Professional

Italian/Mediterranean Craft Chocolatier Competition – Winners 2021-22

Italianmed Winners teaser

Italmed Winners teaser

The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the Italian/Mediterranean Craft Chocolatier Competition, which was judged during autumn 2021. This competition was open to all companies with their main business or head office in the countries listed: Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and all Middle East and North African companies.

The combined Italian National and Mediterranean regional chocolate competition brings together cultures and chocolate companies sharing the influence and ingredients of the Mediterranean sea. Winners will pass through to the World Final in April-May 2022.

This regional competition awards prizes for craft chocolatier products including filled chocolates/bonbons, pralines, enrobed fruits and nuts and chocolate spreads made with chocolate couverture OR bean-to-bar chocolate as well as  flavoured bars made with couverture. Plain/origin and flavoured bean-to-bar products from all European, Middle Eastern and African chocolate makers will be judged at the 2021-22 European Bean-to-bar Chocolate Maker competition.

For the 2021-22 season, we’re relaunching 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, starting with the 2021-22 season, 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 recognising excellence in fine chocolate making and in the products made with fine chocolate.

Judges

The judges were drawn from local experts, food journalists and pastry chefs and members of our permanent international Grand Jury and guest judges.

Links

Prizes

The categories judged included flavoured chocolate bars, filled chocolates, enrobed fruits and nuts and chocolate spreads, as well as flavoured bars (not bean-to-bar) and are based on yearly feedback from our entrants and in consultation with the fine chocolate industry. All judging is anonymised, including at the Grand Jury final session, where Golds, Silver and Bronze prizes are awarded by private voting according to the Grand Jury rules.

** Bean-to-bar chocolatier products – recognising the growing trend of flavoured bars and filled chocolate made by chocolate makers, winning products made with an entrant’s own chocolate are marked with (**).

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

(Prizes are shown in score order for each medal)


Repen met toegevoegde smaak

Donkere chocoladerepen met insluitsels of stukjes

Bronze: Gardini  (Italy) - "Rustico" (84.6)

Donkere chocoladerepen met een vulling

Bronze: Gardini  (Italy) - "Insolito" Gianduia Salata (85.5)

Melk chocoladerepen met een infusie of aroma

Silver: Kaitxo  (Spain) - Etxeko Masala (87.3)

Bronze: Gardini  (Italy) - Cacao & Sale Dolce, con liquerizia (84.6)

Melkchocoladerepen met insluitsels of stukjes

Gold: Joan Baixas  (Spain) - Chocolate con leche 51% con kikos (88.8)

+ Special: Gastronomic

Silver: Kaitxo  (Spain) - Txokolate con leche con regaliz y violet (86.1)

Witte chocoladerepen met een infusie of aroma

Gold: T'a Milano  (Italy) - Tavoletta Bianco Caramello e Liquirizia (88.4)

Bronze: T'a Milano  (Italy) - Tavoletta Caramello e Sale delle Hawaii (84.8)

Witte chocoladerepen met insluitsels of stukjes

Silver: Bruno Chocolate  (Israel) - Yuzu-Basilic (87.2)


Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines en truffels

Donkere chocolade ganaches of truffels zonder toegevoegde smaak

Silver: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté  (Italy) - Alternative (87.9) (**)

Silver: Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana  (Italy) - Perù Buffalo Cream (87.9)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Bronze: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca  (Spain) - Piura's 66% Chocolate Bonbon (85.1) (**)

Ganaches of truffels van donkere chocolade met toegevoegde smaak

Gold: Giuseppe Manilia  (Italy) - Rosemary lavanda e fondente (89.9)

Silver: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca  (Spain) - Girona Apple and Thyme bonbon (88.1) (**)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca  (Spain) - The Macallan DoubleCask 12 Yrs Bonbon (87.1) (**)

Silver: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca  (Spain) - The Great Chocolate (87.1) (**)

Silver: Joan Baixas  (Spain) - Bombón ganache Origen Piura con mucílago (86.9) (**)

Silver: Bellantoni Cioccolato  (Italy) - Dragée Rum e Uvetta (86.3)

Bronze: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté  (Italy) - Xela (85.9) (**)

Ganaches of truffels van witte chocolade

Gold: Ronen Aflalo  (Israel) - The yuzu bonbon (89.2)

Bronze: Monia Achille  (Italy) - Marrakech (85.2)

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

Gold: Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera  (Italy) - Polenta e lacc (Polenta e latte) (88.1)

+ Special: Gastronomic

Silver: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté  (Italy) - Mucillago (90.5) (**)

Silver: Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera  (Italy) - Al Malinteisa (Il Malinteso) (87.9)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: JackRabbit Chocolate Studio  (South Africa) - Spicey Blonde & Clemengold (86.6)


Noten

Pralines op basis van noten

Gold: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - Pralina Menta Liquirizia (94.8)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - Giuinott (94.3)

+ Gold: Gianduiotto

Silver: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - Pralina Malva Cardamomo (93.7)

Silver: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - Pralina Pistacchio (92.6)

Silver: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - Pralina Calendula Cannella (90.2)

Silver: Monia Achille  (Italy) - Mmmiele (89.5)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: Giuseppe Manilia  (Italy) - Croccantino alla nocciola (86.3)

Bronze: Fiore 1827  (Italy) - Pralina Cassata Fiorenza (84.5)

Met donkere chocolade omhuld marsepein

Gold: Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana  (Italy) - Origano Selvatico di Montagna e Limone (93.6)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana  (Italy) - Violetta Selvatica (93.2)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Donkere chocolade dragees, omhulde hele noten

Gold: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Nocciola Piemonte Bassinata al Gianduia (92.1)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Pralines op basis van noten met melkchocolade

Gold: Ronen Aflalo  (Israel) - Tehini bonbon (88.3)

+ Special: Gastronomic

Silver: Bellantoni Cioccolato  (Italy) - Cremino Nocciola e Caffè (86.7)

Nut based pralines with white chocolate

Silver: Caon Chocolate  (Italy) - Matcha Love (87.7)

Silver: Gardini  (Italy) - Cremino al Pistacchio (86.9)

Witte chocolade dragees, omhulde hele noten

Gold: Bellantoni Cioccolato  (Italy) - Dragèe Pinolo alla Camomilla (94.4)

Silver: Bellantoni Cioccolato  (Italy) - Dragée Pistacchio al Cardamomo (89.6)

Bronze: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca  (Spain) - Pistachio with Green Peas Chocolate (85.8) (**)

+ Special: Gastronomic

Pralines op basis van noten met melkchocolade ...

Gold: Gardini  (Italy) - Cremino con liquirizia (93.2)

Silver: Gardini  (Italy) - Cremino con Amarene (91.3)

Silver: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Cremino tre colori (90.7)

Silver: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Piccolo gianduja (90.4)

Silver: Varvaro  (Italy) - Cremino al Pistacchio e Nocciole (89.1)

Silver: Gardini  (Italy) - Cremino con Noci (88.7)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté  (Italy) - Persi pien (88.5) (**)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera  (Italy) - Ninsòla dla Bessa (Nocciola della Bessa) (87.6)

Bronze: Falicetto Cioccolato Puro Piacenza  (Italy) - DiPC (85.3)

+ Special: Gastronomic

+ Special: Local ingredients


Overige - fruit/suiker/boter/crème

Donkere chocolade gevuld met een zachte gelei/pasta van fruit

Bronze: JackRabbit Chocolate Studio  (South Africa) - Cape Gooseberry & Strawberry (85.9)

Melkchocolade gevuld met een zachte gelei/pasta van fruit ..

Gold: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Prugna Menta e Sedano (88.7)

Met donkere chocolade omhuld heel fruit

Gold: Falicetto Cioccolato Puro Piacenza  (Italy) - Sgranfgnòn - Boero (94.5)

+ Special: Classic

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana  (Italy) - Ciliegia al Cognac (89.9)

Silver: Maychoco  (Spain) - Mango bañado en `bean to bar´70% Perú (86.2) (**)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Bronze: Fattoria La Vialla di Gianni, Antonio e Bandino Lo Franco  (Italy) - Scorza di arancia candita al cioccolato (84.8)

Met melkchocolade omhuld heel fruit

Bronze: Le Cacaoyer  (Greece) - Vostizza currants (85.7) (**)

Met witte chocolade omhuld heel fruit

Bronze: Maychoco  (Spain) - Mango con chocolate blanco 39% y lavanda (85.9) (**)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Met donkere chocolade omhulde manon/boter/crème ..

Silver: Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera  (Italy) - Torta dla nòna (Torta della nonna) (87.7)

+ Special: Reinterpretation


Smeerpasta

Donkere chocoladepasta (geen melkpoeder)

Gold: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - +55 crema nocciola (93.0)

Silver: Fiore 1827  (Italy) - Fiore di nocciola (87.2)

Silver: Il Cocciolato  (Italy) - Ooh mamma tre (86.4) (**)

Bronze: Puchero  (Spain) - Puchero Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (85.6) (**)

Melkchocoladepasta

Gold: Monia Achille  (Italy) - Me (88.2)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté  (Italy) - Amelina classica alla nocciola (87.1)

+ Special: Local ingredients

Silver: Gardini  (Italy) - Mia, Naturalmente EVO (86.6)

+ Special: Local ingredients


(*)  Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.

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