National Selections : Australia :

Rules and guidelines

1. Product Requirements

Chocolate Showpiece

One chocolate showpiece to be made off site and brought to the competition completed. The showpiece is to be a minimum 50cm in height and a maximum of 50cm in width. The showpiece must be made completely with Callebaut chocolate. No inedible supports or decorations can be used. Failure to comply with this rule will result in immediate disqualification. The showpiece must represent the competition theme surrealism. You have one hour in the competition kitchen to add any delicate decorations or complete your showpiece. You must give a 5-minute oral presentation on your chocolate showpiece to a panel of judges and answer any questions they may have. The showpieces will be donated to Ryde TAFE after the competition so your base platter will not be returned. The pralines must be displayed on or with the Chocolate showpiece. 24 innovative and 24 commercial.

N.B: Competitors have access to onsite kitchen on Wednesday 23^rd February for a 6 hour period for showpiece work. Must provide own equipment, chocolate etc.

Chocolate Pralines (premade)

1 type x 24 innovative individual chocolates and 1 type x 24 commercial individual chocolates to be made off site and brought to the competition completed. Each individual chocolate shall not exceed 12g. Callebaut products must be used to produce your individual chocolates. The individual chocolates must represent the competition theme surrealism. These chocolates must be displayed with the chocolate showpiece and included in your oral presentation. A judging panel will taste all pralines.

Cakes

3 identical cakes without decoration must be made off site and brought to the competition ready to decorate. No decorations can be pre-made. The cakes should weigh no more than 1200g and must not exceed 22cm in diameter. Size and shape of the cakes is the competitor’s choice. The cakes must represent the competition theme surrealism. The cakes are to be decorated during the two-hour live component of the competition. All decorations and glazes or finishes must also be made within the two hours using products in the mystery box.

Mystery Box

24 pralines of the same type must be made within the 2 hour live component of the competition from a mystery box of ingredients. The box will contain identical ingredients for all competitors and will also be equipped with all the equipment necessary to produce pralines. All competitors have two hours to create a praline that tastes and looks good and fits the theme of the contest. The judging panel will taste all pralines. No additional equipment can be brought in. For this segment of the competition, you must use what is available in the mystery box.

2. Judging Criteria

In addition to the above-mentioned items, each competitor will be judged on work habits, organisation and hygiene using the following criteria.

Time fulfilment
Organisation of the work space
Cleanliness of workspace, equipment, work and self throughout the competition

Cakes

Skills shown in assembly of cakes
Decoration of cakes
Flavour and individual components of cakes
Balance of flavour overall for cakes
Texture of cakes
Degree of difficulty of cakes
Representation of theme

Chocolate Showpiece

Representation of the theme
Attention to execution (how well the showpiece is made)
Degree of difficulty
Overall look of the showpiece
Engineering
Quality of tempering
Artistic value
Originality
Skills shown

Chocolate Pralines Mystery Box

Skills shown in assembly of pralines
Representation of theme
Outside Appearance
Quality of filling
Balance of Flavour
Texture
Consistency of the filling and chocolate

Chocolate Pralines Premade

Skill shown in assembly of pralines
Representation of theme
Outside appearance
Quality of filling
Balance of flavour
Texture
Consistency of the filling and chocolate
Innovation shown (just for innovative pralines)
Ability to be able to reproduce the praline on a commercial level (just for commercial pralines)

3. Dates & Times

Wednesday 23^rd February; 18.00 – 22.00; Welcome dinner at Terrace Restaurant-Ryde Campus

The competition date is Thursday the 24^th of February:

7.30am Entry to RYDE TAFE
8am-9am Preparation and final assembly of chocolate showpieces, display set up. Room/kitchen number to be confirmed.
9am-9.50am Oral presentations of the pralines and showpieces to the judging panel.
9.50am Entry into the kitchen, familiarisation etc.
10.15am-12.15pm Start of live competition to decorate prepared cakes and produce 24 pralines from the provided mystery box.
12.15pm Competition finish
12.15pm - 13.15 Presentation , display work and clean up work areas. Judges lunch.
13.15 – 14.30pm Judging/tasting. Competitor’s lunch.
14.30 – 15.30pm Colation of marks
16.00pm Presentation of The Australian 2005 Chocolate Master at North Ryde TAFE
16.30pm – 18.30pm Cocktail party

4. Place

Ryde TAFE campus. Blaxland Road, Ryde.

Accommodation is available at RYDE TAFE Hotel, cost at competitors expense.

5. Please Note

Competitors upon entering this competition must be available to travel to Europe for The World Chocolate Masters competition to compete representing Australia in November 2005.

The winning Australian Chocolate Master must give progression reports monthly on their training progress for the World Chocolate Masters including photos to Australian Callebaut Ambassador Kirsten Tibballs.

The winning competitor will liaise with Kirsten Tibballs in regards to additional training required in preparation for The World Masters. Trips to Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School in Melbourne may be required.

The judges decision is final and binding and cannot be challenged. The organising committee is not involved in the judging and scoring process during the competition. Participation in this competition is deemed acceptance of all the rules as stated.

Eight printed copies of your recipes including cakes and the pre-made pralines and a minimum one hundred word description of your showpiece must be forwarded to Gary Willis by the 12^th of February.