I’m a dark chocolate lover at heart, so what better way to experience Belgium than to indulge in making and eating rich chocolate, right?
If you’re looking for wonderful experiences in Belgium, here’s everything you need to know about why booking a chocolate-making workshop is for you.
History of Chocolate
Chocolate has a long and rich history that dates back to ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. The Maya and Aztec civilizations both highly valued cacao beans, which they believed had mystical and spiritual properties.
The word “chocolate” comes from the Aztec word “xocolatl,” which means “bitter water.” The Aztecs used cacao beans to create a bitter drink that was often mixed with spices and consumed during religious ceremonies.
When the Spanish arrived in the Americas in the 16th century, they were introduced to chocolate and began to develop a taste for it. They brought cacao beans back to Europe, where they were first consumed as a drink, often mixed with sugar or honey to counteract the bitterness.
Over time, chocolate became more widely available and popular in Europe. In the 19th century, technological advancements allowed for the production of solid chocolate, and companies like Cadbury and Nestle began producing chocolate bars and candies.
Today, chocolate is enjoyed all over the world and comes in a wide variety of forms, from milk chocolate to dark chocolate to white chocolate. While the production methods have changed significantly over the centuries, the basic ingredients of cacao beans, sugar, and milk remain at the heart of this beloved treat.
Why is Belgium chocolate famous?
Belgium is famous for its high-quality chocolates because of its long tradition of chocolate making, strict production standards, and use of premium ingredients.
Belgium has been producing chocolate since the early 18th century, and its chocolatiers are known for their skill in creating rich, creamy chocolate with complex flavors. Belgian chocolate is typically made with high-quality cocoa butter, which gives it a smooth and creamy texture.
In addition to using premium ingredients, Belgian chocolate makers are also known for their attention to detail and commitment to quality. They carefully select and roast their cocoa beans to bring out the best flavor and use traditional methods to create their chocolates, such as conching and tempering.
Belgian chocolate is also renowned for its variety, with many different types and flavors of chocolate available. Some of the most famous Belgian chocolates include pralines, truffles, and chocolate bars, often filled with fillings like hazelnut, almond paste, or fruit.
Where to book your workshop ~ Chocolate Workshop
For starters, there are many travel and tour websites that offer workshops, and Get Your Guide is one of many great places to find a variety of experiences.
Our chocolate-making workshop was for 2.5 hours, which included a guided workshop on how to make chocolate, ingredients and equipment to make our individual chocolates, and the richest hot chocolate to end the experience.
According to the workshop description, it is suitable for vegetarians and vegan chocolate options are available.
For more details, here’s where you can book a chocolate-making experience in Brussels.
The experience
The chocolate-making itself felt very simple, although it required patience, concentration, teamwork, and precision, which was all shown during the guided instruction by our instructor.
The instruction was very thorough throughout the process and assistance was always provided when needed, which made the experience very enjoyable.
We all worked in groups of 2 or 3, first melting chocolate, then dividing the chocolate between each other to pour into our silicon molds.
The remaining chocolate we had, we made extra on baking sheets, and had the option to decorate it with nuts or raisins.
We met a couple from Mexico and an individual from California who were traveling together and it was lovely getting to share our experiences and travel plans with one another.
Workshop tips
- Be on time! It’s not fun for the instructor to have to cut any part short just to accommodate late attendees.
- Listen to the instructions and watch carefully – this is particularly for people who aren’t patient!
- Be social, it makes the experience a whole lot more worthwhile.
- Be creative and have fun!
Final thoughts
This was a wonderful way to end our girl’s trip in Belgium and most definitely a highlight of our experience. The amount of chocolate was so overwhelming that I barely consumed much. That’s to say, you’ll either be overwhelmed like myself or high off chocolate by the end of the workshop.
My first chocolate-making workshop in Belgium and with my favorite travel buddy – I think it was more than beautiful, it was wholesome.
Would I choose to do it again? Yes, I wholeheartedly would.
As always, happy travels!
