Central America Competition Winners – 2017

The International Chocolate Awards is pleased to announce the Winners of the first Central American Support Competition (Primer Competencia de Chocolates de Centro América 2017), which was judged in Managua, Nicaragua 19 – 21 November 2017.

The competition is an outreach project of the International Chocolate Awards and a Lutheran World Relief (LWR) initiative through the Regional Cacao Móvil project, funded by the Cooperación Suiza en América Central and held in partnership with CUNAKakaw, the mark of high quality cacao and chocolate in Mesoamerica.

The first Central American competition recognises the tradition and culture of chocolate and cacao over thousands of years in the historical Mesoamerica area. The competition aims to help develop local production of craft and fine flavour chocolate products in the emerging fine chocolate industry and stimulate the production of fine cacao in the Central American region.

Judges

The judging panel was made up of member of our Grand Jury and international judges who traveled to Managua, joined by local chefs and technical experts.

Links

Prizes

(Prizes are shown in alphabetical order for each medal)


Plain/origin bars

Plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Gold: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Dark Chocolate 70% (Bonanza)

Silver: Caribeans Chocolate  (Costa Rica) - Caribeans Single Estate Felip Hone Creek

Silver: Danta Chocolate  (Guatemala) - Finca La Cruz 60%

Silver: Danta Chocolate  (Guatemala) - Finca San Juan 60%

Silver: Matka Chocolate  (Mexico) - 66% cacao finca guanajuato

Silver: Nahua  (Costa Rica) - Nahua 70% Dark Chocolate Bar (Maleku)

Silver: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate 65% Cacao

Bronze: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Cacaoterra E.L. Jucuapa 70% Dark Bar

Bronze: Caribeans Chocolate  (Costa Rica) - Caribeans Reserva Especial

Bronze: Choco Atelier  (Nicaragua) - Atelier Oscuro Especial

Bronze: Choco Fest  (Honduras) - DACHOJ CHOCO-FEST ( * Lo hacemos nosotras mismas)

Bronze: Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica  (Costa Rica) - Negro Bar

Bronze: Wolter  (Mexico) - Quetzalli Uranga 74%

Bronze: Wolter  (Mexico) - Quetzalli Wolter 80%

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate 75% Cacao

Bronze: Zucoleto  (Honduras) - Barra de Chocolate Oscuro 60% cacao solids

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

Gold: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate 85% Cacao

Silver: Kotowa Chocolate Victoria  (Panama) - Chocolate negro 85%

Silver: Nahua  (Costa Rica) - Nahua 90% Dark Chocolate Bar (Maleku)

Silver: Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica  (Costa Rica) - Negro 85%

Bronze: Gourmet Fields  (Costa Rica) - 100% cacao Unsweetened chocolate bar

Rough ground/textured plain/origin dark chocolate bars

Gold: Kakaw Museo  (Mexico) - Xocolate Chiapas - Soconusco

Silver: Kakaw Museo  (Mexico) - Xocolate Chiapas - Lacandona

Silver: Kakaw Museo  (Mexico) - Xocolate Chiapas - Rancho del Lago ( * Im the chocolate maker.)

Silver: Kakaw Museo  (Mexico) - Xocolate Chiapas - Tabasco

Bronze: Rustikao  (Nicaragua) - RUSTIKAO DARK

Bronze: Tininiska  (Nicaragua) - Chocolate Tininiska

Plain/origin milk chocolate bars

Gold: Danta Chocolate  (Guatemala) - Finca San Juan Milk 43%

Silver: Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica  (Costa Rica) - Leche bar

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Quetzalli Milk 47%

Plain/origin white chocolate bars

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


Flavoured bars

Dark chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

Silver: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Dark Chocolate with Ceguapatli (local sage) and Grapefruit (**)

Bronze: Caribeans Chocolate  (Costa Rica) - Caribeans Black Beach Espresso (**)

Bronze: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Dark Chocolate with Pre-columbian herb Pericón (Tagetes Lucida) (**)

Dark chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gold: Nahua  (Costa Rica) - Nahua 70% Dark & Lemongrass (**)

Silver: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Cacaoterra E.L. 51% dark pepitoria caramelizada con sal de mar. (**)

Silver: Chocolatería Estukurú  (Costa Rica) - Tableta de chocolate 75% con Maracuyá (**)

Silver: Nahua  (Costa Rica) - Nahua 70% dark & Nibs (**)

Bronze: Wolter  (Mexico) - Quetzalli Mexican Memories 74% (**)

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate 75% cacao con Caramelo con Sal

Dark chocolate bars with a filling

Bronze: Nahua  (Costa Rica) - Nahua 70% Dark & Caramel (**)

Rough ground flavoured dark chocolate bars

Bronze: Chocolate Doña Mari  (Guatemala) - Chocolate en tableta de sabores

Bronze: Rustikao  (Nicaragua) - RUTIKAO NARANJA

Milk chocolate bars with an infusion or flavouring

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

Milk chocolate bars with inclusions or pieces

Gold: Wolter  (Mexico) - Quetzalli Habanero 47% (**)

Silver: Danta Chocolate  (Guatemala) - Chocolate de Leche con Chile Cobanero Ahumado y Granos de Cacao (**)

Silver: Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica  (Costa Rica) - Coffee Toffee bar (**)

Bronze: Chocolatería Estukurú  (Costa Rica) - Tableta de chocolate de leche con Maní Garapiñado (**)

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate con Leche con Cranberries (**)

Bronze: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Tableta de Chocolate con Leche con Semillas de Marañon (**)

Flavoured white chocolate bars

Gold: Danta Chocolate  (Guatemala) - White with Nibs (Blanco con Trozos de Cacao) (**)

Silver: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Cacaoterra E.L. 29.9% White with nibs caramelized with passion fruit (**)

Bronze: Chocolatería Estukurú  (Costa Rica) - Tableta de chocolate blanco con nibs (**)


Ganaches, palets, ganache pralines and truffles

Unflavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Nahua  (Costa Rica) - Nahua bonbon, Dark, unflavored (**)

Flavoured dark chocolate ganaches or truffles

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Mezcal bonbon (**)

Bronze: Choco Fest  (Honduras) - DACHOJ CHOCO-FEST (**)

Flavoured milk chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Wolter  (Mexico) - Café bonbon (**)

Silver: Kakaw Museo  (Mexico) - Puritos Kakaw - Cítrico

Silver: Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica  (Costa Rica) - Spice Truffle (**)

Bronze: Kakaw Museo  (Mexico) - Puritos Kakaw - Café Chiapas (**)

Flavoured white chocolate ganaches or truffles

Gold: Wolter  (Mexico) - Maracuyá bonbon (**)

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Tequila Bonbon (**)

Flavoured ganaches or truffles with combination coating or filling

Gold: Nahua  (Costa Rica) - Nahua bonbon, white chocolate & lemon ganache (**)

Silver: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Chili Orange Truffle (**)

Silver: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Rosa de Jamaica Truffle (**)

Silver: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Tamarind Truffle (**)

Silver: Kotowa Chocolate Victoria  (Panama) - Bombón de chocolate 70% relleno de chocolate blanco y maracuyá (**)

Bronze: Cacaoterra/Xiquipil  (El Salvador) - Passion Fruit Truffle (**)

Bronze: Kotowa Chocolate Victoria  (Panama) - bombon de chocolate 70% relleno de chocolate blanco y coco rallado (**)


Nuts

Nut based pralines with milk chocolate

Silver: Xocolatisimo  (El Salvador) - Tres Especies (**)

Milk chocolate dragées, enrobed whole nuts

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


Caramels

Dark chocolate enrobed caramels

Gold: Nahua  (Costa Rica) - Nahua bonbon, salted caramel (**)

Silver: Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica  (Costa Rica) - Passion fruit Tarragon Caramel (**)

Milk chocolate enrobed caramels

Gold: Sibö Chocolate Costa Rica  (Costa Rica) - Sea salt caramel (**)


Others - fruit/sugar/butter/cream/misc

Dark chocolate enrobed fruit pastes, jellies/gelée

Silver: Chocolote Mussy  (Nicaragua) - Chocolate Mussy Mermelada Maracuyá con Chile (**)

Silver: Chocolote Mussy  (Nicaragua) - Chocolate Mussy Mermelada Tamarindo (**)

Milk chocolate torrone/manon/butter/cream

Gold: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Fresh Chocolate Bonbon with Cashews, Nutmeg, and aged Rum (**)

Silver: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Fresh Chocolate Bonbn with Pineapple, Nibs, and Allspice (**)

Silver: Fabrica de Chocolate Momotombo  (Nicaragua) - Fresh Chocolate Bonbon with Ginger, Rum, Coconut, and spices

Bronze: 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)

Silver: Asopropib Mi-Bendicion  (Honduras) - ASOPROPIB MI-BENDICION (**)

Dark drinking chocolate (made with milk)

Silver: COPROCADER Artekao  (Honduras) - COPROCADER ARTEKAO (**)

Silver: Wolter  (Mexico) - Chocolate mesa Wolter 40% (**)


Alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic drinks/liquors made with chocolate or cacao

Gold: LIKAO  (Nicaragua) - Likao Superior Cocoa Liquor (**)

Silver: LIKAO  (Nicaragua) - Licor De Cacao Clasico (**)

Silver: LIKAO  (Nicaragua) - Licor de Cacao Especial (**)

Bronze: LIKAO  (Nicaragua) - Alexander Cocoa Cream (**)


(*)  Declared chocolate maker for private label bars.

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