PORT and stilton, Bakewell tart and toast and marmalade are just a few of the unusual flavours on offer at a new boutique chocolate shop.

‘Chocolat By Daniel Coletta’ has opened for business in James Street, Blackburn, after the success of Mr Coletta’s online chocolatier firm.

As well as making chocolates, offering treats such as bespoke wedding favours, there is also a chocolate academy and visitors will be able to watch chocolate making demonstrations and sign up to a chocolate lovers subscription which will offer them first taste of new flavours.

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Pastry chef Daniel, who lives in the Infirmary area, decided to start his new business after tiring of the long hours in the restaurant industry.

Taking a year out to try something else he had a flash of inspiration and came up with the idea to make a tea set entirely out of chocolate.

While the tea set never ended up taking shape a range of chocolates based around an afternoon tea did.

The 24-year-old has developed more than 40 flavours which include anything from a tarragon caramel to creme brulee.

Inspired by boundary-pushing chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and Francisco Migoya, Daniel said: “I love to come up with new techniques and am particularly proud of my Amaretto truffle, which uses compressed nitrous oxide to create a texture like an Aero bar, only a little more grown up. Opening a shop will take the business, which I launched online a year ago, to the next level.

“It’s exciting and terrifying at the same time but I know that I’ve got something unique to offer and to do it in my hometown is the icing on the cake.”

Daniel received start-up advice from the Blackburn is Open scheme and was given £5,000 from Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Assistance to Industry Scheme.

Executive member for regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Coun Maureen Bateson, said: “The council has put in place its 12-point plan including the Blackburn is Open scheme to help kick-start regeneration in the town centre and promote businesses for this purpose, to support new creative talents who are thinking of basing themselves in Blackburn.”