Professional Chocolatier Program for Yavapai College

Ecole Chocolat is hoping we can offer our program again in the Fall to the students and community of

Are you curious about making chocolates, but not sure where to start?

Our Professional Chocolatier Program will teach you the skills and knowledge you need to make delicious chocolates and confections, right in your own kitchen. This intensive part-time program in chocolate making is delivered 100% online over a three-month period. There are no set times that you have to be online, so you can learn without "re-engineering" your work and personal life. We take all the intimidation out of working with chocolate - our expert team of instructors and tutors are with you every step of the way. Whether you are serious about a career or business in chocolate or just want to make the most fabulous chocolates in the world for your family and friends, we welcome you. Want to develop vegan, plant-based, or recipes that fulfill other dietary desires? With our program, you'll learn everything you need to know to create the products you want.

Upcoming Program Date: September 17 - November 17, 2021 - Please note that we have not yet confirmed the Yavapai offer - check back in early September.

What Will I learn?

Understanding chocolate

• Develop a shopping list of chocolate-making suppliers for all ingredients and equipment.
• Research chocolate crystallization and practice tempering techniques – the building blocks of chocolate work.

Physiology of taste

• Understand the chemistry of chocolate in order to create successful chocolate recipes.
• Learn modern decorating techniques and experiment in preparation for recipe development.

Technique and production

• Learn and practice working with chocolate (including chocolate tempering, dipping, decorating and molding).
• Produce a number of chocolate recipes such as chocolate truffles and other bonbons (filled chocolates).

Developing a "plan of action"

• Source your ingredients, equipment and packaging so you'll know the suppliers available to you.
• Understand how to set up your operation to maximize production, efficiency and profitability.
• Identify market need in order to position your products successfully for your target market.

Your Learning Experience and FAQs

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. We will post on this page when the program is full. Meanwhile if you don't see the FULL notice, you can assume there is space still available.

How do we teach chocolate making online?

Click here for a more information about our learning experience. (opens in a new window)

How much time each week should I set aside for the program?

You should set aside 8-10 hours per week for study, research and practice.

Our faculty

Click here to read more about our instructors and tutors. (opens in a new window)

Certificate

Yavapai College students completing the program with a score of 70% or more on the program assignments will receive an Ecole Chocolat Certificate of Achievement with the Yavapai College Emblem.

Will I receive Yavapai College course credits?

YC students who complete the Ecole Chocolat Certificate of Achievement will receive a 15% discount on other noncredit cooking programs offered by Yavapai College.

Is there funding available to Yavapai College students?

Financial aid may not be applied to this Yavapai College noncredit partner program.

Student Supplies List needed to complete the assignments for your budgeting purposes. More exact details will be given when you register.

Chocolate - it doesn't matter whether the chocolate you are sourcing comes in block form or wafer/button form. Either form works fine for the program:

No less than 5 kilos (approx. 10 lbs) of chocolate. This amount to include:

3 Kilo (6.6 lbs) Dark chocolate

1 Kilo (2.2 lbs) Milk chocolate

1 Kilo (2.2 lbs) White chocolate

For a total of 5 kilos.

If you are vegan, lactose or dairy intolerant, it is ok to use only dark chocolate in your recipe development assignments and practice - just increase your Dark Chocolate supplies to a total of 5 kilos and do not buy Milk or White Chocolate.

For the Tasting Assignment due about a month into the program, you will want to find a variety of other dark chocolates to taste and compare with each other and with the chocolate you have chosen to work with in chocolate making. You will need about 85 - 113 g ( 3 - 4 oz.) bar of each. Don't worry about this now, you'll have time in the program before the assignment is due to source these bars.

Other Kitchen Equipment: You will need some specialized equipment on top of your regular kitchen equipment such as bowls, pans, spatulas, spoons, etc.

Not all this equipment will be used right from the beginning of the program. If you are on a limited budget, you may want to wait to order as you need for assignments and practice sessions. You'll have the schedule of the assignments and practice once the program starts.

Needed in week 2 at the start of the program for tempering:

Microwave or Double Boiler (Bain Marie) for melting chocolate.

Thermometer(s) with a range no less than approximately 80°F to 300°F. You might need two thermometers to get both: 80 - 100°F (27 - 38°C) range for chocolate tempering and then up to 300°F (149°C) for boiling sugar. Glass, metal or digital probe type thermometers are acceptable.

Parchment or Baking Paper.

Marble Slab - you will need a cool working surface to hand temper chocolate. A granite or marble counter is perfect or purchase a marble slab approximately 18" (45cm) x 18" (45cm). They are available in most kitchen stores or look for end pieces at your local marble/granite supplier and buy direct from the source. They will rough cut the slab. The reason for the stone slab or counter is its cooling properties. Marble or granite stay cold even on warm days and retain their cool while you are working on them. The thicker your stone slab the better to retain the cooling properties. Most stone slabs come in either 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) or 3/4 inch (19 mm) thickness. Either thickness will work but thicker is better if you can afford that and have a counter to keep it permanently (a thicker slab is much heavier). Composite counter materials such as stainless steel, Arborite or Corian do not have the same cold retention properties as natural stone.

Accurate Kitchen Scale

Pallet Knife

Pastry Brush - buy a new one that you will only use for chocolate work.

Needed sometime in week 3 - 8 to complete your Recipe Development Assignments:

Chocolate Molds - If at all possible, find professional polycarbonate molds with deep cavities. Molds might be available in your local kitchen stores, bakery or restaurant supply companies. If not, you can order the molds from the sources we have provided on our Chocolate Making Molds page:
http://www.ecolechocolat.com/en/chocolate-mold-suppliers.html

Transfer Sheets - polyethylene film that is silk-screened with colored cocoa butter designs that transfer onto melted chocolate. The sheets originally were used in professional chocolate and pastry work in Europe. Transfers come in sheets and rolls. Here are some examples:
http://www.chocolateaccents.com
http://www.americanchocolatedesigns.com
http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/candies/transfersheets.htm

What our graduates have to say

EC Graduate Alexandra Clark talks about starting her business in the embedded video above.

“Absolutely! I hoped to learn a lot about chocolate and get creative and have fun in the kitchen. Ecole Chocolat delivered that and more! I started the course knowing very little about chocolate except that good chocolate tastes heavenly and looks pretty. I wanted to gain a better appreciation for the art and science behind high quality chocolate. The course was packed with good information that was very current and relevant. Many of the contributors were well known people in the industry and some Ecole Chocolat graduates. My biggest takeaway from the course it that there is so much more to learn about chocolate!”
Julie, Sept '20 Graduate

“Most definitely. All of the core knowledge required for me to gain a deeper understanding of chocolate was described in the curriculum. I have learned more about chocolate in these 3 months, than I have learned in the last 3 years. The course has only made me appreciate the world of chocolate even more and I'm ready to take on bigger challenges and walk amongst the best of the best. I am much more confident in my skills now, and I'm able to appreciate an artisan's work much more. The best part is all of the connections I have made in the program (and outside), consistently challenging myself has definitely paid off! I loved every minute of this program :)”
Abhinav, Sept '20 Graduate

“100% I had an idea of starting my own chocolate business and by doing this course, it highlighted the passion I have for chocolate. Also it confirmed that I am going ahead with starting my business and I can not wait. I have decided on what I am going to make and start from there, I will start of slow and see where it takes me.”
Patricia, Sept '20 Graduate

More comments from our graduates