It all began one Christmas, many years ago (probably more than I’d care to admit) when I saw a lovely-looking Delia Smith recipe for truffles. Not being too complicated to make, it became somewhat of a tradition in our family to eat Delia’s truffles every Christmas. The chocolate-covered ones became the girls’ favourite and quickly the whole family was asking for them...

So, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when my youngest daughter asked me to make some as favours for her wedding! The problem was, I knew they had to be eaten as soon as they were made, and if I were going to make favours - not least for a London wedding - it wouldn’t hurt to make them last longer and look fancier!

And so began the many months of experimenting with chocolate, which is when I came across Paul A. Young, an award-winning chocolatier who has written several books and runs workshops from his London chocolates shops that teach people how to make truffles. It couldn’t have been more perfect!

And so began the trial tasting period. If you ask my husband, he’d probably say he got fed up of testing chocolates in the run-up to the wedding! So I had to branch out; I started taking testers to work with me... my husband even took them to share with his colleagues! Everyone seemed to love them; people started telling me I should sell them, but I wasn’t brave enough to do that...

Eventually the wedding came around - I spent hours in the hotel with my husband and eldest daughter the night before bagging up all the favours! But they seemed to go down a treat. And this time, even my daughter and new son-in-law were telling me I should go into business! But I already had a job, I couldn’t possibly give that up to sell chocolates...

Six months passed and it gradually dawned on me that I was missing making them, though. So at the weekends and in my spare time, I started up the ‘chocolate factory’ in my kitchen and started giving them away as gifts, taking them to work, making them for friends and family.

That’s when an exciting proposition came through: would I make a batch of chocolates for a fortieth birthday party? Would I?! Of course! 

Since then, we’ve relocated to the south-west coast of England, I’ve left my job behind as a special needs teaching assistant, and I’ve continued making chocolates ever since! Creating these little treats from scratch - watching the caramels bubble and the chocolate melt, sprinkling on the cocoa, brushing on that sweet glaze - well, it fills me with joy. And sharing that joy with others is just as sweet as taking a bite.