Description:
A chocolate powder produced from cocoa beans that have been roasted, husked, and processed to remove the fat, which is the cocoa butter contained in the bean. The bean is then ground into a fine powder as unsweetened cocoa powder or it can be sweetened by adding sweetening agents. The two main types of cocoa powder are natural cocoa powder, also known as non-alkalinised cocoa, or Dutch cocoa powder also known as Dutched, alkalinised, or Dutch processed cocoa powder.
How to select:
Dutch cocoa is preferred for beverages and frozen desserts, and for dusting baked goods. Recipes for baked goods usually use nonalkalized cocoa powder. You can often substitute one type of cocoa for the other, but if the recipe includes baking soda, it may be counting on the acid in natural cocoa in order to react.
Use:
cocoa powder is mixed into cakes, ice creams, creams, cookies, or drinks as a natural flavour. It is the second most popular ice cream flavour, after vanilla. Sometimes it is merely used as a natural colouring agent for food, such as pasta.
How to store:
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 2 years.
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