Chocolate Essentials
Food & Beverage
A course by
New Zealand School of Food & Wine
A one day or two evening hands-on course that teaches essential chocolate making skills in the professional kitchen, covering techniques and tricks under the guidance of specialized tutors.
In-person study
Face-to-face learning in a physical classroom setting
New Zealand School of Food and Wine, Auckland
Core skills this course teaches
Understand chocolate ingredients and quality
Gain foundational knowledge about chocolate types, key ingredients, and how ingredient choice affects results.
Master chocolate tempering
Learn and apply correct techniques for melting and cooling chocolate to achieve glossy, well-tempered results.
Produce a variety of chocolate products
Create chocolate treats such as gateau, ganache, truffles, piped decorations, and spun sugar to professional standards.
What You're Signing Up For
Chocolate Essentials is a short, practical course offered by the New Zealand School of Food and Wine, focusing on key skills and techniques in working with chocolate. Delivered over one day (weekend) or two evenings, participants learn about chocolate ingredients, tempering, piping runouts, ganache creation, and produce a series of chocolate treats under the guidance of an experienced chef-tutor. The course takes place in a supportive, small-class environment and is suitable for those wishing to build confidence and knowledge working with chocolate.
Course Content
- Introduction to chocolate varieties
- Tempering chocolate: melting and cooling for a shiny finish
- Runouts: piping shapes and designs from melted chocolate
- Ganache: ratios, uses and making truffles/icing
- Chocolate gateau preparation
- Spun sugar techniques
- Practical chocolate work in a professional kitchen
What you need to know first
Aged 17 or over
English language recommendation: NCEA Level 1 or IELTS 5.0
What sort of industry will this job lead to
Hospitality
Food Preparation
Confectionery
Future employment opportunities might be
Entry level chocolate and confectionery roles
Hospitality service roles with chocolate preparation
Personal baking/catering business enhancement