FOOD + DRINK
THE ART OF CHOCOLATE MAKING:
THE CHOCOLATE MASTERCLASS AT N2 SWEET LAB, MAIDSTONE
BY SAMANTHA READY
Team iK could barely contain their excitement when it was announced that some of them were off for a very special morning out to learn about all things chocolate at N2 Sweet Lab in Maidstone. Permission to play with chocolate aside, the experience at the small but perfectly formed indie chocolatiers owned by Ned Vichev and partner Nina is far more than a novelty workshop. Part science lesson, part tasting masterclass and part pure Wonka-esque escapism, the experience manages to be both genuinely educational and completely indulgent in equal measure.
Leading our workshop was the lovely Ned, who occupies that rare sweet spot somewhere between curious scientist and chocolatier extraordinaire. Passionate without being preachy, knowledgeable without ever being judgy, he guided us through the surprisingly fascinating journey from cacao pod to finished chocolate bar. We learnt about fermentation and drying processes, the extraction of cocoa butter, the adding of sugar and how the smallest of variables can dramatically alter flavour and texture( as well as some industry snippets about what can legally be labelled as chocolate in the UK, naming no names * cough * Mr Dairy Milk …). It was detailed enough to feel insightful, but relaxed enough that nobody felt like they were back in a classroom.
The tasting itself quickly revealed just how subjective chocolate can be. Beginning with Ned’ s litmus test for the palate, Sophie and I discovered that we both possess the
so-coined‘ bitter taste bud’ gene; instantly explaining our natural preference for many flavours but particularly our sway to milk chocolate over dark. It was one of those oddly satisfying revelations that suddenly made years of chocolate( and food and drink in general!) choices make sense.
From there, the tasting moved steadily through the spectrum. Dark chocolates came first, deep and earthy with varying degrees of bitterness and fruitiness, before softening into creamier milk varieties. Then things became more experiential. Fruit-fermented chocolates delivered bright and zesty hits of raspberry, while matcha-infused chocolate divided opinion. The standout, unexpectedly, was a banana-infused chocolate that somehow captured tropical notes with just the right layers of flavour subtlety. We finished, appropriately, on the sweeter notes of white chocolate, the last infused with cacao nibs for extra texture.
Then came the real hands-on part.
Ned introduced us to the art of tempering chocolate, explaining the delicate balance of temperature and timing needed to achieve that glossy finish and satisfying snap. Armed with ladles and moulds, we had the chance to‘ make it rain’ chocolatestyle, coating moulds with dark chocolate to create our own shells. There was laughter, inevitable mess and a surprising level of competitiveness as the insideKENT team attempted to channel our inner chocolatiers.
Once the shells had set, we moved onto
fillings, thankfully pre-prepared by Ned whose own skills are considerably more refined than ours. Choices included silky caramel, rich milk chocolate, vibrant raspberry and a beautifully tropical mango and passionfruit gel. Decorating proved equally creative( read messy), with melted chocolate drizzles, dried raspberry and cacao nibs transforming each creation into something wonderfully personal.
Finally came the judging. Our chocolates boxed to perfection were lined up for inspection as Nina crowned me( no, payments were made) the unofficial iK winner of the day, a title that quickly became far more coveted than expected.
What makes an experience at N2 Sweet Lab special- aside from the vast quantity of chocolate consumed- is the balance it strikes and the warmth behind the demos. It was informative without being overwhelming and playful without losing quality.
We left with full bags, sticky fingers and an entirely new appreciation for what goes into a single square of chocolate( and an N2 Banana Chocolate bar too, of course). And really, that might be the sweetest thing of all.
Workshops at N2 Sweet Lab start at £ 20 for children( no tastings) and £ 40 for adults which include tutored tastings, chocolate making and a box of handmade chocolates to take home.
n2sweetlab. com n2sweetlab
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