What is the difference between cocoa powder and baking cocoa

Chocolate has two main components—cocoa solids where the flavor comes from and cocoa butter where the rich texture comes from.

In other words, you can think of cocoa powder as chocolate with most of its cocoa butter removed. Recipes that use cocoa often specify either natural or Dutch-process cocoa. Dutch-process cocoa has been treated with alkali, which increases the pH and mellows sharp flavors.

The finished texture of a dessert is strongly influenced by the types of fat in the recipe, be it butter, oil, cocoa butter from chocolate, or a combination.

Some desserts need the silkiness that only cocoa butter can provide. Cocoa butter is an unusual fat because it melts at a temperature very close to our body temperature. In puddings, ganache, and mousses, the luxurious mouth-feel of cocoa butter really shines, so for these desserts, chocolate yes, the best you can find is almost always preferable to cocoa powder. In fact, adding a tablespoon or two to puddings or mousses along with the chocolate can boost the flavor without altering how the custard sets up.

In cakes, the choice is more complicated. Cakes made with cocoa and cakes made with chocolate can differ remarkably in flavor and texture. And those differences have a lot to do with the other fats used in the recipe.

Cakes made with cocoa powder and oil are tender and intensely flavored. Its deep flavor, dark color, and moist texture come from pairing cocoa powder with oil. And the texture is moist because vegetable oil is liquid at room temperature and even when cool , unlike butter and cocoa butter, which are solid.

Chocolate cake made with chocolate, on the other hand, is temperature-sensitive. Remember, cocoa butter is hard even at cool room temperature. This is not to say that cakes made with chocolate are unpleasant; you just need to remember to serve them at room temperature. And, the fact is, the cocoa butter can make for a pleasantly firm cake, especially if the recipe contains at least 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate—think of a rich Bundt cake with a dense, springy crumb.

In brownies, cocoa yields chewy results, while chocolate gives a fudgy texture. Chocolate lovers can be snobby about brownies, but the fact is that cocoa powder makes for fabulously rich, chewy brownies. The last variable to their final texture is the nature of the fat used in the recipe—specifically how hard the fat is at the temperature the brownies are to be served.

Important information on cooking with Cocoa. Ingredients For differences in cocoa and their uses. How To Make differences in cocoa and their uses 1 Cocoa Powder Cocoa powder is made when chocolate liquor is pressed to remove three quarters of its cocoa butter.

The remaining cocoa solids are processed to make fine unsweetened cocoa powder. There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: natural and Dutch-processed. It has a reddish-brown color, mild flavor, and is easy to dissolve in liquids.

Its delicate flavor makes it ideal in baked goods like European cakes and pastries where its subtle flavor complements other ingredients. Droste, Lindt, Valrhona, Poulain and Pernigotti are some popular brands. Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder tastes very bitter and gives a deep chocolate flavor to baked goods.

Its intense flavor makes it well suited for use in brownies, cookies and some chocolate cakes. When natural cocoa an acid is used in recipes calling for baking soda an alkali , it creates a leavening action that causes the batter to rise when placed in the oven.

Popular brands are Hershey's, Ghirardelli, and Scharffen Berger. Cocoa powder can also be used in recipes with other chocolates unsweetened or dark and this combination produces a cake with a more intense chocolate flavor than if the cocoa wasn't present. Most recipes call for sifting the cocoa powder with the flour but to bring out its full flavor it can be combined with a small amount of boiling water.

If you want to try this in a recipe, substitute some of the liquid in the recipe for boiling water. To explain the differentiation between cacao and cocoa powders, we first need to address this key question. Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, the dried and fermented seeds of the cacao tree, a small evergreen tree native to South America and West Africa. After fermentation, the beans are dried, roasted, crushed into pieces called nibs, and ground into a non-alcoholic liquor , that is often combined with milk, cocoa butter, vanilla, sugar, and other ingredients to make chocolate.

The difference between cacao and cocoa is that cocoa has been processed at high heat, which destroys much of the nutritional benefits of the cacao seed. Cacao powder is made of fermented not roasted seeds that are processed at low temperatures and then milled into a powder.

This ensures that its nutritional benefits—and its bitter flavor—are preserved. Cacao nibs are often used as an ingredient or to top baked goods and smoothies, but cacao is also great for bringing out depth in savory dishes, like these chile-rubbed pork chops. Cocoa powder, meanwhile , comes from fermented and roasted beans that are processed at a higher heat and milled into a powder.