Very Bitter Cocoa Powder Measurement

My father is a retired chef so he is kind of picky with the quality of his ingredients. In most cases it causes no problem, but there is a single exception. The cocoa powder he buys is extremely rich, powerful and bitter as hell.

It is so much that any recipe I found on the internet which contains cocoa powder becomes a total gamble as I don't have the his gift of measuring by eye. I cannot put the same amount of cocoa from the recipes henceforth I am asking, how do you deal with the amount of very bitter and strong cocoa powder you put into your recipes, compared to normal supermarket stuff?

Best Answer

I am going to risk pinning the problem on the measuring method. Cacao powder density can vary. The only way to measure powdery ingredients is by weight, not volume. Even for the same batch of powder, every cup could be loaded differently. Weigh what your father is using.

Pictures about "Very Bitter Cocoa Powder Measurement"

Very Bitter Cocoa Powder Measurement - Close-up Photography Of Cocoa Powder

Very Bitter Cocoa Powder Measurement - Photo Of Chocolate Cookie On Piece Of Fabric

Very Bitter Cocoa Powder Measurement - Chocolate Balls Coated With Cocoa Powder and Coconut

How do you take the bitterness out of cocoa powder?

Another option is low-fat cocoa powders, but the process used to extract the fat typically accents the bitter overtones. To offset the bitterness, tried-and-true recipes instruct hot cocoa makers to mix the cocoa with water, sugar and a pinch of salt (to round out the flavors) over low heat to form a paste.

How much cocoa is bitter?

Once a poor quality chocolate has more than 65% cacao more or less, the bitterness will be very evident.

How do you measure cocoa powder?

The process is the same as for measuring flour. Using a spoon, lightly scoop the cocoa powder into the measure cup without tapping the edge or forcing the cocoa into the cup. Then level off the excess cocoa powder using a straight edge.

Which cocoa powder is bitter?

Droste, Lindt, Valrhona, Poulain and Pernigotti are some popular brands. Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder tastes very bitter and gives a deep chocolate flavor to baked goods. Its intense flavor makes it well suited for use in brownies, cookies and some chocolate cakes.

Dutch Process Cocoa Powder vs. Natural Cocoa Powder- Kitchen Conundrums with Thomas Joseph

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: ROMAN ODINTSOV, Delphine Hourlay, Marta Dzedyshko, ROMAN ODINTSOV