Chocolate Truffle Recipe and our DIY Margaret River Chocolate Tour
Easter is just around the corner, and I know what that means – our two daughters devouring large numbers of Cadbury chocolate eggs! My wife and I prefer the better quality stuff – Lindt dark chocolate bunnies – and these delectable home made truffles.
I usually whip up a few batches of these as gifts and for when we have friends to stay. They’re also perfect for dinner parties along side a cheese board, or in place of dessert. Not that I condone skipping dessert – you’d want to have a generous number of these truffles so that nobody feels they’re missing out.
Alongside the recipe I’ve given you the Hickman Family’s Margaret River Chocolate Tour. Yep, we’ve caved to the girls demands and done them all in a day.
Whether you’re visiting with adults or as a family with children, be sure to add chocolate into your day. Use them as a bargaining tool; “yes darlings, we’ll go to Margaret River Chocolate Company as soon as Mummy and Daddy finish wine tasting at Fraser Gallop Estate.”
Wishing you and yours a very happy – and chocolatey – Easter.
Justin Hickman
Chef, GM – Quality Inn Margaret River
Ingredients
- 225g dark chocolate (70%)
- 175 ml double cream
- Icing Sugar (Dust)
- Hundreds and Thousands (Coat)
Instructions
- Bring the cream to the boil and simmer steadily for 3 minutes, stirring continuously
- Add to chocolate and mix until melted
- Allow to cool to room temperature for 1-1 ½ hours
- Place in easter egg moulds, or roll in Hundreds of thousands.
The Hickman Family’s Margaret River Chocolate Tour
Margaret River Farmers Market
Starting close to home (Stay Margaret River) we usually indulge in a Saturday morning trip to the Margaret River Farmers Market, where there’s a whole host of chocolate treats. Our go-to is the chocolate croissant at the Margaret River Bakery stall. They’re always there, and always delicious. Keep a keen eye out for Harlequin Chocolate and Cavalcade Desserts – Nadia makes amazing handmade truffles from the finest European chocolate. A very adult indulgence that our kids would devour in a heartbeat if we let them.
Open Saturday mornings, Lot 272 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River WA 6285
www.margaretriverfarmersmarket.com.au
Temper Temper
Five minutes further south along Bussell Highway you’ll find the Temper Temper/Yahava KoffeeWorks store. Two lots of scrummy tastings in one place.
This is for the serious chocolate lovers and (sorry kids) it’s more suited to adult tastes.
Friendly staff encourage you to taste, and there’s a bounty of inventive flavours on offer. Six types of rocky road, chocolate covered coffee beans, freshly baked chocolate cookies – this place is heaven on a stick. We keep going back for the ginger and licorice in dark chocolate – just one of the hundred or so fabulously clever flavour combinations.
Open 9am-5pm daily. 2 Rosa Brook Road, just off Bussell Highway, Margaret River
www.tempertemper.com.au
Margaret River Chocolate Company
Every kid’s dream. These guys have thought of everything – chocolate soap, chocolate quokkas, truffles, giant freckles, golf ball chocolates – the list goes on.
There’s free tastings of their white, milk and dark chocolate drops. Then there’s hundreds of products on display in this well laid out shop.
Grab a coffee and a chocolate mousse to enjoy on the deck while the kids play in the nature play area.
Take home something fun (chocolate quokka for laughs?) or a pack of hand picked truffles.
Open 9am-5pm daily. 415 Harman’s Mill Rd, Metricup
chocolatefactory.com.au
Gabriel Chocolate
A proper ‘bean to bar’ chocolate factory – the chocolate is made on site and it’s pretty special stuff. Friendly staff will guide you through a tasting of 6-10 chocolates of varying origins and percentages. They source cacao beans from around the world and will gladly talk you through the process of turning it into sweet (and not-so-sweet) chocolate.
They have a tasty range of chocolate drinks and treats in the café; a mocha was the perfect post-lunch pick-me-up, and the chocolate mousse got the tick of approval too.
There’s a big lawn where little kids can blow off steam. House of Cardscellar door is next door, and Mal Chow’s Asian inspired restaurant is due to open in the coming months. This will be a fantastic hub soon!
Open 10am-5pm daily. Corner Caves & Quininup Roads (14/5 Quininup Road)
gabrielchocolate.com.au
Hot Chocolatte
This takeaway coffee shop is filled floor to ceiling with yummy treats and pretty decorations – it’s a feast for the eyes and belly. They make an excellent flat white, and have a range of hot chocolates (white, milk, dark) plus some fantastic house-made chocolates. We can’t go past the peanut butter frogs.
Open 6am-2pm or 4pm depending on the day – check google. 42 Dunn Bay Rd, Dunsborough
Accommodation Deals at Quality Inn Margaret River
We still have availability for the April school holidays and we’d love to have you stay!
These accommodation deals will save you some money during your stay;
- Stay a little longer – Stay 3 nights in one of our terrific room types for as little as $72.50 per person per night.
- Stay for 1 more night – Enjoy a relaxing 2 night stay in one of our Hotel; Deluxe or Family Rooms
All rooms come with a free mini bar, too.
Check out our Accommodation Deals
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