BRITAIN’S best chocolates are being judged in York until today as part of the first British competition of the International Chocolate Award 2015, celebrating the city’s chocolate heritage.

A total of a 100 chocolate entries from businesses from York and all over Britain have been carefully selected and tasted between April 18 and today at The Mansion House.

The juries included well-regarded chocolatiers as well as local chefs, food journalists and bloggers.

The chocolates were all entered anonymously as part of one of 27 categories including dark, milk and white chocolates as well as ganaches and caramels filled confectioneries.

Monica Meschini, one of the founder’s of the competition from Italy, said: “We decided to come to York because of its historical connection with chocolate. It didn’t produce the best chocolate in the world but brought chocolate to the people of the town.”

Sophie Jewett, from the Cocoa House, who helped organising the event said: “It is fabulous getting the city being recognised and give an international dimension for its craftsmanship which led to create such a strong industry in the city.

“It is good for us to work in collaboration with people who are trying to invest in our industry and for us to celebrate York’s heritage but also to push the industry forward. It is this heritage which has inspired us to make chocolate a better product.”

In the Mansion House’s dining hall, panels of 15 to 20 judges ceremoniously noted the chocolate samples following criteria on their flavour, texture and presentation ranging from banal to sublime and sub-standard to masterful.

In between tastings, judges cleared their palettes from the cocoa flavours by eating polenta, a cornmeal boiled into a porridge, which is tasteless.

David Greenwood-Haigh, a professional chocolatier based in Huddersfield, explained: “To taste a chocolate you have to look at it, touch it, listen to it, smell it and taste it - it’s like trying some wine. We are looking at the quality of the ingredients and the balance of flavours.”

The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner at the Merchant Adventurer’s Hall on June 5, which menu will be a chocolate showcase created by York College students and professionals chocolatiers.

The International Chocolate Award was launched in 2012 by Monica Meschini, from Italy, Martin Christy, from London and Maricel Presilla, from New York and it holds 13 competitions across the world every year.