The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the Scandinavian, French and British Craft Chocolatier competitions, which were judged remotely in September-October 2023. 

Winners of these rounds will pass through to the World Final organized in October-November 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 Scandinavian, French and British chocolate makers were judged at the 2023 European, Middle Eastern and African Bean-to-Bar and Craft Chocolatier Competition.

Origin traceability

We are committed to supporting economically, socially and environmentally sustainable cacao farming where farmers are paid a reasonable price that reflects the work that goes into growing fine cacao. We also believe that the chocolate with the best flavor profiles comes from directly sourced fine cacao.

From 2021-22 onwards, we ask every entrant for the origin of cacao used for the dark and milk chocolate in their entries, including chocolatiers. These details are given confidentially when entering. White chocolate and cocoa butter are currently excluded from these rules.

By ‘origin’ we mean a known region, area, district, or farm recognized as a source of fine cacao. We will also limit the number of sources that can be used for an origin to no more than three different cooperatives, commercial farmers, post-harvest centers, individual farmers, research stations or other single sources. Blends are acceptable if they use no more than three different named origins.

We won’t accept origins defined only as the name of the cacao growing country, except for smaller cacao countries producing less than 4000 tonnes of cacao per year.

These rules apply to all chocolate used in filled chocolate and spreads, including commercial couverture.

We believe that these rules will help to promote the spirit and ideal of craft chocolate and to help the development of good chocolate and cacao.

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 Scandinavian Craft Chocolatier Winners are:

(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)

Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines en truffels

Ganaches of truffels van donkere chocolade met toegevoegde smaak

Ganaches of truffels van melkchocolade

Ganaches of truffels met een coating of vulling van gemengde donkere/melk/witte chocolade

Noten

Met donkere chocolade omhuld marsepein

Pralines op basis van noten met melkchocolade

Pralines op basis van noten met melkchocolade …

Overige – fruit/suiker/boter/crème

Met donkere chocolade omhuld heel fruit

(*)  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 French Craft Chocolatier Winners are:

(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)

Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines en truffels

Donkere chocolade ganaches of truffels zonder toegevoegde smaak

Ganaches of truffels van donkere chocolade met toegevoegde smaak

Noten

Pralines op basis van noten met melkchocolade

(*)  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 British Craft Chocolatier Winners are:

(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)

Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines en truffels

Donkere chocolade ganaches of truffels zonder toegevoegde smaak

Ganaches of truffels van donkere chocolade met toegevoegde smaak

Ganaches of truffels van witte chocolade

Noten

Witte chocolade dragees, omhulde hele noten

Overige – fruit/suiker/boter/crème

Melkchocolade gevuld met een zachte gelei/pasta van fruit

Smeerpasta

Donkere chocoladepasta (geen melkpoeder)

(*)  Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.

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