Winner has declared the product is made with their own bean-to-bar chocolate or couverture.