Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder is made from cocoa beans that have been roasted and ground to produce a rich liquid known as chocolate liquor - pure, unsweetened chocolate made up of 50-58% cocoa solids and 42-50 % cocoa butter. The chocolate liquor is then pressed to remove the cocoa butter, producing a hard cake which is then pulverised to produce acid cocoa; a sharp, acidic powder that is usually sweetened to make it more palatable.

An alternative method of creating cocoa powder is known as the Dutch process, in which the cocoa undergoes a further process to neutralise the acids, making a darker and less bitter product. This 'Dutch' or 'alkalinised' cocoa powder provides a richer flavour and a deeper brown colouring to the food being prepared, and tends to dissolve more easily.

Cocoa powder is an important ingredient in baking, especially in cakes, biscuits puddings and sauces, where it is often combined with sugar. It may be used as a substitute for unsweetened cooking chocolate - 30 g (1 oz) of chocolate is equivalent to 3 level tablespoons of cocoa powder plus 15 g (1/2 oz) of unsalted butter white or vegetable fat. If using as a substitute for bitter chocolate, use the same measurements, but add in an extra 3 tablespoons of sugar.

Cocoa powder may also be added to milk to make a rich, warming drink. Hot cocoa should not be confused with hot chocolate, which is made from whole chocolate; that is, it contains both cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Cocoa powder may also be sold mixed with other ingredients such as milk powder and sugar, which just needs to be mixed with boiling water to make hot cocoa. This variety (often known as drinking chocolate) should not be used in recipes that call for cocoa powder. Both cocoa and drinking chocolate are very popular throughout Europe as well as North America; in the States the drink may be topped with whipped cream or marshmallows, whilst in Russia and Brazil coffee is often added in to make a drink known as mocha.