Chocolate Batch Notes Worksheet
Use one copy for each batch. Write the planned recipe before you begin and the actual amounts and observations as you work. A number recorded at the time is more useful than one reconstructed after tasting.
Batch details
| Batch name or number | ____________________________ | Date | ________________ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting material or chocolate | ____________________________ | Planned batch weight | ____________ g |
| Project | ____________________________ | Room conditions | ________________ |
Project might be moulding finished chocolate, refining cacao mass, or making chocolate from beans. Record only the stages you actually use.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Planned amount in g | Actual amount in g | Product or lot note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________ | ________ | ________________ |
| ________________ | ________ | ________ | ________________ |
| ________________ | ________ | ________ | ________________ |
| ________________ | ________ | ________ | ________________ |
Weigh ingredients rather than relying on volume measures. Record a substitution or extra addition in the actual column, even if it was unplanned.
Process notes
| Stage | Target or plan | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Roast and winnow, if used | ________________ | ____________________________ |
| Refine, if used | ________________ | ____________________________ |
| Melt | ________ ?C | ________ ?C at ________ |
| Cool or seed | ________ ?C | ________ ?C at ________ |
| Working temperature | ________ ?C | ________ ?C at ________ |
| Set and release | ________________ | ____________________________ |
Write any deviation beside the stage where it occurred, such as added seed, a change in heating, or a longer refining time.
Finished result
| Appearance and shine | ________________________________________ |
|---|---|
| Snap and mould release | ________________________________________ |
| Texture and melt | ________________________________________ |
| Aroma and flavour | ________________________________________ |
| Anything that went wrong | ________________________________________ |
| Actual finished amount | ____________ g |
Taste and compare samples under similar conditions where you can. Temperature and what you tasted just before can affect a tasting note.
Next batch
One change to test: ________________________________________________
What I expect that change to show: ________________________________
If several things changed during this batch, record it as an exploratory result. The notes still help, but they may not show which change caused the difference.