3-day hands-on course
Chocolate Academy - 3 Day Bean to Bar Course
Per person, with lunch, ingredients and equipment included
- Duration
- 3 days, 9:30am to 4pm each day
- Venue
- Tresham College, Manor House, Corby. Free parking
- Tutor
- David Greenwood-Haigh, Coeur de Xocolat
- Group size
- Up to 12 people
- Included
- Lunch, ingredients, equipment, chocolate to take home and a certificate
- Age
- 16 and over
Spaces are limited. Book early to secure your place.
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Chocolate Academy - 3 Day Bean to Bar Course
Booking terms, what to bring and parking
The course
What you'll learn
Make chocolate from cocoa beans, mould your own bars and create filled bonbons. David demonstrates each stage and gives you practical feedback as you work.
Part 1
Bean-to-bar chocolate making
Follow the journey from cocoa bean to finished chocolate and see how each decision shapes flavour and texture.
- Taste and compare chocolates to explore how origin and roasting change flavour
- Roast and crack cocoa beans, then winnow them to separate the nibs from the shells
- Grind and refine the nibs into chocolate
- Try different recipes and taste how the balance of cocoa and sugar changes the batch
Part 2
Tempering and moulding bars
Learn to temper chocolate for a glossy finish and a clean snap, then make your own bars.
- Practise temperature control as you melt, cool and work the chocolate
- Check your temper and learn when the chocolate needs more work
- Fill and tap your moulds to release air, then set and turn out the bars
- Assess shine, snap, flavour and texture, and plan your next batch
Part 3
Filled chocolate bonbons
Put your tempering skills to work on moulded chocolates with thin shells, a balanced filling and a neat finish.
- Form chocolate shells and judge their thickness
- Pipe the filling, leaving room to seal each bonbon
- Cap and demould, checking the finish and the seal
- Taste the results and see how chocolate and filling work together
Your tutor
David Greenwood-Haigh
Chef, chocolatier and founder of Coeur de Xocolat
David has spent more than 40 years in professional kitchens, hospitality and chocolate, starting out in Yorkshire. He is a World Master Chef, a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality and Head Judge of the British Chocolate Awards, and he judges for the Academy of Chocolate Awards, the International Chocolate Awards and Great Taste.
He teaches student chefs, chocolate makers and cocoa growers, from UK colleges to farming communities in Ghana, Togo, São Tomé and Príncipe and Haiti. For David, knowledge is worth most when it is passed on.
Read David's bookPassport to Cacao - Book by David Greenwood-Haigh
£15.00
Who the course is for
Over the three days you'll have time to ask questions, compare results and practise techniques you can use on your next chocolate project. The course is open to anyone aged 16 or over.
Curious beginners
No chocolate making experience needed. Each stage is demonstrated before you try it yourself.
Home chocolate makers
Go back to the bean and connect the chocolate you start with to the bars and bonbons you finish.
Aspiring chocolatiers
Build the tempering, moulding and bonbon skills behind professional chocolates.
Patisserie and hospitality
Add bean-to-bar chocolate, bars and filled bonbons to your kitchen skills.
Staying nearby
Where to stay
Coming from further afield? Here are a few hotels in Corby. They aren't connected with Cocoa Hub, so please check prices and availability with the hotel.
Holiday Inn Corby - Kettering A43
View hotelGeddington Road, Corby NN18 8ET
Restaurant, spa and indoor pool.
Good to know
Times
9:30am to 4pm on each of the three days.
What's included
All ingredients, equipment and aprons, lunch each day, the chocolate you make to take home, and a certificate.
What to wear and bring
Wear closed-toe, flat shoes. Tie long hair back and leave dangling jewellery at home.
Aprons are provided.
Bring a notebook and pen, a water bottle, and a container or bag to take your chocolate home.
Allergies and dietary needs: please let us know before the course so we can plan for them.
Venue and parking
Tresham College, Manor House, Corby. Free parking is available.
Age and group size
The course is open to anyone aged 16 or over, with up to 12 people per course.
Booking and cancellation
Your place is confirmed when you book.
If you cancel more than 14 days before the course starts, we'll refund 50% of the course fee. If you cancel within 14 days of the start date, the course fee is non-refundable.
Travelling from abroad
International visitors are welcome. If you need a visa to come to the UK, we can help with evidence of your place on the course for your visa application. Just get in touch after booking.
More dates
More dates are planned for November 2027.