NATURAL COCOA POWDER FOR BAKING
Natural (non-alkalized) cocoa powder is pure roasted cocoa beans – with most of the fat removed – ground to a fine powder. With all of the flavor but a fraction of the fat, cocoa powder is essentially a concentrated form of cocoa beans: it is bitter and strong. Gerbs Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder offers a deep chocolate flavor to baked goods. Its intense flavor makes it a perfect ingredient match for brownies, cookies and chocolate cakes.
GERBS NATURAL NO ADDITIVE COCOA POWDER
Since cocoa beans are naturally tart and acidic (characteristics that provide fruitiness and complexity in the best chocolates and harshness in chocolates of lesser quality), these characteristics are accentuated in cocoa powder. The best natural cocoa retains the true flavors and complexity of the cocoa bean, but lesser quality natural cocoa may be quite harsh. Our Natural Cocoa Powder is not harsh and has no additives.
What to Do if a Recipe Calls for Leavening but Does Not Specify the Type of Cocoa to Use
Older American recipes for chocolate cakes (like those handed down from your mother or grandmother or from older magazine issues) are typically leavened with baking soda but rarely specify a type of cocoa. Use natural cocoa powder in these old recipes. Why? Natural Cocoa (not Dutch Cocoa) was the only cocoa available in the baking aisle back in the day. And baking soda is the proper leavening for batters that contain natural cocoa powder: the soda reacts with the acidity of the cocoa powder to produce the right flavor and light texture.
Nutritional Benefits
Did you know that the cocoa in dark chocolate contains high concentrations of flavanoids that may provide health benefits such as decreasing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease? Compared to green tea, red wine, and many fruits and vegetables ounce for ounce, the cocoa in dark chocolate has greater flavonoid content.
