Behind The Scenes in Bettys Chocolate Room
Such is our heritage that it’s not surprising the Chocolate Room takes centre-stage in our Craft Bakery. In a constant year round temperature of 18°C, surrounded by a mouth-watering aroma, our small team of artisan chocolatiers creates a wonderful array of chocolates and chocolate novelties.
Chocolate is a temperamental ingredient to work with and only by handling it with care and love can we ensure that the finished chocolates have a glossy finish and characteristic ‘snap’. The first stage is the all important ‘tempering’ process, which sets the chocolate crystals by carefully melting and cooling the Swiss ‘couverture’ (raw chocolate) to precise temperatures.
Chocolate moulds are hand-filled before being gently cooled, and then hand-piped with our freshly prepared praline, caramel, ganache and cream fillings. Once the fillings are set, each chocolate is painstakingly dipped or rolled and finished by hand with intricate decoration before being packed into elegant boxes, many inspired by Bettys packaging from the 1930s.
Such is this labour of love that it might seem a shame to eat them…. but good chocolate is made to be enjoyed!
Meet the team
Our small team of eight chocolatiers have over 135 years experience of hand-crafting Bettys chocolates between them. Their craft demands artistry, patience, persistence and incredible attention to detail. Some of the intricate chocolate work can take years to master. Thanks to our close links with Felchlin in Switzerland, our team often travels to the continent for technical training and inspiration.
Robin Kendall, Head Chocolatier
“My team and I still use the traditional skills handed down through the generations, including hand-tempering our chocolate. Every chocolate is created by hand and then hand-finished with intricate decoration”.
Our Head Chocolatier, Robin Kendall, has been at Bettys for over 35 years. Even with all his experience, Robin still feels he’s always learning new skills – expertise that he shares with his team and with customers on our regular chocolate courses at Bettys Cookery School.
“Our range is constantly changing to introduce new flavours and decorations – and it’s this variety that keeps the job so interesting,” says Robin.
Claire Gallagher, Executive Confectioner
Claire’s extensive and prestigious training started in Yorkshire where she trained as a chef before returning to her native Scotland to work as commis pastry chef at the Carlton Highland Hotel in Edinburgh. It was there that she cooked for many of the hotel’s celebrity customers including Prince Charles and Kylie Minogue.
After a spell working for a Michelin-starred restaurant in France and the prestigious Crathorne Hall near Yarm, where she developed her passion for chocolate and petit fours, Claire spent three years working as a pastry chef for Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons. Here she was presented with the top Gold award at the British Open Championships for petit fours and chocolates.
Bettys is privileged to have Claire as our Executive Confectioner and chocolate specialist and she is responsible for creating and developing our new ranges of chocolates. “For me, the finest chocolates only come from using the best ingredients,” says Claire, “and that underpins everything we do here at Bettys.”
Helen Proudfoot, Chocolate Team Leader
Helen started her career with Bettys in our Confectionery Room before developing a passion for chocolate.
In 2004, at the annual Academy of Culinary Arts awards, Helen was presented with an ‘Award of Excellence’ recognising her as one of the best young food craftspeople in the country. Following this success, Helen competed in the World Skills Championships 2005 in Helsinki.
As Chocolate Team Leader, Helen is finding that there is never a dull moment working with such a wonderful team of skilled chocolatiers. “The temperamental nature of chocolate and the level of skills and techniques required make working with it a real challenge” says Helen, “but one that’s very satisfying to take on, particularly with such a committed and enthusiastic team of skilled craftspeople.”