In 1935, York's Rowntree factory manufactured a four-finger chocolate and wafer bar, a recipe born out of an idea by a factory worker to create a handy work snack. Produced today by Nestlé, the Kit Kat snack bar has proved to be a hugely successful product line enjoyed by many people around the world 'having a break.'
In Japan, they love experimenting with flavours at the KitKat Chocolatory, a gourmet experience tasked with creating unusual flavour combinations, tailored to the Japanese palate. It's such a successful concept that the likes of Chef Patissier Yasumasa Takagi works on devising new flavours, and queues in stores can stretch to 30 minute waits at peak times.
A few days ago I learned about the KitKat Chocolatory concessions coming to selected John Lewis & Partners stores in the UK. But I've also now spotted the experience is heading back to the KitKat's spiritual home in York, at the York Chocolate Story exhibition.
For £12, you can turn up, create a milk chocolate, dark, chocolate, or ruby chocolate Kit Kat and top it with three of the following ingredients:
- Mini Marshmallows
- Shortbread Pieces
- Chocolate Brownies
- Caramel Chunks
- Caramelised Pistachio Pieces
- Honeycomb
- Freeze-Dried Raspberry Pieces
- Meringue Pieces
- Cocoa Nibs
- Dried Rose Petals
- Coconut
- Hazelnut Pieces
You can personalise the packaging with a message too.
The better value option in my opinion is to book the York Chocolate Story tour and the KitKat Chocolatory experience combined ticket.
Priced at £19.50 per adult and £17.50 per child, you get to customise your KitKat and packaging as above, before heading on a tour of the museum, which looks at the history of chocolate particularly within Yorkshire.
At the end of the tour, the personalised KitKat bars should be ready to collect.
The tour price is normally £12.95 for adults and £10.50 for children, so the addition of the KitKat Chocolatory experience works out as a £6.55 premium for adults and a £7 premium for children, cheaper than the £12 standalone option. Tickets can be booked online.
Tours run from 10am to 4pm daily at York Chocolate Story, which is conveniently located in the centre of York on Kings Square.
Have you visited York's Chocolate Story? What did you think of the experience? Let me know in the comments below.
