FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Chocolates
How do I order?
All of our chocolate products are available to order online through the online shop for UK nationwide delivery.
How much are shipping costs?
Royal Mail 48 Tracked - £4.90
Alternatively, you can collect for free at The Little House (Address: The Little House, Dairy House, Horton, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 7JH). Please notify us and confirm a collection date and time prior to arriving.
When shall I expect delivery?
You can expect for your chocolates to arrive within 1-2 days from when you receive
your dispatch confirmation email. Please kindly allow time for chocolate production and occasional delays when The Royal Mail are going through a busy period, such as Christmas
or Bank Holidays.
If you would like to order chocolates to arrive at a later or specific date, please send us an email at helllo@thelittlehousedorset.com and we would be more than happy to arrange this for you.
What is the shelf life of your chocolates?
The bonbons should be consumed within 6 weeks of receipt due to the nature of the fresh cream and fruit used in the fillings. The bars have a shelf life of up to 6 months.
Our chocolates are always made freshly, to ensure our customers can consume them at their optimum standard.
How should I store my chocolates?
Please avoid placing the chocolates (both bonbons and bars) inside the fridge! The moisture and condensation causes the chocolate to go out of temper, meaning the fat crystals in the chocolate will cause the chocolate to bloom and lose its distinctive snap and shiny finish. Also, room temperature is the best way to consume chocolate! The cocoa butter easily dissolves on the tongue when the flavour is at its strongest.
We advise you to place your chocolates in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, heat source, moisture and strong odours.
Can I return my order?
Unfortunately, due to the perishable nature of the products, we are unable to accept returns on all orders.
We always ensure our products are tightly wrapped, secure and cushioned in their packaging where applicable. If your chocolates arrived broken, please send us an email at hello@thelittlehousedorset.com and we would be more than happy to assist you.
Do you cater vegan, gluten-free or other free-from chocolates?
Yes! Some of our bars and bonbons are vegan, while most of them are gluten-free. The full list of ingredients can be found on the 'Ingredients' tab on each product page, where the allergens are bold and underlined.
Alternatively, if you would like to order bespoke chocolates, corporate or wholesale quantities, please get in touch and we can discuss flavours, colour schemes and packaging that will suit your dietary needs and budget.
Pâtisserie
How do I order?
For cake orders - please see our cake guide for size/pricing, flavour list and design inspiration. It also contains a contact form where you can easily input your enquiry. Alternatively, send us an email at hello@thelittlehousedorset.com.
For afternoon tea orders - these are available to dine in for our holiday cottage guests. Our afternoon tea boxes are available for local delivery/collection. Please note that our afternoon tea is only available between June - August.
Do you do collection or delivery?
Our cake orders are usually for collection only at The Little House (Address: The Little House, Dairy House, Horton, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 7JH). If you would like it to be delivered, we can arrange delivery for a small fee of 50p per mile (up to a 15 mile radius).
How much notice period do you need to book?
Ideally, one week please! Although, we understand that sometimes life gets in the way and you may be needing cakes at the last minute. Please mention so in your enquiry and we may be able to help you, but we can't guarantee during a busy period.
What is the shelf life of your cakes?
Sponge, chiffon, buttercream and ganache covered cakes have a shelf life of up to 5 days. Some cakes or other pâtisserie items where fresh fruits, cream and/or dairy is used will have a much shorter shelf life of up to 3 days.
How should I store my cake?
Each cake varies and so we advise specific storage instructions on the cake cards that we provide with every cake order. For maximum shelf life, we would advise you to store your cake in the fridge. But please remove it 1-2 hours before consumption to let it come to room temperature. Room temperature cakes are much better to consume, when the buttercream and sponges have become that little bit softer. If you are storing your cake in the fridge, please do so in their original cake box as cakes become dry in the fridge especially if it's uncovered, where it could also absorb the fridge odours.
Do you cater vegan, gluten-free or other free-from cakes?
Absolutely! Almost all of our cakes can be made vegan or gluten-free. While we do our utmost best to prevent cross contamination, we cannot guarantee that our kitchen is completely allergen-free as these ingredients may also be prepared in our premises. But please let us know in your enquiry and we will do our best to advise.