The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the winners of the 2012 World Final, which took place in London, 9-11 October during Chocolate Week 2012. The World Final judged the best of the best – Gold and Silver winners and Finalist nominations from over 600 products entered into the European and Americas Semi-finals and the Italian and Canadian national competitions.
The International Chocolate Awards is a new competition set up to recognise the best fine quality chocolate from around the world. The awards are designed to reflect international tastes and offer a level playing field for international entries. The judging panel is made up of experts, food journalists and pastry chefs from the host country, overseen by a Grand Jury who travel to each competition.
Prizes
The categories, which range from origin bars to filled chocolates to spreads, are designed to reflect the current chocolate industry. Prizes are separated according to category, with just one Gold awarded in each category and a number of Silver awards available.
For the bar categories we have also given awards for Directly Traded, Organic and Chocolate Maker. In the World Final only, we have also given an award for the best cacao source, to go to the farmer, cooperative or locality providing the best named source cacao.
The Winners of the World Finals 2012 are:
[line]Bars
Bars – Dark plain/origin bars
Overall winners
GOLD: Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador) – 70% Raw – Organic and Biodynamic
SILVER: Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador) – 70% Piura-Quemazon
SILVER: Art Pollard / Amano Chocolate Company (United States) – Cuyagua 70% Dark Chocolate
SILVER: Art Pollard / Amano Chocolate Company (United States) – Chuao 70% Dark Chocolate
SILVER: Chocolatier Michel Cluizel (France) – Los Anconès Bio
SILVER: Domori (Italy) – Guasare
Special awards
GOLD – Chocolate Maker: Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador) – 70% Raw – Organic and Biodynamic
GOLD – Growing Country Chocolate: Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador) – 70% Raw – Organic and Biodynamic
GOLD – Directly Traded Cacao: Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador) – 70% Raw – Organic and Biodynamic
GOLD – Organic: Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador) – 70% Raw – Organic and Biodynamic
GOLD – Best cacao source: Piura-Quemazon
Bars – Milk plain/origin bars
Overall winners
GOLD: Chocolatier Michel Cluizel (France) – Maralumi Milk
SILVER: Friis-Holm (Denmark) – Dark Milk – Nicaragua 55%
Bars – White plain/origin bars
Overall winners
GOLD: Chocolates El Rey, C.A. (Venezuela) – Icoa White Chocolate
SILVER: Chocolatier Michel Cluizel (France) – Ivoire
Special awards
GOLD – Growing Country Chocolate: Chocolates El Rey, C.A. (Venezuela) – Icoa White Chocolate
Bars – Flavoured dark chocolate
GOLD: Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador) – 60% With Lemongrass
SILVER: Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Raw 70% Chocolate Bar With Salt And Cacao Nibs – Organic and Biodynamic
SILVER: Slitti Chocolate (Italy) – ‘CaffèNero’
SILVER: Madre Chocolate (United States) – Triple Cacao
SILVER: Pacari Chocolate (Ecuador) – Raw 70% Chocolate Bar With Maca – Organic and Biodynamic
Bars – Flavoured milk chocolate
GOLD: Slitti Chocolate (Italy) – ‘CaffèLatte’
SILVER: Askinosie Chocolate (United States) – Dark Milk Chocolate + Black Licorice Collabaration™ Bar
SILVER: Damian Allsop Chocolates (UK) – Eat london China Town
SILVER: Cococo Chocolatiers Inc. (Canada) – Habanero Sea Salt Thyme And Rosemary Milk Chocolate Bar
[line]Filled chocolates – unflavoured dark
Unflavoured dark – Ganaches and truffles
GOLD: Paul A Young Fine Chocolates (UK) – 85% RAW Ecuadorian dark chocolate truffle
SILVER: Damian Allsop Chocolates (UK) – Madagascan Water ganache
SILVER: Rococo Chocolates (UK) – Madagascar House Truffle
Unflavoured dark – Nut based pralines
(No flavour other than nut)
No awards given
Unflavoured dark – Gianduiotto
GOLD: A Giordano (Italy) – ‘Giandujotti fatti a mano’
SILVER: Guido Castagna (Italy) – ‘Giandujotti’
[line]Filled chocolates – flavoured dark
Flavoured dark – Ganaches and truffles
GOLD: Damian Allsop Chocolates (UK) – Salty Liquorice water ganache
SILVER: Boutique Aromatique (UK) – Mint & Sweet Basil
SILVER: Rococo Chocolates (UK) – Rose & Cocoa Nib Ganache
Flavoured dark – Nut based pralines and gianduja, enrobed whole nuts
No awards given
Flavoured dark – Caramels
(Including plain caramels)
GOLD: Paul A Young Fine Chocolates (UK) – Sea salted caramel
Fruit pastes, jellies/gelée, enrobed whole fruits
No awards given
[line]Filled chocolates – milk (flavoured or unflavoured)
Milk – Ganaches and truffles
SILVER: Beta5 (Canada) – Imperial Stout
Milk – Nut based pralines and gianduja
PRALINES
SILVER: De Bondt Cioccolato Originale (Italy) – ‘Pralina alla nocciola al latte’
FLAVOURED CREMINO
GOLD: L’Artigiano dei f.lli Gardini snc (Italy) – ‘Cremino latte fondente con amarena’
SILVER: L’Artigiano dei f.lli Gardini snc (Italy) – ‘Cremino latte fondente con liquerizia’
Milk – Enrobed whole fruits or nuts
SILVER: De Bondt Cioccolato Originale (Italy) – ‘Pinoli’
Milk – Caramels
(Iincluding plain caramels)
SILVER: Theo Chocolate (United States) – Ghost Chile Caramel
SILVER: Fika Choklad (United States) – Burnt Caramel
[line]Spreads
Spreads with dark chocolate
GOLD: Guido Castagna (Italy) – ’55+’
Spreads with milk chocolate
GOLD: Slitti Chocolate (Italy) – ‘Riccosa’
SILVER: Piluc (Italy) – ‘Pilucchella’
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