/ Programs / Chocolate Making from the Bean
Chocolate Making from the Bean
Source cocoa beans. Roast. Winnow. Grind. Temper chocolate and mold into bars. The steps sound simple, but there is so much knowledge that goes into each one. If you want to learn to make delicious chocolate from scratch using dried cocoa beans, this program is for you. The two-month, 100% online Chocolate Making from the Bean Program covers the entire chocolate making and manufacturing process, including setting up your chocolate factory. How do we teach chocolate making online?
Current program: September 26 - November 28, 2025
Chocolate Making from the Bean Program Registration Fee:
$525.00 US or CAD funds (plus GST for Canadian Residents)
Or, want to get started on your chocolate making business plan?
Chocolate Making from the Bean Program PLUS Registration Fee:
$720.00 US or CAD (plus GST for Canadian Residents)
With the Chocolate Making from the Bean Program PLUS, you add the Business Plan for Chocolate Makers Program at $195.00 - a $50.00 savings. This also allows you another four weeks in the Chocolate Making From the Bean curriculum for extra study and research while you take the Business Plan for Chocolate Makers curriculum.
Note: These registration fees do not include chocolate which will be needed to complete the Understanding Chocolate Flavor and Sourcing Cocoa Beans Modules. This chocolate could cost approximately $200.00 US.
NEW STUDENTS, to register for either program, click here: NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION
Ecole Chocolat STUDENTS OR GRADUATES, to register for either program, click here: REGISTRATION
What Will I Learn?
Understanding chocolate
- Develop a resource list for chocolate making equipment and suppliers.
- Research current chocolate manufacturers to gain an understanding of the scope of the industry.
- Understand the issues around cocoa sustainability and social justice in order to make cocoa sourcing choices that align with your values.
Understanding chocolate flavor
- Understand chocolate chemistry and flavor as well as the ingredients and processes that contribute to taste.
- Conduct a formal series of tastings in order to develop your chocolate tasting palate.
Sourcing cocoa beans – your most important ingredient
- Increase your knowledge of cocoa beans and their sourcing from specialized distributors and agents.
- Understand cacao bean post-harvest processing best practices and steps to ensuring quality and traceability.
- Want to get your hands dirty? We include an Optional Exercise in sensory evaluation of cocoa beans.
Chocolate manufacturing process
- Understand the processes and machinery needed to turn dried cocoa beans into beautiful chocolate.
- Gain the knowledge you need on chocolate crystallization, tempering and best manufacturing practices.
- Want to get your hands dirty? We include two Optional Exercises for those students who already have chocolate making machinery or those who prefer to buy machinery to use during the program: a) roasting, cracking and winnowing cocoa beans and b) grinding, refining and conching your chocolate mass.
Formulating your operations plan
- Understand the financial and human resources needed to run a chocolate-manufacturing business.
- Make informed decisions on finding your location, equipping your facility and planning for production.
Click here to see the curriculum of the optional Business Plan for Chocolate Makers Module
Your Learning Experience
Committed to making organic chocolate bars, vegan chocolate bars and incorporating functional choices such as keto chocolate or no sugar chocolate?
If you have made ethical or dietary choices in your life, we welcome you into our programs. The knowledge and skills you learn can be applied to any type of specialty chocolate bar. Information on making vegan chocolate bars and more....
When is the chocolate making program offered during the year?
We offer sessions of the program starting in February and September each year.
Is there a restriction on the number of students you take each session?
Even though the curriculum is online, we do cut off registrations when we reach the maximum number of students our instructor and online tutor feel they have adequate time to be able to work with properly.
TO ENSURE A SEAT IN THE PROGRAM, check the program date above to see if the current session is still open. When the program is full, we change the program date to the future session.
How do we teach chocolate making online?
Click here for a more information about our learning experience.
Our faculty
Click here to read more about our instructors and tutors.
Class assessment
Students will be assessed by completion of assignments throughout the program.
Certificate
Students completing the program with a score of 70% or more will receive an Ecole Chocolat Certificate of Achievement.
What our graduates have to say
“The program exceeded my expectations. The volume of information provided was overwhelming but in a good way. It is amazing how one person can be exposed virtually to the various stakeholders within the cocoa value chain and learn about them. I have personally enjoyed the quality and content of the videos used in the modules and surprisingly being able to recognize some local as well as international players in the industry. This is a great place to start and a great place to take off. Kudos to the creators of this program for doing such an incredible job.”
Roxanna, 2024 Graduate
“Yes, I started out with really minimal knowledge in chocolate production and the intricacies behind it, and have learnt so much. Yes, 9 out of 10."
Logan, 2024 Graduate
“I was expecting to be taught, in detail, how to make B2B chocolate in 2-4 kilo batches. Instead the vast majority of the information was about making B2B chocolate using mid to high level production techniques and equipment. This was fantastic for me as I had already educated myself on how to make chocolate in small batches and this taught me where, and how, for my next steps in growth. The endless lists of links and connections into the industry is pure gold. I have a lot more confidence that I can find the right equipment, packaging solutions, beans, industry events, and even people and organizations to network with.”
Curtis, 2024 Graduate
Home chocolate artisans!
If you want to become an expert in chocolate making, but are not interested in starting a business, we offer the Cacao to Chocolate Stream during the program. Click here for more information
Cancellation policy
You can cancel from the Chocolate Making from the Bean Program up to three days before the start of the program. A refund of your registration fee, minus a 10% administration fee, may take approximately 10 working days to process. Because our programs are usually full, and in order to make sure all students are committed, on the start date of your program, your registration fee becomes non-refundable and non-transferable to another session (except in extraordinary circumstances).
Get reminders about upcoming classes! To receive program updates and news, click the link below.
Photography by Jessica Washburn, Bliss Chocolatier and Ecole Chocolat
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Contact Us
Email: info@ecolechocolat.com
Visits by appointment only:
505 Montgomery
San Francisco, CA U.S.
1-213-291-8309
Canadian or International
1666 West 2nd Ave
Vancouver, B.C. Canada
1-604-484-1872
Ecole Chocolat is a woman-owned and operated chocolate education organization. Founded by chocolatier, Pam Williams, we are the professional school of chocolate arts for both chocolatiers and chocolate makers. We also donate our time, leadership, expertise and funds to preserve the fine chocolate industry and save fine cacao.
