Hazelnut Cremino by Patagonia Chocolates has been named Formula Foods Supreme Champion at the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2023. Photo: Supplied
A hazelnut ice cream that took five years to perfect has won the country's top prize.
The man behind the winner said what makes a good ice cream was the quality of the ingredients and the time you put into making it.
Hazelnut Cremino by Southern Lakes based Patagonia Chocolates has been named Formula Foods Supreme Champion at the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2023.
Patagonia Chocolates founder Alex Gimenez said what made Hazelnut Cremino so special was a handmade paste made from Central Otago hazelnuts.
"The flavour profile and the sugar level of the hazelnuts is really similar to the ones from Piemonte in Italy, that's why the paste we make is so beautiful."
Chief Judge Jackie Matthews agreed noting the hand roasted nuts "provided a delicate and truly authentic flavour, which combined with a superbly crafted and well-made ice cream is simply stunning".
However, Gimenez said it took five years to make Hazelnut Cremino the prize-winning ice cream it is today.
Over that period his staff would help improve the ice cream by flagging when it was too hard to scoop or if there was too much hazelnut paste in it, he said.
"Getting the balance right for a perfect ice cream takes some time and through the years you perfect it."
Hazelnut Cremino received two other trophies at the ice cream awards - the Boutique Champion as well as the PACT Packaging Champion Standard Ice Cream Award.
All together Patagonia Chocolate's entries were recognised with five gold medals and three silver medals as well as two trophies.
Gimenez's family has been in the ice cream business for 60 years in Argentina.
He moved to Queenstown in 2002 and in 2005 he and his wife Lorena Giallonardo started their business as a chocolate shop and then moved into making ice cream. They now have four shops across Southern Lakes.
Gimenez is passionate about making ice cream using natural ingredients and loves how fun the business is.
"We're talking about chocolates and ice cream, we're not talking about concrete blocks. It's awesome! I really enjoy my job."
Sixteen trophies and 183 medals were presented at the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2023 in Auckland on Thursday night.
The trophy winners took out the top prizes after a thorough tasting of more than 270 entries from makers from across Aotearoa.