The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Grand Jury Finalists of the Italian/Mediterranean Chocolatier Competition which was judged during autumn 2021.

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

The Grand Jury Finalists are the entries that made it through to the final Grand Jury round, following an initial technical Selection round and a main round of judging. The Finalists are the nominations from which the Grand Jury select the prize winners, through private voting. The Grand Jury follow strict rules, which you can read here (PDF).

The 2021-22 Italian/Mediterranean Craft Chocolatier Finalists are:

(In alphabetical order within each category)

Flavoured bars

Dark chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

T'a Milano (Italy) - Tavoletta Limone e fondente 66% (84.26)

Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gardini (Italy) - "Rustico" (84.59)

Dark chocolate bars with a filling

Gardini (Italy) - "Insolito" Gianduia Salata (85.52)

Milk chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Kaitxo (Spain) - Etxeko Masala (87.33) Gardini (Italy) - Cacao & Sale Dolce, con liquerizia (84.58)

Milk chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Joan Baixas (Spain) - Chocolate con leche 51% con kikos (88.78) Kaitxo (Spain) - Txokolate con leche con regaliz y violet (86.10) Bruno Chocolate (Israel) - Passion gray (83.20)

White chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

T'a Milano (Italy) - Tavoletta Bianco Caramello e Liquirizia (88.42) T'a Milano (Italy) - Tavoletta Caramello e Sale delle Hawaii (84.78)

White chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Bruno Chocolate (Israel) - Yuzu-Basilic (87.15)

Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles

Unflavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Alternative (87.93) Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana (Italy) - Perù Buffalo Cream (87.90) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Piura's 66% Chocolate Bonbon (85.08) Giuseppe Manilia (Italy) - TARTUFINO FONDENTE 72% (83.37) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Awajun Community's Bonbon (82.28)

Flavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Giuseppe Manilia (Italy) - Rosemary lavanda e fondente (89.85) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Girona Apple and Thyme bonbon (88.10) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - The Macallan DoubleCask 12 Yrs Bonbon (87.13) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - The Great Chocolate (87.09) Joan Baixas (Spain) - Bombón ganache Origen Piura con mucílago (86.88) Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragée Rum e Uvetta (86.28) Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Xela (85.85) Bruno Chocolate (Israel) - szechuan (83.80) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Destilation of Ratafia bonbon (82.63) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Cherry and Elderflower chocolate (80.70)

Unflavoured milk chocolate ganaches or truffles

Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Arhuacos Community's Bonbon (84.10)

Flavoured milk chocolate ganaches or truffles

JackRabbit Chocolate Studio (South Africa) - Malva Pudding (80.06)

Flavoured white chocolate ganaches or truffles

Ronen Aflalo (Israel) - The yuzu bonbon (89.20) Monia Achille (Italy) - Marrakech (85.20) Ronen Aflalo (Israel) - repsbery bonbon (83.20)

Flavoured ganaches or truffles with combination coating or filling

Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera (Italy) - Polenta e lacc (Polenta e latte) (88.13) Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera (Italy) - Al Malinteisa (Il Malinteso) (87.93) JackRabbit Chocolate Studio (South Africa) - Spicey Blonde & Clemengold (86.60) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Cacao Juice bonbon (83.37) riki rika bitton (Israel) - Vegan raspberry cherry praline (80.14)

Nuts

Nut based pralines with dark chocolate

Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Menta Liquirizia (94.75) Guido Castagna (Italy) - Giuinott (94.30) Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Malva Cardamomo (93.73) Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Pistacchio (92.57) Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Calendula Cannella (90.20) Monia Achille (Italy) - Mmmiele (89.50) Giuseppe Manilia (Italy) - Croccantino alla nocciola (86.25) Fiore 1827 (Italy) - Pralina Cassata Fiorenza (84.50) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Hazelnut Gianduja and Butter Cookie (81.49)

Dark chocolate enrobed marzipan

Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana (Italy) - Origano Selvatico di Montagna e Limone (93.63) Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana (Italy) - Violetta Selvatica (93.22)

Dark chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Piccola Pasticceria (Italy) - Nocciola Piemonte Bassinata al Gianduia (92.13)

Nut based pralines with milk chocolate

Ronen Aflalo (Israel) - Tehini bonbon (88.32) Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Cremino Nocciola e Caffè (86.65) Il Cocciolato (Italy) - IL COCCIOLATINO (82.02) Varvaro (Italy) - Cremino a Tre Strati (81.43)

Nut based pralines with combination chocolate

Gardini (Italy) - Cremino con liquirizia (93.15) Gardini (Italy) - Cremino con Amarene (91.25) Piccola Pasticceria (Italy) - Cremino tre colori (90.73) Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Mucillago (90.52) Piccola Pasticceria (Italy) - Piccolo gianduja (90.35) Varvaro (Italy) - Cremino al Pistacchio e Nocciole (89.10) Gardini (Italy) - Cremino con Noci (88.67) Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Persi pien (88.48) Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera (Italy) - Ninsòla dla Bessa (Nocciola della Bessa) (87.55) Falicetto Cioccolato Puro Piacenza (Italy) - DiPC (85.30)

Milk chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragée Gianduia Revolution (80.61)

Nut based pralines with white chocolate

Caon Chocolate (Italy) - Matcha Love (87.70) Gardini (Italy) - Cremino al Pistacchio (86.88) Monia Achille (Italy) - Tuscia (82.31)

White chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragèe Pinolo alla Camomilla (94.37) Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragée Pistacchio al Cardamomo (89.62) Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Pistachio with Green Peas Chocolate (85.79) T'a Milano (Italy) - Caramello con cioccolato bianco e sale (83.87) Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragée Tiramisù Concept (83.72)

Others - fruit/sugar/butter/cream/misc

Dark chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée

JackRabbit Chocolate Studio (South Africa) - Cape Gooseberry & Strawberry (85.92)

Dark chocolate enrobed whole fruit

Falicetto Cioccolato Puro Piacenza (Italy) - Sgranfgnòn - Boero (94.48) Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana (Italy) - Ciliegia al Cognac (89.91) Maychoco (Spain) - Mango bañado en `bean to bar´70% Perú (86.23) Fattoria La Vialla di Gianni, Antonio e Bandino Lo Franco (Italy) - Scorza di arancia candita al cioccolato (84.84) Mirzam Chocolate makers (United Arab Emirates) - 62% Dark Chocolate Coated Oranges (83.78) Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragée Sacher Concept (80.15)

White chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée

Piccola Pasticceria (Italy) - Prugna Menta e Sedano (88.67)

Milk chocolate enrobed whole fruit

Le Cacaoyer (Greece) - Vostizza currants (85.74)

White chocolate enrobed whole fruit

Maychoco (Spain) - Mango con chocolate blanco 39% y lavanda (85.85)

Other fillings with dark chocolate

Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera (Italy) - Torta dla nòna (Torta della nonna) (87.71) Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera (Italy) - Al Torcèt (Il Torcetto) (82.01) Eddy Silva (Italy) - Zeppola Velata (81.66)

Spreads

Spreads with dark chocolate (no milk powder)

Guido Castagna (Italy) - +55 crema nocciola (93.00) Fiore 1827 (Italy) - Fiore di nocciola (87.19) Il Cocciolato (Italy) - Ooh mamma tre (86.35) Puchero (Spain) - Puchero Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (85.60) Karuna Chocolate (Italy) - Organic hazelnut spread 60% (83.14) Grezzo Raw Chocolate (Italy) - Crema spalmabile bio Gustosa (81.70)

Spreads with milk chocolate

Monia Achille (Italy) - Me (88.23) Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Amelina classica alla nocciola (87.12) Gardini (Italy) - Mia, Naturalmente EVO (86.62) Utopick Cacao (Spain) - CREMA CRISPY (81.11) Fattoria La Vialla di Gianni, Antonio e Bandino Lo Franco (Italy) - VIALLELLA (80.48)