The UK’s Academy of Chocolate has confirmed initial results of a key category for this year’s accolades for filled chocolate winners – with top awards going to newcomers from across the globe.

Producers La Carambole Patisserie (Netherlands), La Fève by Pavel Pavlov (Norway, with the chocolatier from Sofia, Bulgaria), Realm of Cream (UK, but Hungarian origin) have all achieved golds for the first time.

The newcomers appear alongside familiar producers such as Cōchu Chocolatier from Canada who achieved a Gold, Chocolat Grace and Valenza Chocolatier from the States with silvers and bronzes and Eponine and Lauden from the North of England.

A UK newcomer, Niblette from Uxbridge, has also achieved a clutch of silver accolades. Honours for the awards are shared between visually seductive bonbons glossed with painterly precision and simply finished chocolates, still exemplifying technical excellence alongside enticing, beautifully balanced texture and flavour profiles.

Flavours this year span the globe, with golds and silvers ranging from Plum Pálinka, Cucidati and Sea Buckthorn to exotic Sudachi, Hojicha, Sancho pepper, Kheer and Chai Masala. A full list of awards can be found below. The results for the remaining categories will be announced in due course.

Sara Jayne Stanes, (pictured presenting an award to Golden Bean winner Castronovo Chocolate at last year’s presentation event in London), commented: “It is incredibly pleasing to see the breadth of winners this year.

“The primary aim of these awards are to recognise brilliant producers and chocolatiers from across the world, encouraging more to bring their products to the wider market and to show consumers what beautifully made chocolates are all about.

“Our newcomers this year are testament to the widening appreciation of fine chocolate across so many new countries and regions. “These awards were judged prior to the escalation of covid-19 measures taken in the UK. Future judging of the other categories has been postponed until further notice. We keenly look forward to the day we can start judging the remaining entries.”

ACADEMY OF CHOCOLATE AWARDS 2020