Academy of Chocolate Awards 2017 open for entries

Entrants can submit multiple pieces across five categories: chocolate bar; filled chocolates; drinking chocolate; chocolate spreads and packaging.

Closing date for entries is 19 March. Final products should be submitted between 28 March and 3 April.

Products should be sent to Gary Hunter, Academy of Chocolate Awards 2017, Westminster College, 76 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PD. Entries delivered by hand will also be accepted on the morning of 3 April.

Judging will take place at Westminster Kingsway College on 3 April. The judges will be marking on the appearance, depth of aroma, flavour, length and complexity of the chocolate.

This year, the Academy removed the need to re-melt bars as the process was “problematic particularly for the smaller scale producers, and did not successfully conceal origin from the judges”.

The fee for entering the awards is £45 for each product. The Academy is offering a £35 early bird rate until midnight on 19 February.

The Academy of Chocolate was founded in 2005 by five chocolatiers. Members now meet to taste, discuss, demonstrate and debate issues regarding sourcing, transparency and the journey from bean to bar.

The committee is made up of the Academy of Chocolate Committee, which comprises Sara Jayne Stanes (chairman), Sarah Jane Evans MW (secretary), Chantal Coady (treasurer), Marc Demarquette, Clive Martyr, Marie-Pierre Moine, Christopher Reeves, Angus Thirlwell, Will Torrent, and Simon Wright.

Requirements:

• For each entry in the Bar categories please submit chocolate bars to a minimum total weight of 250g.

• For each entry in the Filled Chocolates categories please submit 30 of each chocolate.

• For each entry in the Drinking Chocolate categories please submit 2 x 125g minimum weight of the ingredients for the chocolate drink, and include instructions for preparation.

• For each entry in the Packaging categories please submit two samples of each entry; these may be empty of contents or filled.

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