Melting Magic
Get hands-on at Ellon’s own chocolate factory – for some serious truffle-making or just for fun
JUST like Willy Wonka, Kira Rattray was obsessed with chocolate as a child. And, like Wonka, she went on to run her own “factory” where she invents and makes delicious cocoa-themed creations.
Early in her life, Kira knew that this would be her future. She went on to train as a chocolatier at the age of 17. After running her own business, she heard that one of her stockists – The Chocolate Bar in Ellon, Aberdeenshire – was in search of a new owner.
Since taking over in 2015, creative Kira has been supplying locals and visitors to Aberdeenshire with top quality sweet treats from the café that is considered “a mainstay of Ellon life”. Kira, who studied culinary arts with management, says, “Most of the time, I make chocolate when the shop is shut, but I am in the middle of building a workshop at home too. I have an experimental kitchen at home and hope to make it more production friendly.
“It’s nice to have the café side and the making side, but it’s also nice to pass on knowledge.”
Keen to pass on her passion to members of the public, Kira hosts several workshops and events including fun sessions. Her truffle-making workshops and chocolate tastings are particularly popular. Visitors are invited into the on-site factory (the back shop) where all the tasty treats are created step-by-step.
Kira explained, “During the workshop, you’ll pick up insider tips and tricks. From the art of tempering chocolate to the science of achieving the perfect ganache consistency, you’ll leave with a newfound confidence and a whole lot of chocolatey know-how.
“But not everyone wants a two-and-a-half-hour course on how to make a truffle – some people just want to play. So, we do a fun session where we melt chocolate, dip and decorate, it’s nice and informal and people are left to their own devices.”
Introducing others to chocolate-making is something Kira has always been involved with since the beginning. Now, after recently returning to work following maternity leave, she has started training one of her staff members, Taylor, to become a qualified chocolatier.