Dutch Processed versus Non Alkalised Cocoa Powder
‘Chocolate’, the mere mention of the word conjures images of chocolate-laden treats, hot chocolate, brownies, and the like. Chocolate is made from cocoa powder.
The Cacao berry, native to Mesoamerica, gives rise to cocoa. People in Mesoamerica have consumed it in various forms since nearly 450 BC. The Mexican people of early Mexico believed that Cocoa was a gift of the God Quetzalcoatl, the Lord of Wisdom. So valuable was cocoa to these people that it was used as a form of currency.
With the conquest of South and Central America by the Spanish, cocoa powder found its way into Europe. Here, Europeans began adding sugar to the mix to make the concoction more palatable. However, they didn’t stop at altering the cocoa powder in this way alone.
In the world of culinary delights, understanding the difference between Dutch vs Non-Alkalised Cocoa Powder can elevate your cooking. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into these two categories of cocoa powder.
Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
In the 19th century, chocolatier Coenraad Johannes van Houten invented the Dutch process in the Netherlands. What the Dutching process essentially does, is that it nullifies the natural acidity of cocoa beans. A washing agent like potassium carbonate is used to treat the substance. What this does is that it gives the resultant powder a neutral flavour and a darker colour, resulting in the ‘chocolatiness’, in terms of taste, odorless ness and neutral flavour, that we have grown to associate with commercially manufactured chocolate. Most brands use Dutch-processed cocoa powder to make their chocolates.
Non-alkalised Cocoa Powder
Natural Non Alkalised Cocoa Powder is the powder of roasted cocoa beans, with most of the fat removed. This is the purest flavour of the cocoa beans with only a fraction of the fat. Non alkalised cocoa powder, like Isvaari Non alkalised cocoa powder, and lighter in colour. This is because it retains most of the cocoa beans’ natural acidity. It also has a richer flavour, as it retains the natural flavour of the bean. When compared to Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder it has a significantly different flavour and aroma profile. Non alkalised Cocoa Powder is used to make artisanal products like fine dark chocolates, hot chocolate beverages and infusions.
Cacao vs Cocoa
People often use the terms cacao and cocoa interchangeably. However, one fundamental difference between them exists. While cocoa undergoes processing at a much higher temperature, cacao powder, such as Isvaari Non-Alkalised Cacao powder, derives from fermented cocoa beans that skip the roasting step. Processed at a much lower temperature from cocoa beans sourced from Kerala, Isvaari Non Alkalised Cacao Powder retains the bitterness and higher nutritional value as compared to most other Cocoa Powders.
Why is non-alkalised cacao powder, a wonderful cocoa powder alternative?
At a much lower temperature, Non-Alkalized Cacao Powder processes fermented cocoa beans. This results in a powder that has a much more complex taste, with tasting notes as varied as berries, bananas, vanilla, raisins and many more. This happens because of one singular reason. For the best produce, cocoa beans require rotation with other crops like banana, coconut, and pepper, as they are not a mono crop. This means that the tasting notes from these crops will also find their way into the cocoa bean. Non-alkalized Cacao Powder production uses lower temperature processing to retain all the complex tasting notes in the final product. This is why Non-alkalised Cacao Powder is a wonderful Cocoa powder alternative.
When must one use non alkalised cacao powder?
Cacao powder can be used interchangeably with cocoa powder in most cases. From creating artisanal ‘bean to bar chocolates, to using it in brownies, baking and even creating hot chocolate or drinking chocolate, non alkalised cacao powder is an amazing ingredient to have around the kitchen. The amazing flavour profile of non alkalised cacao powder, with its rich notes of vanilla, raisins, pepper, berries, banana and even jackfruit, will elevate the standard of any dish to another level altogether.
Isvaari Non-Alkalised Cacao Powder utilizes the finest Indian cacao beans. It skips the Dutch process and delivers a high-quality product that preserves the desired flavor, aroma, and taste profile of the cocoa beans it originates from. Begin your journey of pure, unadulterated cocoa with us. Shop now at www.chenabgourmet.com
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