Since I started blogging I’ve been invited to some pretty cool blogger events. Recently my doorstep was graced by an invite from Red Letter Days to attend a Luxury Chocolate Making Workshop at MyChocolate. Too good an offer to refuse, I think you’ll agree?
Chocolate making classes
The event was at MyChocolate’s HQ on Regent’s Canal. The company run an array of fun-packed chocolate making experiences. Established 14 years ago as the first chocolate making events company in the UK, it started life in the kitchen of the founder, Hannah Saxton. Today they have venues in London, Brighton and Manchester.
Our evening started started with two words – Chocolate. Martinis. Every blogger’s eyes lit up with hands poised, cameras and phones at the ready with the thought of making their very own. Head chocolatier, Melissa expertly demonstrated the art of beautifully decorating our cocktail glass with chocolate squiggles. My first attempt of swirling melted chocolate around a martini glass was (I think) not too bad. Whilst the chocolate set, we put our mixologist hats on and it suddenly changed into a scene out of Cocktail.
There was shaking and mixing galore. A combination of melted chocolate with cream, vodka and Creme de Cacao. It resulted in…The. Most. Indulgently. Delicious. Cocktail.
Cocktail devoured we moved onto our next task of creating a giant chocolate button. Let loose with a bowl of either dark or milk chocolate (it took some will power not to dive in head first). You’re given full artistic license to mould the melted chocolate into a shape of your choice on the parchment paper with the back of a spoon. I went for the tried and tested heart shape. There was no contest in the flavouring department. Ginger won! Who doesn’t love a bit of zing to their chocolate?
We then decorated our masterpieces with a marbling technique taught by Melissa. Mine at that stage turned into a bit of mess as my swirling really wasn’t on point. Ahh well, it still tasted superb.
Next on the agenda came the truffle making. With some melted chocolate and cream we mixed up ganache paste. Piping it onto parchment paper into round truffle-like shapes. It was my first time piping and I have to say after a couple of odd shapes, my piping skills seriously improved.
Leaving our piped ganache to set the prosecco was popped. Supping away, Melissa gave us a brief history of chocolate and taught us how to try and taste some of the 400 flavour notes to be found. More than wine, supposedly!
Tastebuds at the ready we tried many varieties from the cheap to the super-luxe. It’s not all down to the taste and the way the chocolate melts on your tongue. We were encouraged to smell, feel the texture and see how easily the chocolate snapped. I felt like a true chocolatier.
Lesson over we continued to create our truffles by coating our fingers in cocoa powder and rolling the set ganache into balls, coating in melted chocolate and finally decorating. There were an assortment of delicious toppings, including honeycomb, coconut flakes, sea salt, white chocolate and raspberry curls. Et voila! My finished messy creations.
The workshop finished with packaging our tasty chocolate treats. Incredible what a bit of cellophane and colourful curled ribbon can do. And the best part. They come home with you!
This has got to be the epitome of food porn. No? Touching, feeling, tasting, moulding chocolate into whatever you desire. The workshops would be great for adult or kids birthday parties, hens parties, date night or a team-building session with colleagues. I suggest you look up MyChocolate and head down for some chocolate making classes. It’s heaven!
Disclaimer: This event was organised and paid for by Red Letter Days, however, all views, opinions and photos are my own and remain a trademark of the Curious Pixie.
PIN FOR LATER
25 Comments
Oh yum! How fun!!
Great way to spend a Tuesday evening.
omg! this looks super delicious 🙂
xx
lau
http://www.malibluemymind.com
The chocolate was amazing.
How fun! This is like a dream come true. Haha! Great photos. I enjoyed reading about the process. Also I think your creations are very cute!
Ahhh thanks Shelby. Very kind. It was certainly a lovely way to spend a Tuesday evening.
ooh – this looks delectable! Chocolate and fizz – what more could you want. I did something similar on a hen do. We probably had a little more fizz than you guys, so the results weren’t quite as pretty! 🙂
LOL! I know right? Just perfect. What’s a hen do without copious amounts of fizz.
I can tell you had a great time, dear. And that was an amazing event, so cool. 🙂
I did Zana. Hard not to when chocolate and alcohol is involved.
Yum – I’m now craving chocolate Looks like it was an amazing class that taught many unique ways to use it! Thanks for sharing x
Yeah, so was I when I started writing it. Great workshop, learnt lots.
The chance to make chocolate sounds like the things dreams are made of!
Indeed Danie. You’re going to have to go!
Ooh what a fun thing to do! I saw your chocs on Instagram was very jealous, they look so tasty!
Incredibly tasty! Taking them home your creations was the best bit.
Oh Wow! Looks super delicious and I’m sure that it was fun and creating to do those too. It would be superb to take part in chocolate making class one day! 🙂
You’d totally love it Nora. You need to experience one.
Jasmin, it was as good as it looked. You’re going to have to hunt one down near you!
That was my reaction when I found out about it.
They were chocolate martini’s Marleen. Although I wouldn’t have said no to an espresso one. A great experience.
This looks so fun Sima. I loved your Instagram stories of it.
Thanks Zoe, so much fun. You’d absolutely love it!
This is the perfect Tuesday evening! I love that they run these events in Manchester too – definitely going to check them out! xx
Maggie go to one up North! So much fun x