Halstead Chocolatier Creates Gory Props for Netflix Film

A creative artist known as a “horror chocolatier” has gained attention for her unique talent of crafting edible skulls, hearts, and insects that have been featured in various films and TV shows. Sarah Hardy, the mastermind behind The Edible Museum based in Sible Hedingham, Essex, has established herself in this niche field with her remarkable chocolate creations. Her work caught the eye of Mick Jagger, who commissioned her to create a birthday cake for his daughter, setting her on a path to working on projects like Netflix’s latest adaptation of Frankenstein.

Sarah, who describes herself as having a background in sculpting, transitioned from creating “strange sculptures” to crafting intricate chocolate pieces when she became pregnant and began experimenting in her kitchen. Utilizing her expertise in sculpting and molding, she is able to create lifelike pieces that often baffle viewers into thinking they are looking at something other than chocolate. Her creations, made from milk, dark, and white chocolate (with white being the preferred choice for skulls), require meticulous attention to detail and can take weeks to complete. Despite the challenging nature of creating chocolate skulls, which can take up to 10 days each, Sarah is capable of producing up to 50 chocolate hearts in a single day.

When the opportunity arose to contribute her work to the latest Netflix adaptation of Frankenstein, Sarah eagerly accepted the challenge. She was tasked with creating human hearts, bugs, and beetles for the film, each item carefully colored to represent different aspects of the characters and their stories. After delivering the props to Glasgow for filming, filmmakers requested even more of Sarah’s creations, impressed by the quality and realism she was able to achieve with her chocolate sculptures.

For Sarah, who revels in the world of horror and gore, being known as the “horror chocolatier” is a badge of honor. Despite the long hours and intense dedication required to create her masterpieces, she finds joy in being able to bring a touch of the macabre to her edible art.

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