TUCKED away in a modest building on an industrial estate in Minehead sits a business envied by all chocoholics - Nutcombe Chocolate headquarters.

“Sorry if we seem a bit hectic,” said Richard Robbins, owner of Nutcombe Chocolates. “It's a really busy time of year.”

At the time of my visit, Nutcombe Chocolates had a full diary consisting of making chocolate to supply to Dunster by Candlelight, Dulverton by Starlight and the Exmoor Producers Association shop in Friday Street in Minehead.

“We don't supply too far afield,” says Richard, “we want to promote local independently owned shops, like us.”

Personally, I imagined a handful of little elves frantically moulding chocolate into the shape of little hearts and sprinkling chocolatey fairy-dust over nutty delights.

Instead there were just two people in the kitchen, calmly manipulating the melted chocolate into edible designs.

Lorna Robbins, who is married to Richard, is quietly inspecting a tray of cooled treats from the refrigerator.

With a background in IT, Richard openly admits that he is in charge of the administration of the business, Lorna provides the creativity.

Neither Richard nor Lorna had any experience in making chocolate - “only in tasting chocolate!” - before taking over the business from friends of friends.

Moving to Minehead, Richard and Lorna were Londoners, embracing the daily commute in the city that never sleeps.

“We used to live in Beckenham and I used to work in a Swedish bank - the last time I had any money!” jokes Richard.

But it was returning to London after two years living in Stockholm that was the deciding factor for the pair.

“It was coming back to London and seeing that the city was worse than I remembered!,” says Richard.

“Stockholm is smaller - about Taunton sized - it's a fantastic place. And it's so clean and fun!

“Our kids were four and six or something like that and we thought if we're going to move, we should do it before they get too much into school.”

Moving to Somerset with a primary focus on their other business of renting out holiday flats, the couple needed to find a way to supplement their income.

Hence, the chocolate factory. “We bought the factory and all of the equipment and Lorna spent some time with Anne, the previous owner.

“Lorna's interests had been sugar crafts and cake decorating, so we were confident that she had the ability.”

And indeed, after spending a little time with the previous owner, Lorna grasped the art. And all the challenges people have set for her too.

“I like it to be honest,” says Lorna. “I like making the things that people ask for and seeing it work.”

Once a company placed a large order for chocolate shoes to give as a gift to their employees.

Lorna rose to the challenge by sending off for a mould of an actual shoe to be made and then set about painting the mould with chocolate.

Lorna explains how the detailing is applied to the mould with a paintbrush, starting with the lighter detail in white chocolate, followed by the milk chocolate details before layering on the dark chocolate base which forms the shape.

The bigger structures are made in two halves and sealing them together is the last thing to do. Another of Lorna's creations is a three foot tall Father Christmas.

“It took me such a long time - a few days I think - but I was really pleased with the result!”

The constant innovation and creativity is evident in the kitchen of this chocolatier.

“I make moulds out of everything! I keep a lot of pieces of plastic that I think has an interesting shape - like this,” Lorna shows me a rectangular piece of plastic with indented squares.

“This was an advent calendar from years ago, but I like the shapes.” Lorna and Richard must be praised for her patience for the job at hand as there is much time and effort dedicated to the detail of each and every individual chocolate.

But personally, I admire their ability to refrain from eating the ingredients during the preparatory work. The swirling, melted chocolate and the boxes of beautiful, edible garnishes makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

I know for one thing, if I owned a chocolate factory, I doubt there would be anything left for me to sell.