Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
The Yarra Valley is one of my favourite regions in Victoria. With the rolling hills and vineyards, it’s rather picturesque and not too far out of town. I’m not much of a wine connoisseur, but I am one of chocolate. Lucky for people like me, and families who want something to keep the kids interested on a trip out there, the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie is the place to be.
Just opened before Christmas of 2012, I was invited along with fellow food bloggers April, Sarah and Thanh to gorge ourselves stupid on chocolate. A task little of us had trouble resisting.
The first thing that hits you as you walk in, other than the smell of chocolate is how big, bright and colourful the place is. It’s HUGE. Walls lined with chocolate, people walking around with samples of chocolate, being able to watch the chocolatiers make the chocolate… it’s all chocolate! And if chocolate aint your thing, they also make their own ice-cream! With a casual café towards the back, you can grab a light lunch, without breaking the bank like you would at many popular wineries. The views are gorgeous too! I forgot to capture them on camera.
We were lucky enough to score an invitation behind the scenes (behind the glass) to see how it’s all done. We did have to don “chocolate making scrubs” for hygiene reasons. There are 6 chocolatiers working at Yarra Valley Chocolaterie; 4 from Belgium and 2 from France. Apparently they had to get used to making Aussie flavours like Rocky Road.
The cocoa beans are sourced from west Africa, and they are or going to be growing the fruits and nuts for their chocolate on site. When the owners first went to go to the council with an idea for a chocolaterie they got knocked back as it wasn’t agricultural business. But luckily they fought and won, and there is a great new destination place to hit up in the Yarra Valley.
We and our guests enjoyed a little savoury relief at the café, before going all out for dessert.
Pizza – roasted pumpkin, spinach and Yarra Valley Fetta – $18
Panini – $17
Steak sandwich with caramelised onions on toasted sourdough with house made relish – $20
Dessert Pizza #1 – Mudcake, honey our white, milk and dark couvertore chocolate and icing sugar – $18
Piping Hot Waffle – with our vanilla bean ice cream and maple syrup – $8
Chocolate Fondue for Two – $14
The Best Brownie – served warm with our vanilla bean ice cream and maple syrup – $7
Sensational Sundae #2 – Summer Love with Wildberry $12
I managed to score some truffles to take home too! With flavours like Early Grey Tea, Chinese 5 Spice, Hazelnut and one with blush tomato, they were all fantastic. Chinese 5 Spice reminding me a little of chocolate coated gingerbread.
With 150 delights to choose from, you won’t have trouble finding something to suit you!
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
Just an hour from Melbourne
Free entry – open every day
9am-5pm (except Christmas Day)
35 Old Healesville Road
(cnr Melba Highway)
Yarra Glen Victoria
P: 03 9730 2777
www.yvci.com.au
Iron Chef Shellie and guest dined as guests of Yarra Valley Chocolaterie thanks to Q Strategies.
ChopinandMysaucepan
Dear Iron Chef Shellie,
The chocolates look nice although I am more of a wine person that one with a sweet tooth. The Yarra has some nice wine and I agree that unlike the Hunter, Barrosa or Margaret river, it’s only 45 minutes out of Melbourne, major plus!
Iron Chef Shellie
I love that it’s not too far away! Perhaps with age I will get more into wine 😛
MoMo & Coco Dessert
Ooooh! We just visited last weekend and was planning to post sometime next week! We have quite a few pics, too many in fact. Photo culling is such a problem. What were your favourite chocolate products from this place?
Iron Chef Shellie
I really liked the chocolate coated liquorice, the Chinese 5 Spice truffle, the Earl Grey truffle … that’s about all I can remember… So.Much.Chocolate! Look forward to seeing your pics and what you thought of it 🙂
Hannah
Bush Tomato! I’d be up for that, definitely 🙂
Daisy@Nevertoosweet
You know I’m DRAGGING Ricky there as soon as I land back into Melbourne 😛 hehe everything looks super sinful and delicious! YAY!
Heidi - Apples Under My Bed
What a fabulous task 🙂 Loved seeing your instagram shots of this & now this post is just delicious. I can imagine that smell… mmmm
Heidi xo
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
I love driving through the Yarra Valley! What a beautiful part of the country and so many places to stop along the way to eat and drink. 🙂 Now.. gimme a chocolate and I’ll let the hostages go.
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today
It was almost too difficult to read this post. I was in Yarra Valley about 3-4 years ago when I was living in Australia. I so miss this amazing country and it’s goods.
msihua (@msihua)
Woah! I want those chocolate taps and sinks installed in my house!
Gourmet Getaways
Everything in the factory looks absolutely amazing! Even the savoury items look really special, I will have to add this to my list of things I must do next time I am down that way.
Cara @ Gourmet Chick
Wow I didn’t know there was a chocolate factory in the Yarra Valley – it looks gorgeous. Now I need some chocolate!
Kimberley M
Great post and beautiful photos. The parent blogger troupe made it last weekend and we heard about your visit. Such a wonderful place to visit – I couldn’t speak highly enough of it.
Nic@diningwithastud
Those chocolate tubs – zomg!!!!! Good idea starting with some savoury 😉
Thanh
Chocolate overload that day. I really loved the waffles.
Aimee
What a gorgeous post! I love the Yarra Valley chocolaterie 🙂 It looks like you had an amazing experience behind the scenes and lucky you! Looks like you had your own personal giant chocolate freckle wrote on, they are my favourite out of all the chocolate there 🙂