Sweet treat festival can be enjoyed at home

The Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery is hosting an in-store and online Hot Chocolate Festival. Photo: Supplied 212686_03

By Alesha Capone

The Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery has come up with a sweet new way to host one of its most popular events.

Co-owner Leanne Neeland, said the chocolaterie’s annual Hot Chocolate Festival usually brought thousands of visitors from all over Australia to Bellbrae.

However this year they had to do things “a little differently” because of the coronavirus pandemic.

For the month of August, the chocolaterie will host an online and in-store Hot Chocolate Festival.

Chocolate fans will be able to watch the store’s team of European chocolatiers on Facebook Live sessions, as they host daily virtual tastings of all 31 festival hot chocolate flavours. Sessions start at 11am.

The chocolatiers will also hold tuition sessions on how to whisk the perfect hot chocolate creation at home.

The team has created “do it yourself kits” that can be ordered online and sent anywhere in Australia, or via “click and collect” for locals.

“Customers love the creative fun our European chocolatiers bring to this winter warmer and they’ve outdone themselves this year to create an at-home version too,” says Ms Neeland said.

An online poll to vote for your favourite hot chocolate is also on offer. Place your vote and go into the draw to win your body weight in one kilogram blocks of couverture chocolate.

The Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery at 1200 Great Ocean Road, Bellbrae is open 9-5pm every day.

Details: www..gorci.com.au