Melba’s Panning Room
Before it became the Panning Room, this area was a closed cheese storage room. But today, a doorway allows visitors to watch the magic unfold. Our Production Team chocolate coat the majority of our nuts and confectionery here and the viewing window allows visitors to watch our team as they create some of Melba’s most popular products.
In order to get that perfect chocolate treat, we use the large Pans situated in the centre of the room. These Pans were manufactured in Sydney for Hoadley’s Confectionery Company, before being purchased and restored by our Founder Graeme Foristal in the early 1990’s.
How we Chocolate-Coat…
As you look through the window, you’ll notice the two large silver pans; used to chocolate-coat the nuts and confectionery. As the product rotates in the pans, either milk, white or dark chocolate slowly drizzles onto the uncoated product, as cool air is blown to set the chocolate as it rotates.
Once the products have the correct amount of chocolate on them, they are transferred into one of the two copper polishing pans. These spin at a slower RPM and are used for glazing the chocolates. This is what gives the chocolate treats that perfect shine, and stops them from scratching or scuffing when packed. To ensure all our products are to the highest standard, we either hand grade them, or process them through a grading machine. This eliminates those that weren’t coated properly or aren’t fit for sale.
Melba’s produce hundreds of delicious chocolate and confectionery treats. Located in Woodside, in the Adelaide Hills, our chocolate factory is renowned for some of SA’s best chocolates.
