Use Easter as an excuse to eat your way around NSW's Blue Mountains on a self-guided chocolate trail, writes H&G's Creative Director Melissa Mylchreest.

I've been known to enjoy the odd piece of chocolate, but after the last week I'm an addict. I blame my job. It all started with a kitchen scales shoot (to appear in H&G's June issue) that we were organising. Somewhere along the way we decided it would look amaaazzzing to style it with huge blocks of chocolate (and Belgian looks best of course). We could use the chocolate for visual effect to create height and different levels for the kitchen scales, and then we could eat it afterwards. Sounds like a plan. On the day, there was so much chocolate the stylists had to wheel it in on a trolley. About 23 kilograms of it covered every spare table in our office. The staff made do and set eating their way through this enormous pile, all turning up to work each day complaining of pimples, hyperactivity and tightening pants, but nevertheless by lunchtime getting stuck into it again. It was melt-in-the-mouth chocolate, very hard to say no.

In the same week, I had agreed to attend a media familiarisation tour in the Blue Mountains to visit three chocolatiers as a kind of chocolate degustation menu. I did feel sick at the thought of already having consumed close to my own body weight in chocolate but I tried to think positive and approach it like an athlete: by training beforehand for this event I might perform better on the day.

We kicked off with a high tea at the newly renovated Fairmont Resort with a beautiful assortment of chocolate and non-chocolate treats. I was happy they eased us in with a few savoury snacks. It sounds like have a problem, but I loved the sugar plate! It was gorgeous (see picture) and featured every different type of sugar you could imagine. I just wanted to order different hot drinks so I could eat more of them. I'm glad I didn't because by the end of my stay I think I'd be a candidate for self-induced diabetes. Check out fairmontresort.com.au for details on Easter events including high tea.

The next stop was Blue Mountains Chocolate Company, where we sampled its famous hot chocolate, made with real chocolate, and got to look a little bit like a chef by wearing paper shower caps and making our own chocolate bars. You can watch the chocolatiers demonstrate their craft most days from 11.30pm and 3.30pm and afterwards you can walk all that chocolate off by visiting the Three Sisters lookout, which is only a short stroll away. Blue Mountains Chocolate Company, 176 Lurline St, Katoomba. www.bluemountainschocolate.com.au.

We didn't have time for walking as we were whisked away to Katoomba's jewel in the crown, the Paragon Cafe, which in its day was a chocolate factory, bakery and cafe, and has recently been brought to life again with the passion and dedication of its new owner, Robyn. As soon as you walk into the Paragon Cafe you feel like you have been transported to a different era. Robyn is a history buff with a lifelong passion for the cafe, and has reopened the chocolate factory and is producing the original Waratah Bar in its stunning 1920s packaging. We had a tour of the chocolate factory after which I felt like an oompha loompa from Willy Wonka! More chocolate, but here it was with a difference - the history, the building, the cutting marks in the original factory marble bench give a sense of nostalgia. We sat in the beautiful ballroom to enjoy a divine dessert devised by chocolatier, Diane Saxby. I felt a little queasy at the thought of another chocolate experience but I pushed through and it was amazing. The chocolate basket itself had a filigree-style pattern, which tied in beautifully with the Art Deco style of the Paragon Cafe, and was filled with beautiful chocolate mousse, fresh berries and cream. It was to die for. We were served by a young man in a tuxedo while another played old tunes on the piano. I'm not sure if it was the chocolate, the sugar high, the passion of owner Robyn, or the place itself but for whatever reason we forgot our inhibitions and all started singing along to the piano... it's a very magical place, and a must-see in the mountains. The cafe and chocolate shop are open seven days. The ballroom is open on Saturday nights with a Jazz singer for entertainment. 65 Katoomba St, Katoomba (02) 4782 2928

A chocolate-appreciation class at award-winning Josophan's Fine Chocolates in Leura was our next stop. The lovely Jodie, owner and chocolatier extraordinaire gave us an education about chocolate through taste. There's an art to this chocolate stuff that I never realised. Single-origin chocolate has its own unique taste in the same way the terroir effects the taste of wine. I was shocked to learn that some commercial chocolate companies strip the beans of their natural flavour and artificially put flavour into the chocolate for consistency. And did you know that a most cocoa beans are organic by default, it's just that most plantations can't afford to get certified? Jodie uses all natural and fresh ingredients. For example a mint flavour is created by pouring hot cream through a strainer with a bunch of mint in it. Because fresh ingredients are used in the chocolates, they need to be consumed within seven days - one deadline I didn't have trouble meeting! Chocolate-appreciation classes run regularly, check out the website for details. Josophan's is open seven days. 132 The Mall, Leura. www.josophans.com.au.

Make your own hot chocolate at Blue Mountains Chocolate Company (left). Amazing chocolate dessert from The Paragon (right). Photos: Meryl Butterworth.

The Waratah Bar from The Paragon is Australia's oldest chocolate bar. Photo: Melissa Mylchreest.

Chocolate appreciation tasting notes at Josophan's. Photo: Melissa Mylchreest.

Too many sugar options! Fairmont resort. Photo: Melissa Mylchreest.