Meine Schoko Kreation (My Chocolate Creation) – Berlin, Germany

Sweet, rich, chocolate bliss melts in my mouth as I bite into my candy bar. My taste buds explode with excitement as my mouth waters from the delicate chocolate recipe I have just unlocked. This wasn’t just any chocolate bar; this was MY chocolate bar. As I devour the milk-chocolate goodness, I think back to the joy I felt when I walked into Meine Schoko Kreation. The walls were plastered with colorful squares and two “Schoko Kreation” stations occupy the floor. I felt like a kid in heaven, thinking to myself “I get to create my own chocolate bar?!” as I looked at the various options. Through the glass I could spot assorted ingredients: cornflakes, chili, cocoa nibs, marshmallows, caramelized almonds, and the list goes. First, the most important decision was upon me: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate? I chose the classic milk chocolate. I made sure to pick out my three ingredients while I waited in line so no time was wasted when it was my turn to order. I was up next. “Milk chocolate with marshmallows, cocoa nibs, and caramelized almonds please,” I eagerly told the man behind the counter. He gave me a ticket and I watched as they mixed all the ingredients, poured it into a mold, then into the cooler it went. I had 25 minutes to kill so I made my way to the gift shop (bad idea). It was filled with Ritter Sport chocolate bars, some as little as € 1,05. I stocked up on chocolate and made my way up to the café. My professor, classmate, and I enjoyed a delicious chocolate-based coffee drink and by the time we were done, our soon-to-be most prized possession was done as well. Like little kids on Christmas morning, we hustled down the escalator and gave our ticket to a different man behind the counter. They pulled out our trays from the cooler, popped them out of the mold, and started to pack up the chocolate. It seemed like years went by, but I was finally handed my precious chocolate bar. We all said “danka” and walked out the door. From that moment on, nothing else mattered except how quickly we could unwrap our Schoko Kreation.