Photo: kingarthur.com |
When shopping for cocoa, there are several varieties that may have you starching your head over which to buy. Here is a handy guild from King Arthur Flour that I will summarize. You're welcome!:
1) Natural cocoa - is solid unsweetened chocolate that's had most of it's fat removed before being ground into a powder. Baker's chocolate is an example. Use this one for cake frosting, brownies and hot chocolate.
2) Dutch process cocoa - is natural cocoa that's been treated with an alkalizing agent to lower it's acidity. This lets its pure chocolate flavor shine through, making it ideal to use in baked goods like chocolate cake.
3) Black cocoa - is new to me as my otherwise excellent supermarket doesn't carry it. It is a cocoa that's been strongly Dutched giving it a very dark color and intense flavor. Homemade faux-reos cookies (think Oreos) owe their nearly black color to this ultra-strong cocoa.
You are wondering what is in that can of Hersey's cocoa in the back of your cupboard (the same one your mother bought over the years) aren't you? Its classic natural cocoa powder, although nowadays you have a 2nd choice: Hersey's Special Dark, a blend of natural and Dutch process cocoas.
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