What kind of cocoa powder for baking

Baking soda is a leavening agent that is activated when it comes into contact with acidic ingredients—think of cakes that call for yogurt or buttermilk or even vinegar in addition to baking soda.

The flip side of this is that Dutch process cocoa often yields fudgier, denser baked goods—a real plus in our book. Not every brand specifies if its cocoa powder is natural or Dutch process. It's mostly sugar! Read your labels carefully lest you get home from the grocery store ready to bake only to find that you've picked up hot chocolate mix by mistake.

You can always make your own hot cocoa using baking cocoa powder sweetened to taste. It has complex, bitter tasting notes and yields silky, fudge-like results when baked into desserts. Its high fat content makes it your best option for making luxurious ice cream and rich chocolate pudding pies. The fridge or freezer might seem tempting, but both of those spots actually foster humid environments; for cocoa powder specifically, they should be avoided.

Well-stored cocoa powder will keep for up to two years, but the strength of flavor does fade a bit over time. This is the most common cocoa powder, both in stores and in recipes. Cocoa beans are naturally quite acidic, and regular cocoa powder is as well, with a pH level between 5. This makes it a great addition to recipes that include baking soda , as the cocoa will trigger the chemical reaction that causes lift and lightness in your final bake.

Dutch-process cocoa powder is made by soaking cocoa beans in an alkali solution—a process developed by a Dutch chemist in the s—which neutralizes the acidity and cuts a bit of the bitterness.

The resulting product is darker in color than natural cocoa powder, and less harshly flavored. It creates what some people consider a richer, fudgier flavor in baked goods. But if your cake or brownie recipe relies on the lift of baking soda plus an acid to achieve the right consistency, be sure to stick to the non-alkalized stuff to wind up with the correct crumb and chew.

This is a style of Dutch-process cocoa powder that—as a result of heavy, repeated processing—is extremely dark in color. The same rules apply for black cocoa powder as any Dutch-process powder in terms of baking soda versus baking powder as the leavening agent, so read the recipe carefully before subbing it in.

It is smooth and super dark. Much darker than light brown natural cocoa powder which is not as processed. Here at The Greater Goods, we offer consultation services for your business, from food production to distribution. Natural Cocoa Powder Natural cocoa powder is the most common type of cocoa powder, both in stores and when used in recipes. Book a Free Consultation.