A South Yorkshire based artisan chocolatier is celebrating after being awarded three coveted industry awards.
Anna Sterling, who owns and runs Cocoa Mester in Kelham Island, Sheffield was awarded two silvers and a bronze at the recent Academy of Chocolate Awards.
Taking inspiration from the Sheffield term for master craftsmen and originally referring to the city’s artisan metal workers “little Mesters”, Cocoa Mester started as a market stall and has now grown into an award winning business, producing a range of handmade and bespoke chocolates in a range seasonal flavours.
Anna said: “We’re absolutely thrilled with our three Academy of Chocolate awards. Like the Little Mesters we are passionate about our craft and use fine fragrant cocoa to create products that look beautiful and taste superb. We use hallmarks on all of our packaging to connect the products to our heritage so customers know where it has been made.”
The Academy of Chocolate was founded in 2005 by five of Britain’s leading chocolate professionals to promote a greater awareness of the difference between fine chocolate and the mass-produced chocolate confectionery which most of us eat.
Their team of expert judges awarded silver to both Cocoa Mester’s Gin and Tonic with a twist of lime chocolates and Pistachio Prailines, whilst their Morello Cherry Dark chocolates took home a bronze.
“Our Gin and Tonic chocolates are proving very popular”, continued Anna, “They are a double layered chocolate consisting of a gin and juniper infused ganache and topped with a layer of fresh lime and tonic in a soft gel form.
“They’re available in boxes on their own or in our summer and festive selection boxes which are available on line and at local artisan markets.”
For more information and to buy online visit www.cocoamester.co.uk