A small gourmet chocolatier from the Scottish Highlands swept the Academy of Chocolate Awards in London this evening. The international awards ceremony was held at Fortnum & Masons. Iain Burnett The Highland Chocolatier, based at his purpose built chocolate kitchens in Grandtully, Highland Perthshire, has received an outstanding five awards – one in every category entered – with his unique Velvet Truffles.
The Academy is an organisation for chocolate professionals who promote only the finest cocoa and chocolate confectionery of exquisite standards. Its prestigious awards are now an important event in the chocolate calendar with entries sent in from top chocolatiers all over the world, with leading food journalists and Michelin starred chefs tasting and scoring the entries.
Iain Burnett’s Velvet Truffles were awarded an exceptional two Gold, two Silver and one Bronze for Best Truffle and Best Filled Chocolate categories. The winning recipes included the pure Mild and Dark varieties of the Velvet Truffle, and infusions with Assam Tea & Green Cardamom, Crushed Raspberries & Black Pepper, and White Lime & Chilli.
Burnett said, “It’s great for my team to receive these awards with world class competition. It is particularly gratifying to see the top awards going to the Velvet Truffle in its purest form, where the judges were tasting only the delicate flavour profiles of the cocoas and fresh dairy. The lack of a hard shell also lets you enjoy the silky textures”.
Cocoa from the South Atlantic island of São Tomé and Scottish cream is obviously a winning combination, but it is not just the long journey through the palate that makes these truffles stand out – it is their “naked” form of pure truffle meticulously worked into an incredibly smooth texture.
“It has been a matter of patience to learn artisan skills, and passion to develop something to a world class level without cutting any corners. Hopefully bringing a little happiness to customers along the way.” Iain Burnett is accustomed to achieving a high standard and consistency with his products which is no doubt akin to his small but demanding clientele of Michelin starred chefs and 5 star establishments including Albert Roux, Claridges and Gleneagles to name just a few.
In the last 5 years that Iain Burnett has caught the attention of the culinary world, nominations and awards have been accumulating including Scotland Food & Drink Excellence, Best Food Service Product, Great Taste Triple Gold Stars, Spirit of Scotland, and Food Tourism for his creation of the Scottish Chocolate Centre, an exhibition dedicated to gourmet chocolate.
Last Updated: February 03, 2012