Central America Competition 2017 – Grand Jury Finalists

The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Grand Jury Finalists of the first Central America support Competition which was held on 18 – 21 November in Managua, Nicaragua.

The Grand Jury Finalists are the entries that made it through to the final Grand Jury round, following three days of  judging, which included judges from the UK, USA, Europe and Asia and members of our international Grand Jury panel. The panel was made up of chocolate experts, pastry chefs, journalists, restaurant reviewers, bloggers, culinary educators and chefs.

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).

While listing as a Grand Jury Finalist is an achievement in itself, it does not necessarily indicate that the entry will receive a prize.

The 2017 Central American competition Finalists are:

(In alphabetical order within each category)


Plain/origin bars

Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Danta Chocolate (Guatemala) - Finca La Cruz 60%
Danta Chocolate (Guatemala) - Finca San Juan 60%
Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua) - Dark Chocolate 70% (Bonanza)
Wolter (Mexico) - Quetzalli Wolter 80%
Wolter (Mexico) - Quetzalli Uranga 74%
Caribeans Chocolate (Costa Rica) - Caribeans Reserva Especial
Caribeans Chocolate (Costa Rica) - Caribeans Single Estate Felip Hone Creek
Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica (Costa Rica) - Negro Bar
Nahua (Costa Rica) - Nahua 70% Dark Chocolate Bar (Maleku)
Choco Fest (Honduras) - DACHOJ CHOCO-FEST
Matka Chocolate (Mexico) - 66% cacao finca guanajuato
Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador) - Cacaoterra E.L. Jucuapa 70% Dark Bar
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate 65% Cacao
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate 75% Cacao
Zucoleto (Honduras) - Barra de Chocolate Oscuro 60% cacao solids
Choco Atelier (Nicaragua) - Atelier Oscuro Especial

High % plain/origin dark chocolate bars (85% and over)

Gourmet Fields (Costa Rica) - 100% cacao Unsweetened chocolate bar
Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica (Costa Rica) - Negro 85%
Kotowa Chocolate Victoria (Panama) - Chocolate negro 85%
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate 85% Cacao

Rough ground/textured plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Kakaw Museo (Mexico) - Xocolate Chiapas - Rancho del Lago
Kakaw Museo (Mexico) - Xocolate Chiapas - Lacandona
Kakaw Museo (Mexico) - Xocolate Chiapas - Soconusco
Kakaw Museo (Mexico) - Xocolate Chiapas - Tabasco
Rustikao (Nicaragua) - RUSTIKAO DARK
Tininiska (Nicaragua) - Chocolate Tininiska

Plain/origin milk chocolate bars

Danta Chocolate (Guatemala) - Finca San Juan Milk 43%
Wolter (Mexico) - Quetzalli Milk 47%
Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica (Costa Rica) - Leche bar

Plain/origin white chocolate bars

Danta Chocolate (Guatemala) - White Chocolate (Chocolate Blanco)

Flavoured bars

Dark chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Caribeans Chocolate (Costa Rica) - Caribeans Black Beach Espresso
Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua) - Dark Chocolate with Pre-columbian herb Pericón (Tagetes Lucida)
Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua) - Dark Chocolate with Ceguapatli (local sage) and Grapefruit

Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Chocolatería Estukurú (Costa Rica) - Tableta de chocolate 75% con Maracuyá
Wolter (Mexico) - Quetzalli Mexican Memories 74%
Nahua (Costa Rica) - Nahua 70% Dark & Lemongrass
Nahua (Costa Rica) - Nahua 70% dark & Nibs
Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador) - Cacaoterra E.L. 51% dark pepitoria caramelizada con sal de mar.
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate 75% cacao con Caramelo con Sal

Dark chocolate bars with a filling

Nahua (Costa Rica) - Nahua 70% Dark & Caramel

Rough ground flavoured dark chocolate bars

Rustikao (Nicaragua) - RUTIKAO NARANJA
Chocolate Doña Mari (Guatemala) - Chocolate en tableta de sabores

Milk chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Nahua (Costa Rica) - Nahua 39% Milk Chocolate & Chai

Milk chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Danta Chocolate (Guatemala) - Chocolate de Leche con Chile Cobanero Ahumado y Granos de Cacao
Chocolatería Estukurú (Costa Rica) - Tableta de chocolate de leche con Maní Garapiñado
Wolter (Mexico) - Quetzalli Habanero 47%
Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica (Costa Rica) - Coffee Toffee bar
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate con Leche con Semillas de Marañon
Xocolatisimo (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate con Leche con Cranberries

Flavoured white chocolate bars

Danta Chocolate (Guatemala) - White with Nibs (Blanco con Trozos de Cacao)
Chocolatería Estukurú (Costa Rica) - Tableta de chocolate blanco con nibs
Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador) - Cacaoterra E.L. 29.9% White with nibs caramelized with passion fruit

Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles

Unflavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Nahua (Costa Rica) - Nahua bonbon, Dark, unflavored

Flavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Wolter (Mexico) - Mezcal bonbon
Choco Fest (Honduras) - DACHOJ CHOCO-FEST

Flavoured milk chocolate ganaches or truffles

Wolter (Mexico) - Café bonbon
Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica (Costa Rica) - Spice Truffle
Kakaw Museo (Mexico) - Puritos Kakaw - Café Chiapas
Kakaw Museo (Mexico) - Puritos Kakaw - Cítrico

Flavoured white chocolate ganaches or truffles

Wolter (Mexico) - Tequila Bonbon
Wolter (Mexico) - Maracuyá bonbon

Flavoured ganaches or truffles with combination coating or filling

Nahua (Costa Rica) - Nahua bonbon, white chocolate & lemon ganache
Kotowa Chocolate Victoria (Panama) - Bombón de chocolate 70% relleno de chocolate blanco y maracuyá
Kotowa Chocolate Victoria (Panama) - bombon de chocolate 70% relleno de chocolate blanco y coco rallado
Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador) - Tamarind Truffle
Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador) - Chili Orange Truffle
Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador) - Rosa de Jamaica Truffle
Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador) - Passion Fruit Truffle

Nuts

Nut based pralines with milk chocolate

Xocolatisimo (El Salvador) - Tres Especies

Milk chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Cacaoterra/Xiquipil (El Salvador) - Cinnamon Dusted Milk Chocolate Almonds

Caramels

Dark chocolate enrobed caramels

Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica (Costa Rica) - Passion fruit Tarragon Caramel
Nahua (Costa Rica) - Nahua bonbon, salted caramel

Milk chocolate enrobed caramels

Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica (Costa Rica) - Sea salt caramel

Others - fruit/sugar/butter/cream/misc

Dark chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée

Chocolote Mussy (Nicaragua) - Chocolate Mussy Mermelada Tamarindo
Chocolote Mussy (Nicaragua) - Chocolate Mussy Mermelada Maracuyá con Chile

Milk chocolate torrone/manon/butter/cream

Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua) - Fresh Chocolate Bonbon with Cashews, Nutmeg, and aged Rum
Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua) - Fresh Chocolate Bonbn with Pineapple, Nibs, and Allspice
Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua) - Fresh Chocolate Bonbon with Ginger, Rum, Coconut, and spices
Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua) - Fresh Chocolate Bonbon with Coffee, Dried Bananas, and Scotch Whiskey

Drinks with dark chocolate

Dark drinking chocolate (made with water)

Asopropib Mi-Bendicion (Honduras) - ASOPROPIB MI-BENDICION

Dark drinking chocolate (made with milk)

Wolter (Mexico) - Chocolate mesa Wolter 40%
COPROCADER Artekao (Honduras) - COPROCADER ARTEKAO

Alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic drinks/liquors made with chocolate or cacao

LIKAO (Nicaragua) - Licor de Cacao Especial
LIKAO (Nicaragua) - Likao Superior Cocoa Liquor
LIKAO (Nicaragua) - Licor De Cacao Clasico
LIKAO (Nicaragua) - Alexander Cocoa Cream