A happiness bomb for gloomy winter days: rural sweet museums and workshops

The chocolate factory of Szerencs, which is 100 years old this year, is known to almost everyone, as it is associated with such classic products as the Szerencsi retro bar, the cat’s tongue or the handmade cognac cherries. The history of the factory dates back to 1923, when the chocolate factory opened its doors next to the sugar factory. The factory’s products have quickly become popular thanks to their high quality, but many people have probably never visited the factory. But during the one and a half hour programme of the interactive workshop of the chocolate factory in Szerencs, you can not only taste chocolate, but also make it yourself and learn a lot of interesting facts about how the famous sweets are made.

The Harrer Chocolate Workshop and Confectionery is a family business with a dedication to quality confectionery. The confectionery started its operation in Austria in 1968, but since 1995, the special cakes and fabulous chocolates are also available in Hungary. In 2009, the workshop was opened in Sopron, where visitors can get a glimpse into the magical world of chocolate making through an extraordinary programme. All the products are handmade in a huge workshop in an unusual, modern building, and at the tasting you can discover the world of chocolate for yourself: eat raw and different flavoured chocolates, handmade sweets and watch a short film about the craft.

The Petrits family has been making gingerbread, candles and sweets since 1825. Craftsmanship has been passed down through generations, so a lot of tools have been accumulated over the years. These can be seen in an exhibition at the Gingerbread Museum in Szekszárd, which presents the history of the family and the gingerbread craft, the tools of the trade, and the equipment needed to make candles and traditional Christmas candies. On top of all this, you can immerse yourself in the wonderful activity of decorating gingerbread and make your own gingerbread heart with your own design, which can also be perfect as a gift. The museum also offers family photo opportunities, a baby and mum section, a discovery game and a continuous video projection for crafts.

Although you can’t taste sweets, but it’s definitely worth a visit to Kopcsik Marcipánia in Eger, which presents the work of Guinness World Record holder, world and Olympic champion pastry chef Lajos Kopcsik (and his students). The one hundred and twenty objects in the unique exhibition are all made of sugar paste and marzipan, including a miniature replica of the Minaret of Eger. One of Kopcsik’s long-standing plans was to create a baroque room made of sugar, which finally became a reality in 2008: the unique room faithfully evokes the atmosphere of the Baroque era, yet everything in it is confectionery, sugar dough and glaze. 

Csillichocobons was founded as a family business in 2016 in Balatonlelle. In addition to making sweets, handcrafted bonbons and chocolates, they also pass on their knowledge of chocolate. During the visit to the workshop, you can learn how chocolate is made and taste natural cocoa beans, different types of chocolate pastilles and unused chocolate. At the same time, you can make bonbons, chocolate bars, cognac cherries or truffles, while learning what tempering is, what makes your chocolate crisp and shiny and how to make a delicious fresh filling.