World Chocolate Masters has tie for 1st place

The World Chocolate Masters saw both France and Switzerland tied for first place.

France’s chocolatier, Yoann Laval and the Swiss pastry chef, Elias Läderach both won 1st position, with 163 points each.

The judging will continue, as only a third of the contestants have been judged to date.  Läderach is a pastry chef at Confiseur Läderach AG.  The judges praised Läderach’s chocolate sculpture. His chocolate craftsmanship earned the highest marks for his chocolate Showpiece ‘The Futropolitan.’ Läderach’s piece featured a black panther climbing a futuristic sculpture of chocolate mushrooms.

Laval, whose showpiece was inspired by wind turbines, and greenery. While modern-day technology blossomed out of nature’s green roots, tomorrow’s inventions will enhance those same biological beginnings instead of completely replacing them. These are the long-lasting winds of change that are blowing through the tree’s crest.

In another division, the Chocolate Travel Cake revealed a clear winner: The United Kingdom. The lecturer at The National Bakery School, London South Bank University, Barry Johnson, earned first place for his Chocolate Travel Cake.

Johnson’s hexagonal, gluten-free creation convinced the jury with a highly original concept for his Chocolate Travel Cake. The cake is a cut above the rest because of its unique flavour pairing. “Working gluten-free was a natural thing to do,” said Barry Johnson. His Chocolate Travel Cake is a modern nod to the original Battenberg cake from the 16th century. Flavours? Cacao Barry Zephyr Caramel™ 35 per cent, sea salt, orange zest, ground coriander spice, bitter orange purée, puffed quinoa and Cacao Barry Extra-Bitter Guayaquil 64 per cent.
 
Quote from the jury report:
“Extremely well thought out travel cake concept. Both future-proof and allergy-free, tasty and good!”