Italian/Mediterranean Winners 2016

The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the Italian/Mediterranean Competition, which was judged in Florence, Italy from 25 – 29 February 2016. 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 rounds, bringing together cultures and chocolate companies sharing the influence and ingredients of the Mediterranean sea. Winners will pass through to the World Final in London in October 2016.

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.

Prizes

The categories judged included flavoured chocolate bars, filled chocolates and spreads, 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 an infusion or flavouring

Silver: Bodrato Cioccolato  (Italy) - Dark chocolate bar with coffee and star anise

Bronze: Vestri  (Italy) - Boglio

Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gold: Bodrato Cioccolato  (Italy) - Dark chocolate bar with pink pepper and cocoa beans

Silver: Giraudi Cioccolato  (Italy) - Tavoletta Inclusioni "Sapore d'Oriente"

Bronze: Gardini  (Italy) - Fondente con Caffè e Cardamomo

Dark chocolate bars with a filling

Bronze: Gardini  (Italy) - Gianduia Salata

Rough ground flavoured dark chocolate bars

Gold: Donna Elvira  (Italy) - Cioccolata Modicana Luppolo Amarillo

'Naked' filled dark chocolate bars (filling only, no coating)

Gold: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - Gianduja Fondente

Milk chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gold: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Gianduja

Silver: Giraudi Cioccolato  (Italy) - Tavoletta Inclusioni "Sapore Esotico"

Flavoured white chocolate bars

Gold: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Cremino Croccante

Silver: Cacao Sampaka  (Spain) - White Chocolate Bar With Srawberry And Rose

Silver: Vestri  (Italy) - Sfogliate Sale dell'Himalaya & Sesamo Tostato

Silver: Vestri  (Italy) - "Tocchi" Pistacchio & Uvetta

Bronze: Bodrato Cioccolato  (Italy) - White chocolate bar with cranberry and cinnamon


Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles

Unflavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Luca Mannori  (Italy) - Puro Nicaragua

Silver: Luca Mannori  (Italy) - Puro Ocumare

Flavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Luca Mannori  (Italy) - Red Honduras

Silver: Ika Chocolate  (Israel) - Tamarind and coconut

Silver: Torta Pistocchi Firenze  (Italy) - Torta Fondente Uvetta e Rhum Agricolo della Martinica

Flavoured white chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Riccardo Pelagagge  (Italy) - Profumo - ganache di pompelmo rosa e cardamomo

Flavoured ganaches or truffles with combination coating or filling

Gold: Ika Chocolate  (Israel) - Zaatar

Silver: Andrea Bianchini Chocolate Luxory Collection  (Italy) - Myoho

Silver: Ika Chocolate  (Israel) - Kaffir Lime

Silver: Joulietta Chocolatier & Patissier  (Cyprus) - Fig & Ouzo

Bronze: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Zafferano Del Piemonte

Bronze: Ronen Aflalo  (Israel) - Middel East Thaini praline


Nuts

Nut based pralines with dark chocolate

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

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

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

Silver: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - Pralina Pistacchio di Bronte

Dark chocolate gianduiotto / cremino

Gold: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - Giuinott

Silver: Giraudi Cioccolato  (Italy) - Gianduiotto Fondente

Unflavoured dark chocolate cremino

Gold: Vestri  (Italy) - Cremino

Silver: Gustolato  (Croatia) - Cremino Fondente e Latte con Nocciola Piemonte e Fondente “Piura” 70%

Flavoured dark chocolate cremino

Gold: Gardini  (Italy) - Cremino Bigusto Amarena

Silver: Gardini  (Italy) - Cremino Bigusto Liquerizia

Silver: Gardini  (Italy) - Cremino Bigusto uvetta di Corinto

Dark chocolate enrobed marzipan

Gold: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Lampone e Mandorla

Silver: Pietro Macellaro Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana  (Italy) - Wild Mountain Oregano and Lemon

Dark chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Silver: Torta Pistocchi Firenze  (Italy) - Caffè Arabica Yrgalem Etiopia Fondente

Bronze: Torta Pistocchi Firenze  (Italy) - Caffè Arabica Lagoa do Morro Brasile Fondente

Nut based pralines with milk chocolate

Silver: Tartuflanghe  (Italy) - Trifulòt Cardamomo

Milk chocolate gianduiotto or cremino

Gold: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Piccolo Gianduja

Silver: Vestri  (Italy) - Toscoiotto al Sale dell'Himalaya

Bronze: Giraudi Cioccolato  (Italy) - Gianduiotto Classici

Unflavoured milk chocolate cremino

Gold: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Cremino Tre Colori

Silver: Gustolato  (Croatia) - Cremino al Latte con Nocciole Piemonte coperto al Latte

Nut based pralines with white chocolate

Gold: Vestri  (Italy) - Praline al sale e sesamo

Silver: Tartuflanghe  (Italy) - Trifulòt Arachide

White chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

Gold: Torta Pistocchi Firenze  (Italy) - Drageè Pistacchio e Arancia

Silver: Gustolato  (Croatia) - Mandorla d’Avola - Cioccolato Bianco e Zafferano Istriano


Caramels

Milk chocolate enrobed caramels

Gold: Andrea Bianchini Chocolate Luxory Collection  (Italy) - Ichinen


Others - fruit/sugar/butter/cream/misc

Dark chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée

Gold: Gustolato  (Croatia) - Gelatina di Teranino aromatico con copertura Esmeraldas 60%

Silver: Atalia  (Italy) - Boule pera-noci-formaggio

Dark chocolate enrobed whole fruit

Gold: Riccardo Pelagagge  (Italy) - Clementina candita con honeybush e mango

Silver: Riccardo Pelagagge  (Italy) - Clementina calabrese candita biologica ricoperta di fondente

Milk chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée

Gold: Gustolato  (Croatia) - Gelatina di Teranino aromatico con copertura Madagascar latte 33%

Milk chocolate enrobed whole fruit

Silver: Torta Pistocchi Firenze  (Italy) - Uvetta, cioccolato al latte e mandorla


Spreads

Spreads with dark chocolate (no milk powder)

Gold: Guido Castagna  (Italy) - Crema Gianduja +55

Silver: Vestri  (Italy) - FiordiRiso

Spreads with milk chocolate

Gold: Gustolato  (Croatia) - Spalmabile al pistacchio greco (50%)

Silver: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Buongiorno alla Nocciola

Silver: Piccola Pasticceria  (Italy) - Buongiorno allo Zabaione

Bronze: Pasticceria Vacchieri Marco - Dolci Intuizioni  (Italy) - Crema Gianduia


(*)  Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.

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