Chocolate Making Workshop with Sarah Messina
Join us for a deliciously hands-on three-hour chocolate-making workshop with Sarah Messina, one of our wonderful Permaculture Matters facilitators. Discover the magic and complexity of chocolate from bean to bar, and create your own unique chocolate masterpiece to take home.
What to expect:
Warm welcome & icebreaker:
We'll start by introducing ourselves and sharing something fun—like your favourite chocolate flavour—to set the mood.
A journey through chocolate’s rich history:
Discover the ancient Mesoamerican roots of cacao and its fascinating journey through history.
Up close with cacao:
Hold cacao beans and explore a printed image of a cacao pod as Sarah explains the life cycle of the cacao plant, from seedling to harvest and fermentation.
Hands-on chocolate making:
Dive into the full bean-to-bar process...
Roasting: Roast cacao beans over fire while learning specific techniques. Taste and compare roasted vs unroasted beans.
Milling & winnowing: Crush the beans into nibs, then use a fan to separate shells from nibs.
Second milling & grinding: Refine the nibs into finer granules, then grind them into rich chocolate liquor. Along the way, discover the cultural and spiritual significance of each step.
Tempering & pouring:
Watch a demonstration of the 'silk' tempering method—adding grated cacao butter at just the right temperature to achieve glossy, snappable chocolate. Then pour your tempered chocolate into moulds and top it with your choice of beautiful dried flowers.
Take home your creation:
Your handmade 108g chocolate bar (valued at $14) will be ready to take home and enjoy after a quick set in the freezer. Cacao nibs, plus enjoy a warm cup of hot cacao as part of the workshop.
This workshop is designed to be interactive, informative, and lots of fun—perfect for anyone keen to explore the deeper story of chocolate while getting their hands deliciously dirty.
Held at The Inner Space - 96a Camp St, Katoomba.
Bookings essential.
You may also like the following events from Permaculture Matters:
Also check out other
Workshops in Katoomba .
