What it's like to work with chocolate: We speak to Cadbury World chocolate maker

Now imagine spending every working day surrounded by a plentiful supply of this incredibly tempting treat.

Chocolatier Donna Oluban does just that and she believes there can be no better job in the world.

She is part of a team of Cadbury World chocolate makers who have become known for their show-stopping, hand-crafted creations.

Each day is spent making a range of bespoke and decorative items which visitors can buy as gifts or souvenirs.

From Christmas penguins and giant Easter eggs to life-like models of Buckingham Palace and Birmingham Library there seems to be no end to their talents.

This year alone they have created more than 100,000 gifts and novelties including shoes, footballs, teapots, pumpkins and plenty of the attraction's very own Chuckle Bean mascot.

At the moment they are busy stocking the shop with handmade festive favourites including penguins, Christmas trees and crackers.

It's one of the busiest times of the year for the team along with Easter and the school holidays.

Donna found her 'dream job' when she attended a taster day at the attraction in Bourneville.

Although she had a background in visual merchandising, she found herself drawn not to the shop but to the chocolate making demonstration.

The 53-year-old was so impressed by the masterclass that she applied for a job as a chocolatier and has never looked back.

"It's the best job in the world. I do love chocolate," says Donna, who has now worked at the attraction for the past 13 and half years.

Her training included learning a range of different techniques and processes including tempering chocolate so it's ready for moulding and hand-piping lettering and patterns.

Tempering chocolate is vital if you want to coax the most flavour from it and give it that all important sheen.

Many of these special pieces crafted by the team feature intricate designs and lettering that all have to be done by a steady hand and involve hours of painstaking work.

But Donna, who never eats chocolate at work despite the endless supply, thrives on the challenge. "I'm quite artistic with piping – but you've got to have nice writing to begin with," she explains.

There are 31 chocolatiers in total at the attraction although they are not all on site at the same time. As part of their roles, they are involved in running the Chocolatier Experience, which gives people a taster into the world of chocolate making.

The two-hour session features a hands-on lesson in the art of chocolate making, from the history and science behind it to tasting dark, milk and white chocolate to better understand the processes used to create each variety.

Participants then get to try their hand at some of the techniques used to make some decorative treats to take home.

The chocolatiers have also made a name for themselves with their works of art.

To celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday, they recreated Buckingham Palace. The iconic building weighed almost 60kg and was finished with an edible gold and silver lustre and the intricate British royal coat of arms piped entirely by hand

Last year to mark the birth of Princess Charlotte they made a decorative 12kg model of her pram. Other creations have included a floral display in honour of the Chelsea Flower Show, a crown to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and even a chocolate Olympic stadium to commemorate London 2012.

Their latest masterpiece has been made to celebrate the arrival of Cadbury World's pantomime Cinderella.

The team spent two days making its version of Cinderella's coach which weighs in at 30kg.

It's made from a combination of white and milk chocolate and is finished with a sprinkling of gold lustre. The model features an intricately hand-piped carriage, ornate doors, pumpkins, mice, autumn leaves and a beautiful glass slipper.

Donna says she enjoys making these bespoke items which have also included a model of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to coincide with the musical's run at Birmingham Hippodrome.

But her favourite one is a chocolate tribute to Shakespeare highlighting some of the Bard's finest work to mark the 400th anniversary of his death. She says she enjoyed bringing his legacy to life using chocolate.

The tasty masterpiece includes an intricately hand-piped portrait of Shakespeare, a giant book with excerpts from the poet's Sonnet 18, a 3D Globe Theatre, Yorick's skull from Hamlet, MacBeth's knife, and the poison bottle from Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately though, the creations aren't edible – the chocolate actually gets melted down and recycled when they are taken off display!

Donna, who lives in Northfield, says: "Being creative is probably the best part of my job and we never know what we are going to be doing.

"I love all of my job. There's something memorable every week whether it's meeting people or making big Easter eggs for charity – every day is a highlight."

For more information about the pantomime or chocolatier experiences visit www.cadburyworld.co.uk

By Heather Large