Chocolate history workshop in Ghent
Patershol, Ghent, Brussels
Discover how chocolate was made in the past and is made today by crafting your own bar, recreating a 17th-century hot chocolate recipe, and tasting artisanal bonbons from Belgium's top chocolatiers.
Highlights
- Make your own chocolate bar from specialty cacao
- Recreate a 17th-century hot chocolate recipe
- Indulge in chocolate delicacies enjoyed by historical figures across centuries
- Enjoy classic chocolate bonbons, including the iconic seashells
- Taste a 5,000-year-old chocolate drink
Description
Welcome to our chocolate shop in the heart of Ghent. Located in one of Ghent’s oldest houses, dating back to the 16th century, our workshop space offers an authentic setting to discover Belgian chocolate.
Our chocolate expert will begin with a short introduction on how chocolate is made from cacao. Then, you’ll dive right into crafting your own chocolate bar using a unique variety of cacao beans. We promise it’s the most rewarding workout you’ll ever do!
As you work, our expert will guide you through 5,000 years of chocolate history, sharing countless fun anecdotes. From the Mayas and Aztecs to Martha Washington and Marie-Antoinette, from bloodstained lips to the invention of the bonbon in a pharmacy, the history of chocolate is anything but boring. Along the way, you’ll sample different historical drinks and chocolate products, gaining a thorough understanding of chocolate’s evolution through the ages.
Once your bar is shaped, it’s time to recreate a 17th-century hot chocolate recipe. Customize it by adding your preferred amounts of spices, chocolate, and sugar.
To finish the workshop in style, you’ll taste four chocolate bonbons from different top Belgian chocolatiers, ranging from traditional to more modern flavors.
At the end of the workshop, you can taste your chocolate bar or take it home to share your creation with family and friends.
After the tasting, you’ll be fully energised to continue your sightseeing! Within a five-minute walk, you can visit the Castle of the Counts, Patershol, Graslei/Korenlei, or even enjoy a boat tour.
Includes
- Chocolate bar crafted by yourself from cacao beans
- Belgian artisanal chocolates from different chocolate makers
- Hot chocolate with recipe
- Various cacao products
- Water
- Explanations by a chocolate expert
Excludes
Chocolate-making techniques like tempering, melting, or shaping into truffles or bonbons
Important Information
- Please note: this is not a chocolate-making class focused on techniques
- Participants will create chocolate from scratch by grinding cacao beans
- Please note: this activity requires “normal” strength in your hands and wrists. If you experience reduced strength (for example due to rheumatism or arthritis) grinding the beans may be challenging
- Please note: since you’ll be making chocolate yourself, comfortable clothing is recommended. It is always possible that a small amount of chocolate may land on your clothes while grinding, so you may want to keep this in mind when choosing what to wear. To preserve the quality of our chocolate, the temperature in our shop is kept around 18°C, or even lower. If you tend to feel cold easily, it might be a good idea to bring a sweater or light jacket
Easy cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
