At the heart of every business there is a passionate and talented entrepreneur and Caroline, the creator of Dingle Chocolates is exactly that. I got to spend a few hours with this lovely lady, not only to get some behind the scenes footage of how the delicious goodies are made but, to also get to know one of the local business owners that Stay YNA love to support. Did you know these handcrafted chocolates are inspired by the beauty and rugged landscapes of the Peninsula? The colours and flavours also reflect West Kerry and the Wild Atlantic way. The shards of chocolate that are sold in small packs remind me of the jutting rocks just opposite the magnificent Dunquin Pier or (Cé Dhún Chaoin.)
However, Caroline hasn’t been a Chocolate Connoisseur all her life. She had previously worked as a chiropractor and masseuse in Tralee, just an hour or so outside of Dingle and spent some time in the US in her earlier life before she headed back home to Ireland in 2010.
On the side, in her spare time, she used to make Christmas puddings from a family recipe handed to her from her aunt. The pudding won the prestigious ‘Blas na hÈireann’ awardback in 2019 and no wonder why, with its rich fruit flavours and aromas of Irish whiskey & stout. It truly is a little slice of heaven on a winter’s day. With the holiday season soon approaching we recommend getting those orders in ASAP to avoid any disappointment.
Caroline once attended a specialist chocolate course, and it was here her passion for creating sweet treats grew evermore. A lot of time and funding has gone into creating the brand that is Dingle Chocolates today. Different flavours and ingredients had been trialled and tasted; thousands of monies have been spent on using the finest machinery in the industry that only the best of Chocolatiers could ever imagine getting.
Dingle Chocolates offer a wide range of artisan delicious treats, from truffles to chocolates and of course her Christmas puddings. Every sweet tooth lover’s dream. The flavours are diverse and unusual. Rum and passionfruit to gin and rose as well as prosecco and lemon flavours, this isn’t just your average chocolate. This is Dingle Chocolates.
Each chocolate variety is handcrafted in small batches to keep the richness of the flavour, giving a beautiful taste from the finest ingredients. Luxury is in every bite. Head on over to our Tik Tok @stay_yna for behind-the-scenes footage.
You can find Dingle chocolates in a range of stockists such as some of the local shops and supermarkets in Dingle as well as us: Stay YNA, who love to add these wholesome goodies in our welcome baskets for guests. They sure do go down a treat.