Hoppy Easter!
EGG-CITED FOR EASTER and looking for ways to make it egg-stra egg-celent? We can’t promise this story won’t be hopping-mad with Easter puns, but we can promise that Kirsty McInnes, chief Easter Bunny from Charlotte’s Web Darwin Chocolate Factory, has some cracking good advice to make this Easter one to remember. So, let’s hop to it!
By Tamara Howie
Making chocolate in Darwin sounds very messy! How do you do it?
Patience is the biggest driver, and without it, the magic can never happen! You also need to have a wonderfully temperature-controlled room with a super cold bench to make it all work, in addition to the mechanics and the right cocoa to make it taste yum.
What goodies are you preparing for Easter?
Our Easter Bunnies have been hard at work making Easter eggs since the beginning of March. This year, we have some amazing mousse-filled chocolate eggs in milk, white and dark chocolate. We also have nougat bunnies and creamy bunnies, and for all our vegan friends, we have vegan chocolate and hopefully some vegan bunnies.
How many eggs will be rolling out of the factory this year?
About 1000 eggs.
Can you tell us how Darwin Chocolate Factory hatched into business and bounced it’s way to making 1000 eggs in a month?
We started making chocolates for the Christmas markets in 2009, before there was a chocolate factory in Darwin. It was fun, and then our followers grew and grew every year.
In 2017, we experienced a life-changing event where we lost everything on our block – our house, our tourism business and all our possessions. At that stage, I was looking for a change. So, in 2018, we moved our engineering business upstairs and started the chocolate factory downstairs, initially as a wholesaler. With the pandemic, we pivoted our business to include chocolate experiences, including tours, workshops and parties.
Any hot tips on Easter egg hunts in the Top End heat?
Try an easter egg hunt inside. There are plenty of places to hide eggs inside the house and plenty of fun ways to leave secret messages!
Charlotte’s Web Darwin Chocolate Factory
WHEN TUE – FRI, 10AM-3PM | SAT, 10AM-2PM
AT 13/17 WILLES ROAD, BERRIMAH
INFO facebook.com/darwinchocolatefactory
