Chocolate lovers get booking a chocolate masterclass!
It all started back in June when I wanted to decorate a special birthday cake with some really lovely quality chocolates and I went on the hunt for some locally. I came across the Christchurch Confectioners in the High street, who sell a great selection of chocolates (and gin). Anyway, to cut a long story short I bought chocolates by Miss Witt produced in the New Forest and became hooked, I contacted her to see if I could go and watch her work and write about it in my food blog.
I was invited to a master class and if you are in any way a chocolate fan I can't recommend it highly enough, whilst we chatted over coffee I learnt about the chocolate from different countries and got to sample them too, things only got better as we melted some chocolate and stirred a bowl full of the warm silky goodness. There is quite a science behind the ideal melting point and working temperature that only becomes evident through experience.
The ganache we were making was different to what I had expected, Kerry has developed it using Hildon Mineral water, we then added some local made gin supplied by @dancingcowltd another local producer I have written about.
Yes, you read correctly gin and chocolate what a great combination!
Each of those little white chocolate shells were then piped with the ganache not as neatly as I would of liked but thats the beauty of hand rolling "texture is good" at least that is what Kerry said, maybe she was just being kind?
Kerry (Miss Witt) is a very talented young lady she originally specialised in patisserie, has worked as a pastry chef with Alex Aitken and then moved on to The Bluebird in Chelsea before returning to the area to work in a variety of restaurants and hotels.
In 2012 'Chocolate by Miss Witt' was established, her talent has been recognised by numerous awards over the years but she has most recently won a silver and bronze award for two of her chocolates at the world renowned Academy of Chocolate in London in 2017, competing against international chocolatiers. Her business is well respected in the area and her chocolates are being used by some of the top hotels as well as being sold in retail outlets.
My finished chocolates before packing.
Kerry loves to teach and demand for her master classes is high but certainly well worth doing or perhaps giving as a gift, a word of warning though if you choose to do the hand rolled chocolates you WILL get your hands messy!
Bookings and further details of classes can be found online at www.chocolatebymisswitt.com or call 07855787638