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.
- Winners
- Finalists
- Judges
- Grand Jury
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.
Awards are awarded only to entries that meet the required standard for each prize.
(Prizes are shown in alphabetical order for each medal)Flavoured bars
Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces
Bronze: Gardini (Italy) - "Rustico"
Dark chocolate bars with a filling
Bronze: Gardini (Italy) - "Insolito" Gianduia Salata
Milk chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring
Silver: Kaitxo (Spain) - Etxeko Masala
Bronze: Gardini (Italy) - Cacao & Sale Dolce, con liquerizia
Milk chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces
Gold: Joan Baixas (Spain) - Chocolate con leche 51% con kikos
+ Special: Gastronomic
Silver: Kaitxo (Spain) - Txokolate con leche con regaliz y violet
White chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring
Gold: T'a Milano (Italy) - Tavoletta Bianco Caramello e Liquirizia
Bronze: T'a Milano (Italy) - Tavoletta Caramello e Sale delle Hawaii
White chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces
Silver: Bruno Chocolate (Israel) - Yuzu-Basilic
Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles
Unflavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles
Silver: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Alternative (**)
Silver: Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana (Italy) - Perù Buffalo Cream
+ Special: Local ingredients
Bronze: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Piura's 66% Chocolate Bonbon (**)
Flavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles
Gold: Giuseppe Manilia (Italy) - Rosemary lavanda e fondente
Silver: Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragée Rum e Uvetta
Silver: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Girona Apple and Thyme bonbon (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - The Great Chocolate (**)
Silver: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - The Macallan DoubleCask 12 Yrs Bonbon (**)
Silver: Joan Baixas (Spain) - Bombón ganache Origen Piura con mucílago (**)
Bronze: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Xela (**)
Flavoured white chocolate ganaches or truffles
Gold: Ronen Aflalo (Israel) - The yuzu bonbon
Bronze: Monia Achille (Italy) - Marrakech
Flavoured ganaches or truffles with combination coating or filling
Gold: Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera (Italy) - Polenta e lacc (Polenta e latte)
+ Special: Gastronomic
Silver: JackRabbit Chocolate Studio (South Africa) - Spicey Blonde & Clemengold
Silver: Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera (Italy) - Al Malinteisa (Il Malinteso)
+ Special: Local ingredients
Nuts
Nut based pralines with dark chocolate
Gold: Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Menta Liquirizia
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Giuseppe Manilia (Italy) - Croccantino alla nocciola
Silver: Guido Castagna (Italy) - Giuinott
+ Gold: Gianduiotto
Silver: Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Calendula Cannella
Silver: Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Malva Cardamomo
Silver: Guido Castagna (Italy) - Pralina Pistacchio
Silver: Monia Achille (Italy) - Mmmiele
+ Special: Local ingredients
Bronze: Fiore 1827 (Italy) - Pralina Cassata Fiorenza
Dark chocolate enrobed marzipan
Gold: Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana (Italy) - Origano Selvatico di Montagna e Limone
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana (Italy) - Violetta Selvatica
+ Special: Local ingredients
Dark chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts
Gold: Piccola Pasticceria (Italy) - Nocciola Piemonte Bassinata al Gianduia
+ Special: Local ingredients
Nut based pralines with milk chocolate
Gold: Ronen Aflalo (Israel) - Tehini bonbon
+ Special: Gastronomic
Silver: Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Cremino Nocciola e Caffè
Nut based pralines with combination chocolate
Gold: Gardini (Italy) - Cremino con liquirizia
Silver: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Mucillago (**)
Silver: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Persi pien (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Gardini (Italy) - Cremino con Amarene
Silver: Gardini (Italy) - Cremino con Noci
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Piccola Pasticceria (Italy) - Cremino tre colori
Silver: Piccola Pasticceria (Italy) - Piccolo gianduja
Silver: Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera (Italy) - Ninsòla dla Bessa (Nocciola della Bessa)
Silver: Varvaro (Italy) - Cremino al Pistacchio e Nocciole
Bronze: Falicetto Cioccolato Puro Piacenza (Italy) - DiPC
+ Special: Gastronomic
+ Special: Local ingredients
Nut based pralines with white chocolate
Silver: Caon Chocolate (Italy) - Matcha Love
Silver: Gardini (Italy) - Cremino al Pistacchio
White chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts
Gold: Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragèe Pinolo alla Camomilla
Silver: Bellantoni Cioccolato (Italy) - Dragée Pistacchio al Cardamomo
Bronze: Casa Cacao | El Celler de Can Roca (Spain) - Pistachio with Green Peas Chocolate (**)
+ Special: Gastronomic
Others - fruit/sugar/butter/cream/misc
Dark chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée
Bronze: JackRabbit Chocolate Studio (South Africa) - Cape Gooseberry & Strawberry
Dark chocolate enrobed whole fruit
Gold: Falicetto Cioccolato Puro Piacenza (Italy) - Sgranfgnòn - Boero
+ Special: Classic
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Maychoco (Spain) - Mango bañado en `bean to bar´70% Perú (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana (Italy) - Ciliegia al Cognac
Bronze: Fattoria La Vialla di Gianni, Antonio e Bandino Lo Franco (Italy) - Scorza di arancia candita al cioccolato
White chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée
Gold: Piccola Pasticceria (Italy) - Prugna Menta e Sedano
Milk chocolate enrobed whole fruit
Bronze: Le Cacaoyer (Greece) - Vostizza currants (**)
White chocolate enrobed whole fruit
Bronze: Maychoco (Spain) - Mango con chocolate blanco 39% y lavanda (**)
+ Special: Local ingredients
Other fillings with dark chocolate
Silver: Stefania Massera - Pasticceria Gino Massera (Italy) - Torta dla nòna (Torta della nonna)
+ Special: Reinterpretation
Spreads
Spreads with dark chocolate (no milk powder)
Gold: Guido Castagna (Italy) - +55 crema nocciola
Silver: Fiore 1827 (Italy) - Fiore di nocciola
Silver: Il Cocciolato (Italy) - Ooh mamma tre (**)
Bronze: Puchero (Spain) - Puchero Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (**)
Spreads with milk chocolate
Gold: Monia Achille (Italy) - Me
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Depetris Riccardo / Depetris...i Ciculaté (Italy) - Amelina classica alla nocciola
+ Special: Local ingredients
Silver: Gardini (Italy) - Mia, Naturalmente EVO
+ 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.
