Natural vs. Dutch processed cocoa powder

Natural vs. Dutch processed cocoa powder: the differences, and how to use them.

When I was making the Rocky Road Cookies the other day, it occurred to me that there are several types of cocoa powders out there. So I decided to write up this post about Cocoa Powder learn more about it.

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Natural vs. Dutch-process Cocoa

And, I bet that people wonder what all those differences are. So, here’s a little research into cocoa power: Natural vs. Dutch-process, and how to use each.

Cocoa beans

Chocolate and cocoa come from cocoa beans that grow in pods on trees in tropical areas.

Cocoa nibs

Beans are harvested, fermented, dried, roasted, and cracked to produce cocoa nibs. The nibs are then ground to extract the cocoa butter, leaving the chocolate liquor. After this chocolate liquor is dried, it’s ground into unsweetened cocoa powder.

color differences

All cocoa powder starts out the same, but can vary from cinnamon brown to black depending on the type of cocoa bean and the fat content of the powder.

Natural cocoa

Natural cocoa is simply finely ground cocoa nibs.

Dutch-process cocoa

Dutch-process cocoa (or European-style cocoa) has been treated with alkali to yield a deeper, neutral, less acidic flavor.

Altering the amount of alkali changes the pH, darkening the color, and lightening the flavor of unsweetened cocoa.

Again, color differences

The lighter the cocoa’s color, the stronger the flavor, and the darker the color, the mellower the flavor. Black cocoa powder, the kind used in Oreos, is ultra-Dutched and has the mildest flavor. It’s also often pricier due to the extra processing.

Cocoa Powder: Natural vs. Dutch-process & its uses

Natural unsweetened cocoa powder can usually be substituted for Dutch-processed in baking, but not vice-versa.

In recipes using baking soda, use natural cocoa due to its higher acidity levels.

Recipes using baking powder, use Dutch-process cocoa, because it isn’t acidic enough to activate the baking soda.

For recipes without baking soda or baking powder (like frosting or sauce), use either. Dutch-process will give you a darker color and more mellow (less acidic) flavor than natural.

Special dark cocoa

I’ve been using {affiliate link} dark cocoa powder in most of my baking and drink making lately, so I wanted to call attention to it specifically.

Special dark 100% cacao is a dark chocolate Dutched cocoa, that’s processed with alkali.

When we’re talking about cocoa, the lighter the cocoa’s color, the stronger the flavor.

The darker the color, the mellower the flavor.

Dutch-process will give you a darker color and more mellow (less acidic) flavor than natural cocoa.

You know those cookies. The best-selling chocolate sandwich ones with white filling, and how dark they are. That’s due to the ultra-Dutched cocoa that they use.

That mellow flavor is why they are the best-selling cookies!

Photo above: I found, pushed way back in the far-reaches of the cupboard, some sweetened drinking cocoa mix. You know the kind with the rabbit on the label. I need to get rid of it. Besides having High Fructose Corn syrup (HFCS), it has trans-fats in it.

Be sure to try out these cocoa recipes

Now that you have an understanding of cocoa powder, be sure to try it out in all sorts of chocolaty recipes. Like these:

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