WHIMSICAL BONBON
Italy's National Selection

This National Selection assignment was called the WHIMSICAL BONBON. The objective was to create a chocolate bonbon that was fun, exciting and refuels people! The challenge? The bonbon needed to be a game-changer in its category.

Contestants were allowed to use any technique to create it. And their creation had to represent playfulness in its purest form: visually enticing, and convincing with exciting flavours and textures. The assignment posed yet another challenge for the chefs. The bonbons had to be delicious and guilt-free: all-natural, no artificial ingredients.

Each creation felt like a representation of each chef's unique style:

Itinerant bonbon

by chef Tommaso Grollero

When presenting his Whimsical Bonbon assignment, Tommaso Grollero had fun with intensity and acidity to achieve balance.

The main flavour came from the Cacao Barry Madirofolo and Ghana dark and milk chocolates. The first offering sour wood notes and hints of liquorice. The second, sweet chestnut and caramel notes. And bringing the bonbon's flavours together, hazelnut praline and a citrus fruit jelly.

The notion of balance was also present in the combination of textures: a silky ganache made with mascarpone and a mix of the Cacao Barry dark and milk chocolates, the right amount of crunchiness thanks to the Callebaut Pailleté Feuilletine, and a juicy orange and mandarin jelly. All-in-all, a balanced blend of design, taste, and texture.

DAMA

by chef Mohammed Elkourik

For his Whimsical Bonbon assignment, Mohammed Elkourik stuck with his chess game concept. He presented "checkers" bonbons with Cacao Barry Alunga at the heart. This milk chocolate offered milky notes and slight sweetness, to avoid overpowering the freshness of the flower infusion.

The bonbons also stood out for their texture: the smoothness of Alunga and flower infusion ganache, the richness of a raspberry compote, and crispy contrast created with a raspberry and chocolate crunch.The contestant's chosen flavours and shapes tied together Mohammed's interpretation of the WCM theme: Play!

GAZING BALL

by chef Eris Mone

Walking the road of simple playfulness, this contestant combined 3 main ingredients to create a classic flavour experience. The roasted notes of Cacao Barry Extra-bitter Guayaquil enveloped a burst of the particular aroma of strawberries. The bonbon's flavour was completed with the delicately sweet and roasted taste of Cacao Barry Praliné Amandes and Cacao Barry Gianduja Dark.

As for the texture, Eris Mone looked to please the jury with the juiciness of the strawberry gel. The delicate softness of the bonbon was further constructed with the smoothness of the nutty praline filling.

The entire creation came together in a visually-stunning exterior created with Mona Lisa Blue and White food colourings.

Red Marble

by chef Francesco Maggio

Inspired by the classic game of marbles, Francesco Maggio's whimsical bonbon was the first bonbon evaluated by the jury of the Italian National Selection.

Cacao Barry Alunga chocolate was the soul of this creation, with its milky notes and true dominant taste. It created an explosion of flavour along with the slightly acidic taste of pomegranates. The outside of the bonbon fostered a rich filling with the powerful and aromatic taste of Cacao Barry Lactée Supérieure.

Simple but fun, the ingredient pairing was enhanced with lively textures: a pomegranate gel for a splash of freshness, Alunga ganache that added milkiness, and a finishing touch of crunchiness created by caramelised sesame and dried pomegranate.