Best in world for chocolatier's truffles

A Highland chocolatier has won a "best in the world" award for his velvet truffles at the International Chocolate Awards in London.

Iain Burnett's velvet truffle was named best in the world at the International Chocolate Awards in London.

Iain Burnett, whose Highland Chocolatier brand is based in the village of Grandtully in Highland Perthshire, won the gold award for his new Caramel with A Twist of Liquorice Velvet Truffle topped the board - the only UK chocolatier to win such a distinction in the truffle and praline category this year.

Edinburgh-based Chocolate Tree also won a bronze award for its Venezuela Porcelana 85 per cent chocolate bar.

Mr Burnett said: "I’m really pleased that my new caramelised white Velvet Truffle has been selected. Liquorice is a flavour that sometimes gets a bad press but I’ve developed a chocolate that uses a gentle hint of liquorice with white chocolate that has been caramelised to complement it. The balance of chocolate and spices is combined to create a complex chocolate that is above all, delicious."

Iain Burnett - The Highland Chocolatier sources chocolate from the small island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe and uses local ingredients including cream from a single herd of Perthshire cattle, and Scottish honey and Scottish butter.