MyChocolate workshops is happiness rolled into two as not only is the workshop a fun experience but eating the chocolate is pure joy. Did you know that chocolate can in fact actually make you happy as endorphins are released when you eat it. Why? as the amino acids which are in chocolate produce serotonin in your brain (the neurotransmitter) which is responsible for producing the feeling of happiness.
MyChocolate run a variety of workshops from Chocolate Espresso Martini class through to The Original Chocolate Making Workshop.
I went along to experience MyChocolate Original Chocolate Making Workshop in which I learnt how to make a giant chocolate button with a marbling affect and made a batch of ganache truffles.
I went along on a press basis to experience their Original Chocolate Making Workshop to show me how fun and easy making chocolate can be.
MyChocolate
MyChocolate was set up by founder Hannah back in Summer 2003.
Hannah wanted to bring fun and joy to all in the form of a chocolate, as after all chocolate is happiness.
During her degree she decided to take a trip around Europe to figure out what she wanted to do with her life and it was not long till she realised that her trip seemed to centre around one thing…chocolate!
Once she was back from her travels, she began to wonder if there was something she could do with her chocolate obsession? Before long she transformed her flat into a makeshift chocolate kitchen where she started to experiment with batches of fresh cream truffles, pralines and even chocolate cocktails.
After experimenting and being praised by her friends and family for her creations and fun classes her business MyChocolate was born.
Since then, she has set up a number of MyChocolate locations across London, Manchester and Brighton along with her team of chocolatiers delivering fun chocolate classes to the masses. Hannah in fact has had over half a million guests through the doors, and still counting – that’s a lot of chocolate fun!
Within all locations fun workshops such as chocolate cocktail making and chocolate truffle making can be enjoyed.
Plus MyChocolate has even won TripAdvisor Travellers Award for 2020 & 2021.
Chocolate of discovery
I headed on down along with my husband to MyChocolate within London Regents Canal for a workshop full of happiness, as chocolate equals happiness after all. I opted to do their most popular class Original Chocolate Making Workshop which is a fantastic intro to the art of chocolate making all of which is packed with chocolate from making, tasting, and discovery.
Chocolate happiness
Stepping into the workshop I was instantly hit by the smell of chocolate bringing a smile to my face. I was then warmly greeted in by Seb the chocolatier and Charlie and I just knew from the start I was going to be in for a real treat.
Walking down the stairs the room is bright with a lovely overview of the canals. There are a number of tables dotted around the room all of which have all the necessary equipment and supplies for the event. Each table holds six people.
Sitting within a group of others we were told the agenda for the entire event from making a giant chocolate button in which we will learn how create a marbling affect, make ganache truffles and then end with a mini history lesson on chocolate as well as a tasting session.
Chocolate button
Starting off we got to learn how to make a giant chocolate button, but not any chocolate button a special marbled chocolate button.
After a demonstration by Seb, Charlie then came around with two bowls of melted chocolate, milk and dark, how I did not just pick up the bowls and drink it I never know!
First things first, milk or dark chocolate button, decisions, decisions! Anyway I decided to make a milk chocolate button.
The button was quite easy to make thanks to Seb’s instructions Grabbing a few big heaped tablespoons of the melted chocolate and dripping onto a piece of parchment, with a little special hand movement over the chocolate I soon had a chocolate button. It was then onto marbling. Dipping a prong into the other bowl of dark chocolate I drizzled the chocolate in lines over my button, then I got the tip of the prong and gently swiped over the dark chocolate strips creating a marble effect. It was then time to take over to a clear area to leave and dry.
Ganache truffles
After a demonstration from Seb the Master Chocolatier, it was time to make some chocolate truffles of my own.
Given a bowl of chocolate and cream and a mixing bowl it was time to measure around 8 tablespoons of chocolate along with around 4 tablespoons of cream. Mixing quickly together I soon had chocolate ganache. Making ganache truffles seemed easier than I thought. However I say that but when it came to filling in a piping bag then piping it got a little trickier. You need strength to pipe ganache as after a few seconds it starts to get a little set and tough.
I did not squeeze these out my husband Jason did as he piped the batch of the ganache truffles out. I am just pretending.
It was then time to shape a little as presently they looked a little like dog poop. So covering my hands in chocolate cocoa powder I rolled mine into balls whilst Jason made his into squares.
It was then onto dipping the ganache truffles into chocolate, be it milk or dark the choice is yours. Once dipped there was a selection of sprinkles to opt from which consisted of white chocolate flakes, honeycomb, cinnamon sugar, and dried raspberry pieces. I then decorated my ganache truffles in a variety of different ways. Once complete I could not resist but to eat one of my creations immediately which tasted amazing, so creamy and rich.
Plus as an extra surprise we all were given some homemade fudge with some round and heart cutters to make some fudge chocolates to have fun with and take home.
It was then time for us to bag up our creations in the silicone bags which were provided along with some pretty ribbon.
Just look at our chocolate creations!
As these are freshly made these ganache truffles they will last for up to two weeks.
Chocolate history bean-to-bar
To end with we got to learn a little history about how chocolate came about along with some sample tasters along the way.
Throughout the history lesson I learnt some really interesting facts. Here are a few:
- Chocolate comes from coco pods and the coco beans are found inside
- Coco pods are grown on trees off the bark
- Chocolate is regarded as a fruit
- At the beginning thousand of years ago chocolate nibs/beans was used to make coco water which was very bitter
- Aztecs used coco pods as currency where 5 pods could buy you a sheep and 8 pods a wife
- The UK was the first country to make a chocolate bar which was produced by J. S. Fry & Sons of Bristol
- White chocolate is not a chocolate as it has no coca solids only the butter, however some don’t even have that
It was then onto a tasting session in where we got to do blind vote between cheaper quality chocolate and a more higher quality chocolate.
We had to firstly feel the chocolate, snap it against our ear, then melt on the tongue, and finally eat!
I surprised myself as I got it so wrong as I thought the more higher quality chocolate was the cheaper chocolate and the cheaper one the more higher chocolate. I’m so disappointed in myself. The higher chocolate one has coco butter and has a clearer snap, plus takes longer to melt on tongue.
Four main ingredients:
- Coco mass
- Coco solids
- Coco butter
- Vanilla
- Sugar
Chocolate which is not regarded good chocolate tends to contain vegetable fat which means it is a lower quality chocolate.
I Even got to sample some ruby chocolate. Ruby chocolate comes from ruby cacao beans which can be found in Ecuador, Brazil and Ivory Coast. It was introduced in 2017 by Barry Callebaut, a Belgian–Swiss cocoa company. It has been in development since 2004 and in 2015, the product was patented by Dumarche et al. It tasted a little like a raspberry flavoured chocolate.
My creations
Such a fun class and I left ever so happy with my creations which made it home in one piece.
My experience in short
Verdict
It is a really interesting workshop, full of chocolate fun and surprises. I will certainly be looking at booking one of their other classes in the future such as the Espresso Martini class.
Tip though if you do book I recommend not wearing white and wear a short sleeve top. You will though be provided an apron to wear.
This class is ideal as a date outing, birthday party, hen party, corporate building, school workshop, bespoke private events and public workshop sessions.
What you can be sure of though is that you will come out happy and full of chocolate.
MyChocolate book your class now
MyChocolate
Regents Canal
10c Branch Place
London
N1 5PH
Discover their other locations click here.
Learn all about chocolate by chocolate legends and chocolate conoisseurs at MyChocolate
Original Chocolate Making Workshop
2 Hours
Tickets £50pp
Learn the history of chocolate by a Master Chocolatier from the bean-to-bar and enjoy a chocolate connoisseur tasting session, where you will get to enjoy 100% pure chocolate and even a genuine ruby chocolate.
Make your own larger chocolate button and learn the chocolate marbling technique.
Make a batch of fresh ganache truffles and decorate to your choosing from a range of decorations such as, white chocolate flakes, honeycomb, cinnamon sugar and more.
Discover all MyChocolate workshops click here.
Thanks to MyChocolate and Seb Master Chocolatier for a fabulous experience. All views are my own honest opinion.
“I love going out discovering new and existing restaurants, theatres, immersive experiences and so much more but I also love staying in and discovering new gadgets, gaming and cooking.
Heaven on a plate.