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Dutch Processed Cocoa

Dec 17, 2005 | From the kitchen of Rose

June Question:
would like to know the differences between Dutch processed and regular unsweetened cocoa powder?
thank you

Rose Reply:
Dutch processed cocoa has been treated with an alkali to neutralize some of the acidity of the cocoa and give it an attractive reddish color.

rose Levy Beranbaum
11/04/2009 01:12 PM

karil, i would think that with a tiny bit of experimentation you would just fine. keep in mind that baking soda is equal to 4 to 5 times the power of baking powder and then if the cake domes too much you know you will need a bit more. if it is too flat you will need a bit less. do report back! (i'd give up non-alkalized cocoa for provence any day of the week!

Karil
11/03/2009 05:27 AM

Hello Rose
I live in the Provence (France), and up to now have only found what appears to be DP cocoa. The one I have been using is van Houten, and the package declares that C.J. Houten invented the special method of "torréfaction" of cocoa in 1828. I assume that this is what is referred to as Dutch Process. Is there a way of (a formula for) substituting the DP for the non-DP by omitting the baking soda and adding baking powder? I have your wonderful Cake Bible, and would be happy to be able to try out some of the recipes that call for non-processed cocoa powder, too. Thank you! Karil

Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/30/2009 09:33 PM

i was just teasing you! i would have done the same thing.

Bill
09/30/2009 09:29 PM

Reading the book? I'm devouring the book! (I mentioned in the post...two postings down that I was happy to see that you recommend Droste as your second choice)...but I figured that this was going to be great! As Grandma always said: "Go figure!"

Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/30/2009 09:18 PM

hey! are you reading the book? i do give recommendations for my preferred ingredients.....!

Bill
09/30/2009 09:08 PM

I was so disappointed...and I bought two boxes...(the boxes are really pretty, not that that matters...but they are). I'll use it up...but alas, it isn't that good. The cake I brought to work today for the hygienist's b-day was made with it...and everyone devoured it...but it would have been better with the Droste. Oh...and by the way...the mousseline held up just fine...all day...even with all that Hootch in it. I'm glad to know that I'm not crazy, who thought that cocoa would have been anything less than amazing. ?

Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/30/2009 09:01 PM

yeah me! i'm sorry to say i adore valrhona chocolate but not the cocoa. it is heavier and has a slightly burnt flavor. green & blacks cocoa is my favorite, then droste's though i have to say that lindt cocoa available only in switzerland is my no. 1.

Bill
09/30/2009 08:59 PM

just a comment on Dutch processed cocoa and different brands. I have always used Droste, because that is what is most readily available in the supermarkets in my area. I was happy to see that Rose mentions it by name as her second choice in the new book. About two weeks ago they started selling Vahlrona (Spelling?) Dutch Processed cocoa in my supermarket...and I was sooooo excited. I bought a box, took it home and proceeded to bake the chocolate fudge cake from the cake bible. When I opened bhe box I have to say, the aroma was amazing. But in the end, I, and all of my family, preferred the flavor of the Droste. Has anyone else tried this cocoa?

Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/28/2009 09:16 PM

i've never used black cocoa but it's normal for a cake baked inch pan to come out 1 1/2 inches high. what are you saying-that it usually comes out differently but this time you used a mix of cocoas and it misbehaved? why are you surprised it came out 1 1/2 inches high. more information is needed in order to help you.

louise bailey
09/28/2009 08:51 PM

hi, i have a question about cocoa. i mixed black cocoa with dutch cocoa(alakalized). my cake pan was 2" my cake came out 1 1/2 high why did this happen. was it my cocoas? can you help?

Lisa Marie
09/28/2009 01:13 PM

Hi ya,

I am struggling as I am from Michigan but living in the UK things are so different the Statside. I am trying to find a natural coco powder but cant seem to find one as many of the organic and Blacks are dutched. Does anyone know where you can get this product in the UK? any help will be appreciated.

Also where can i get buttermilk that isnt live buttermilk? is there another product that is the same as the US's but called different:)

Patrincia
06/27/2008 11:22 AM

Hi Veronica - Recipes that are designed to use Dutch-processed cocoa will specifically list it. You can use either one really, but you will get the best results if you use the exact cocoa specified.

veronica
06/27/2008 12:32 AM

i need help!

i have several recipes for chocolate cakes but they don't specify if it is natural or dutch processed cocoa powder

how can i tell?

Annie
05/21/2008 08:56 AM

Rose & Matthew, thanks for your help. I'm afraid I can't do the experiment as my Sharffen Berger tin now holds Cacao Barry which I buy in bulk. I have many UK cook books including Linda Collister who works on both sides of the Atlantic, and none of them specify which kind of cocoa to use, so I'm assuming all cocoa here is alkalized.

Matthew
05/21/2008 12:43 AM

Just out of curiosity, I got out both kinds of cocoa tonight to see if I could find any other ways to tell the difference. Color is the most striking, but also texture. Natural cocoa appears clumpy, while Dutch is more finely powdered.

I dissolved a teaspoon of each in a little cool water and added a bit of baking powder to see if the pH difference would be noticeable. They both foamed, but the natural process foamed almost twice as high and the bubbles were larger. If you have natural on hand, you might be able to make a similar comparison just to give you another bit of evidence.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
05/20/2008 06:29 PM

sometimes you can tell if it's alkalized by the reddish or darker color. scharffenberger is not and green and blacks is alkalized.

Annie
05/20/2008 05:39 PM

Matthew, they do list the ingredients. The Cacao Barry just says "Cocoa Powder" and the Green & Blacks is "100% Organic Cocoa Powder". I also have an old tin of Scharffen Berger I brought back from the States and it lists the ingredients as "Cocoa" but I believe it may not be alkalized anyway. I'm guessing that it's only in the US that the label indicates whether or not it is alkalized.

Matthew
05/20/2008 05:01 PM

You can usually tell by reading the ingredients--if it says alkali or alkalized then it is Dutch-process. Do these brands not list ingredients?

Annie
05/20/2008 03:07 PM

Thanks, Rozanne. In UK I have never seen 'Dutch processed' on a label but have to believe if Green & Blacks and Cacao Barry are DP then they all are. Fine by me. Thanks for your help.

Rozanne
05/19/2008 07:39 PM

Annie, I know the Cacao Barry - Extra Brute Cocoa Powder is Dutch-processed. I'm not sure about their other varities. Here's a link to their website.

http://www.cacao-barry.com/

You can choose the country and language you want the website to be in. The option is on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Annie
05/19/2008 04:30 PM

Does anyone from the UK know if Cacao Barry's range of cocoa powders are Dutch processed?

Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/15/2007 01:06 PM

incidentally, the self raising cake flour has baking powder in it which is why no doubt i left it out in the UK version of the domingo. i had to balance the flours, using part plain flour to lower the leavening enabling me to use the baking soda necessary for the sourcream. believe me it was an ordeal! so don't try to combine the UK and US versions from the blog!

Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/15/2007 01:02 PM

i don't have access to the UK version where i am this weekend but i can tell you this encouraging news: green & blacks regular cocoa is unsweetened and is dutch processed so you can use it without adjustments.

Jeannette
09/15/2007 11:41 AM

Thanks for your advice,Patrincia, I was assured by Rose that the US version would be alright ,so long as i was aware of certain differences in ingredients, and i do consult this blog frequently, I feel I know all of you, I see your names so often, you all seem to be very proficient bakers. I am not really into cake decoration but a keen baker but after seeing all your efforts it is so inspiring I may have a go yet!

Kate
09/15/2007 11:37 AM

I haven't the US version, but yes, there's a lot of attention in the UK version to UK-specific ingredients (especially when it comes to flour).

So far, I've made the Yellow Butter Cake and then the White Spice Cake (to use up the leftover egg whites). Both were beautiful :-) If this helps at all, the Yellow Cake recipe uses 300g of sifted self-raising sponge flour and 1 tbsp + 1 tsp of baking powder. I used Doves Farm Organic SR flour.

Patrincia
09/15/2007 11:26 AM

Jeannette - do be careful with your US version... the UK version includes ingredients more commonly available to you. Do a search on this blog, you'll read a lot about it.

Jeannette
09/15/2007 11:16 AM

Hi, Kate, I was interested to read your comments because I too am in the UK and I also have The Cake Bible, but mine is the US version which I bought on Amazon, second hand but as new. I have been a little nervous of making any of the cakes so far but I have made Rose's cream cheese pastry which turned out beautifully, I was really pleased with it. Now I know your cake was so successful I will have more confidence to try some of the recipes!

Jeannette
09/15/2007 11:06 AM

Kate
09/15/2007 10:52 AM

Well, I never knew that! Knowing that G&B's is Dutch is quite a key factor, really!

Thanks too for the pointers. Am I correct in thinking that the bicarb in the recipe is to neutralise the acidity of the sour cream, rather than to do anything in relation to whichever type of cocoa is used?

Matthew
09/15/2007 09:05 AM

Kate, I recommend that you also read the section on cocoa in the "understanding cakes" section in the back of the book.

Rozanne
09/15/2007 08:47 AM

Kate, I use the Green and Black's cocoa powder and it is Dutch-processed. Rose recommended it. So you can go ahead and make the Domingo Cake without having to adjust the leavening. Also check out the chart on pg 440 of the Cake Bible, Rose gives the weight of 1 cup of Dutch-processed which is 92g lightly spooned and 1 cup of nonalkalized cocoa which is 82g lightly spooned. I don't know if it will be on the same page (440) since you have the UK version. It is in the Ingredient and Equipment section under Weights.
Rozanne

Kate
09/15/2007 08:07 AM

I recently found (and bought) a 1988 UK copy of 'The Cake Bible'. What a revelation it has been! The Yellow Butter Cake is quite simply the best cake I have ever made. My daughter took one bite and asked immediately for another slice. Thank you so much for taking the trouble to make your recipe UK-friendly.

I would like to make the Chocolate Domingo Cake. However, I'm confused about the cocoa. I've never come across Dutch-processed cocoa here in the UK, but I understand that it's different from natural or unsweetened cocoa. I usually use Green & Black's cocoa powder, which I assume is unsweetened.

The recipe calls for:

42g (1/4 cup + 3 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa (preferably Dutch-processed)
or
1/2 cup nonalkalised cocoa

Baking911 states ...

"There are two types of cocoa powder: alkalized, also known as Dutch-process, commonly used in baking recipes and nonalkalized, also called natural."

... and also,

"If you substitute regular cocoa for Dutch-process or vice versa, you may need to adjust the leavening system to achieve the correct pH balance. That's because besides leavening, baking powder and/or baking soda contribute to texture, color and taste."

However, the amount of baking powder (3/4 tsp)* and bicarb (1/4 tsp) appear to remain the same, regardless of the type of cocoa used.

(*I discovered the omission of baking powder from my edition of the book here in your blog)

Here comes my confusion ... Should I use 42g Green & Black's because it's unsweetened, or 1/2 cup because it's nonalkalised? And are the quantities of baking powder and soda for a cake using unsweetened/nonalkalised cocoa or for a cake using Dutch-processed cocoa?

Rose Levy Beranbaum
08/10/2007 11:38 AM

exactly! also an angel or chiffon will fall either if underbaked or if in a draft when cooling.

Patrincia
08/10/2007 11:27 AM

I need to proof better :(

Patrincia
08/10/2007 11:26 AM

Hi Syd - assuming you used the correct size/type of cake pan, perhaps your pan was placed to high in the oven? The heat can really concentrate up there, which can cause the top of your baked goods to become over baked very quickly. Try lowering your oven rack so that the cake pan - ideally it should sit in about the middle of the oven.

Syd
08/09/2007 09:52 PM

Hi Rose,

You're a dear for managing a website like this! I love your Pie Bible and have tried a few recipes from the Cake Bible though I'll admit I'm a bit intimidated by some of the cake recipes.

I've made many angel food cakes before but not chocolate. I just tried making your Chocolate Lover's Angel Food Cake and was uncertain about its being properly done. The top had been deeply cracked for some time so I was concerned I would overcook the cake if not careful, but the tester always looked a bit too moist. Nevertheless, fear bested me and I took the cake out at 40 minutes, and set it out to cool upside down. Well, about 5 minutes later I heard an odd sound from the kitchen, and found the cake splattered on the counter! I had a good laugh, but after tasting the cake I realized I've GOT to get this right so I can serve it to company! It's too good to be true.

Could the cake have been too tender just from being not quite done or should I look elsewhere for my error?

Many thanks,
Syd

Rozanne
06/03/2007 10:06 AM

Jane,
You HAVE to try the Green and Black's. Rose recommended it and I tried it. It is absolutely fabulous!
Rozanne

Jane D.
06/02/2007 10:13 AM

Thanks for the reply and info. Yes, King Arthur's is a blend of dutch with black, so the flavor and color are great in baking. I haven't tried Green & Black's yet- will have to give it a try.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
06/02/2007 07:06 AM

recently a friend sent me some black cocoa called onyx. the flavor was disappointing--not surprising since black cocoa is made by roasting the beans more which results in less flavor.
it might be interesting to use a small amount together with regular dutch processed cocoa to deepen the color.

Jane D.
06/01/2007 11:26 PM

Rose, have you tried King Arthur's Double Dutch Dark Cocoa? It's a blend of dutch-process and black cocoas, and I LOVE It in baking. Your cocoa brownies are even more delicious with it.

Do you know what black cocoa is?
thanks!

Rose Levy Beranbaum
06/01/2007 08:48 PM

whole foods has green& black's. googlins is always an option.

Dortha Boling
06/01/2007 07:27 PM

I love the dutch processed cocoa. I have had both Dutch Cocoa and Dutch processed cocoa but find it extremely difficult to locate. Can you help me find it? Thanks

Rose Levy Beranbaum
03/30/2007 01:03 AM

try these two sources though they may be closed for passover!

Taam-Tov: 718/788-8880 ext. 127
Peppermill: www.peppermillinc.com 866-871-4022

Dawn Robins
03/29/2007 09:30 PM

I am looking for a good passover Dutch cocoa. The one I used to use was by Bakers choice and I can no longer find it. Do you have a good source for this? Specifically for my brownie recipe. Thanks in advance! Dawn

Anonymous
07/16/2006 11:52 PM

Thanks for the information, Rose.

By the way, there are companies like this one (I think it's a Costa Rican company):
http://www.cocoa.co.cr/products.html

that advertise their type of cocoa and chocolate products.

The darker the cocoa, the higher the pH.

I used my pH meter to test the two types of cocoa I have because I was curious to find out how different in pH they were. I'll try to bake a cake with the same recipe using both of them and then tell you my results.

I suppose there shouldn't be any difference since no one has mentioned it before on the net.

Juliana.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
07/16/2006 04:25 PM

i've never seen this designation so how would you know what the ph is of the cocoa you're using. in any case i don't think it will affect the rising at all but the flavor will be slightly different. but each cocoa has a different flavor anyway so it's hard to tell what is the ph contribution. some are roasted more than others--some use different beans, etc.
ANYONE GOING TO SWITZERLAND try to get the lindt cocoa. i had them export it for several years but sadly with company changes they focus on chocolate bonbons more than on baking! the variety i have is called dark cocoa (either dunkel or hell--probably hell--in german---i forget my scanty german which is more yiddish than anything else). it is 20-22% cocoa butter--something that will affect the texture so you do want to look for a dutched cocoa with this profile.

Juliana
07/16/2006 12:18 PM

Hi Rose,

I read that Dutch-processed cocoa powder varies in pH from 6+(soft Dutch-processed) to 8+(strong Dutch-processed). So if a recipe calls for Dutch-processed cocoa powder and I bake 2 cakes using ph 6.6 for one, and ph 8.3 for another, will there be a difference in the thickness of the cake or the softness of the crumb, etc, if I use the same ingredients and same proportion of ingredients for both?

I mean, if one type of cocoa powder is more alkalized than the other, then with the same amount of baking powder, wouldn't the batter for this one rise less during baking?

Juliana.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
05/22/2006 06:21 AM

no it should not taste sour--i suspect the oil is rancid!

Daphne
05/22/2006 03:30 AM

Thanks Rose. I am indeed in the tropics... :-) in humid Singapore! And, 2 more years to wait for your new book...!!! argh!

I'd just like to know if it's normal for pure cocoa cakes to taste slightly sourish - as my cocoa angel food cake did.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
05/21/2006 09:02 AM

i'm assuming you used a metal pan not silicone (silicone doesn't work well for this type of cake). usually the metal tube conducts the heat to the center of the cake baking but often the top is a little sticky--also with angel food cake. just let it sit for a few hours uncovered and assuming you're not in the tropics it will lose its stickiness!
i have indeed developed a cake recipe not as airy but very like the chiffon with intense chocolate flavor. it took something like 15 tests and just yeterday i found a way to make it work as a wedding cake. i've been working on this for years and now it will be in my next book, projected publication date fall of 2008.

Daphne
05/21/2006 08:32 AM

Oh I forgot to add that I use Van Houten's cocoa which I believe is Dutch processed.

Daphne
05/21/2006 08:31 AM

Hi Rose

I made the Chocolate Lover's Angel Food Cake, and it turned out quite well for my first angel food cake I think - although I've made chiffon cakes before. The cake tester came out completely clean and the top sprang back when pressed, but once I loosened the cake from the pan, I found the top of the cake as well as the part next to the inner tube, sticky. Did it need extra baking time?

And, to my taste, it cake had a slightly sour flavour - something I've noticed before with a chiffon cake made with cocoa. Is this normal? How does one achieve a deep-coloured, rich chocolate cake with a chiffon texture?

Thanks!
Daphne

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Dutch Processed Cocoa