Penn State’s sweetest course offers hands-on learning for all

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — What is better than chocolate? Chocolate and a deeper understanding of the science behind it.

Offered by the Department of Food Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences, the Chocolate Short Course brings in attendees from across the globe, including the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. Designed for both craft and industrial chocolate manufacturers, the program provides attendees with five days of detailed instruction in chocolate processing from successful chocolate entrepreneurs, equipment manufacturers and Penn State faculty.

Through engaging lectures and practical labs, attendees are instructed in the theory and practice of chocolate production. Beginning with a deep dive into sourcing cacao, the week also includes lectures on food safety and sensory science and a tour of Penn State’s Cacao Greenhouse.

Attendees get an overview of chocolate manufacturing, with a focus on formulation, roasting, liquor grinding and butter pressing. After bean processing, the topic of chocolate manufacturing is dealt with in detail. Attendees learn about grinding, conching, tempering, molding, cooling, storage and shelf life. The course wraps up with the business side of chocolate, including packaging and labeling.

Greg Ziegler, distinguished professor emeritus of food science, explained there is a rich history of chocolate in Pennsylvania and at Penn State. For more than 50 years, Penn State’s Cacao and Chocolate Research Network has conducted research on topics such as health benefits, plant genetic improvement, flavor and quality, and sensory science.

He explained that Penn State hosted chocolate short courses for a few years in the mid-1990s, then revamped the curriculum and began offering the course again in 2022 after seeing an increase in the number of craft chocolate makers.

“Making chocolate is deceptively easy,” Ziegler said. “But making the product well and turning a profit isn’t easy. There’s been significant growth and changes in the industry over the years, so we’ve tailored this course to provide both craft and industrial chocolate manufacturers with the knowledge to make chocolate from bean to bar safely and economically.”

Helene Hopfer, associate professor of food science, added, “The mix of folks from large companies such as The Hershey Company and Blommer Chocolate Company, small craft makers and interested individuals is the special ‘chocolate’ sauce that makes the Penn State Chocolate Short Course such a sweet treat.”

A unique aspect of the Chocolate Short Course is the attendees, said Hopfer. Since registration is open to the public, people from a variety of backgrounds take advantage of the course. This year, 36 attendees headed to University Park to participate.

“Every year we hope the content of the short course is of relevance for our participants, and every year we are amazed how much we all learn from each other, participants and instructors alike,” she said.

Amir Derakhshan is a former chef and current operations manager at As We Do Chocolate Company Inc., a chef-led, bean-to-bar chocolate company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. As someone who was trained primarily in the savory side of the culinary world with limited experience in chocolate making, Derakhshan noted that it was eye-opening to learn about the science behind chocolate.

“The course also showed me how little I actually know about chocolate, and I say that in a good way,” he said. “It helped me realize I have a lot more to learn, and this course was a fantastic jumping-off point. I have a clear path of learning I need to explore further. I also had the chance to network with industry insiders from whom I can learn so much.”

Derakhshan highly recommends the course and said he hopes to send his assistant operations manager and other team members from As We Do Chocolate to take the course in the future.

For Gwen Pace, of Cincinnati, Ohio, taking the course was an opportunity to combine two of her favorite hobbies — food and creating things — while also applying her love of science in a new area. Pace recently retired from Procter & Gamble after more than 30 years as a materials engineer focused on research and development.

“Seeing the unexpected connections between my scientific background and food science was one of the most fun things for me,” she said, adding that she also enjoyed the course structure of having practical lectures in the morning and labs in the afternoon.

“One of the things that I learned in my career but continues to amaze me is that nothing is actually ever simple to manufacture,” she said. “The number of steps and amount of effort that go into making something like a chocolate bar is fascinating.”

Although she is leaning toward producing chocolate for family and friends rather than launching a new business, Pace said she believes the course is a great investment for hobbyists who want to learn in a hands-on setting.

“One of the bonuses is that at the end of the week, you go home with chocolate bars you made,” Pace said.

The next Chocolate Short Course will run from June 21-25, 2027. To learn more or to register, visit the website.