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Cocoa powder is one of the most common baking ingredients, due to its special powdery texture, which is easy to merge and rich in cocoa flavor, it is widely used. In addition, cocoa powder contains trace elements such as calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, etc., and has a higher content than cocoa butter and cocoa liquor blocks.
But how much do you know about good quality cocoa powder? Follow us to rediscover cocoa powder.
Cocoa powder is an extremely fine powder made by pressing oil from fermented and dried cocoa beans, and then grinding them. It is a key carrier of chocolate flavor.
Natural process cocoa powder is light brown, weakly acidic, with a pH value of 5.3 to 5.8, strong flavor, and sour taste. Alkalized cocoa powder ranges from brown, red to black, with a pH value of 6.8 to 8.1, which is neutral or weakly alkaline. The alkalized cocoa powder reduces bitterness, improves solubility, and enhances aroma, making it more suitable for making desserts and cocoa drinks.
Due to the processing technology, alkalised cocoa powder is darker in color than natural cocoa powder. As the degree of alkalization increases, the color becomes darker, such as cocoa black powder, but the taste is correspondingly weakened, so black cocoa powder is mainly used for coloring. If used too much, the alkaline taste will be too strong.
Flavor? Price? Whether it is natural cocoa powder or alkalized cocoa powder, inferior cocoa powder tastes dry, gritty, and has a poor aroma, but why is there such a big difference in price for cocoa powders with similar flavors? There is a decisive factor, that is, the fat content.
The best quality cocoa powder, also known as high-fat cocoa powder, has a fat content between 20%-24%, which is about twice that of ordinary cocoa powder (generally with a fat content of 10%-12%). Generally, the fat content of cocoa powder is not directly labeled on the label, but as long as you pay attention to the nutrition label of the product, it is easy to find out. For example, if the fat content in 5g cocoa powder exceeds 1g, it is high-fat cocoa powder.
Fat can release flavor. When making cocoa hot drinks, cakes, and cookies, etc., the use of natural high fat cocoa powder will make the taste more lubricated, more "chocolate-like" and balanced.
Cocoa powder wholesale is used in small amounts in baked goods, and the cost difference between different qualities is almost negligible. Therefore, try upgrading your product with higher quality high-fat cocoa powder.
