Cocoa Powder

General Information

Give an intense chocolate flavour to your baked goods by using our natural cocoa powder, bake the perfect brownies, cookies, and chocolate cakes.

Cocoa powder comes from cocoa beans that grow in pods on the cacao trees and is different from Cacao powder often found in grocery stores.
Cacao is the pure, raw form of chocolate made from the cacao fruit and is minimally pressed.
Cocoa powder contains cacao that has been heated and processed to provide a smooth chocolatey flavour.

 

History

The Olmecs first discovered that the cocoa fruit was edible by observing rats eating it with a ravenous appetite. So, you can say that the Olmecs (1500-400 BC) were the first human to consume chocolate in the form of a drink. They crushed the cocoa beans, mixed them with water and some chillies and spices. They began cultivating this delicious thing in Mexico.

For these people, cocoa was a symbol of abundance and was used in their religious rituals. Cocoa production developed as people migrated throughout Meso-America but drinking the cocoa beverage remained a privilege for upper classes and soldiers during battle [1].

Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus first gave the cacao plant its botanical name in his original classification of the plant kingdom. He called it Theobroma (“food of the gods”) cacao.

The Aztecs considered Cocoa seeds as the gift of Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom, and the seeds were used as a form of currency. The cocoa drink was believed to be an aphrodisiac and to give the drinker energy and strength.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoa

 

Tasting Notes

Natural cocoa powder has an intense chocolate taste but is also bitter and astringent. This delicious powder, the most concentrated form of chocolate, is used in baking when a deep chocolate flavour is desired, but not the sugar, fat, or other ingredients present in regular chocolate.
– Unsweetened, No added sugar
– All-natural, no added colour

 

Serving Suggestions

Cocoa powder is a critical ingredient in chocolate bars, chocolate cake, chocolate icing, and other chocolate-based goodies and drinks. At home, you can use cocoa powder in the kitchen to prepare your chocolate, bake your own cakes and pastries, and even make a perfect facial mask.

There is a lot of cocoa powder uses you likely haven’t heard of:

1. Homemade Hot Cocoa
2. Cocoa Oatmeal
3. Face Makeup
4. Dessert smoothies
5. Chocolate truffles
6. Pancakes
7. Homemade Chocolate Shampoo [2]

 

[1] https://www.foodpairing.com/en/home

[2] https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/13-cocoa-powder-uses

 

How Cocoa is Harvested

Pods bearing cocoa beans grow from the stock and branches of the cocoa tree. Harvesting involves separating ripe seeds from the trees and opening them to extract the wet beans. The pods are harvested manually by doing a clean cut through the stalk with a well-sharpened blade.

 

Storage Conditions

No matter the type, Cocoa Powder is better to store in an airtight container in the cold — 60°F to 70°F — and dark place. Usually, the original container you bought it in is just OK, as it’s packaged with a tight-fitting cover. If you store it this way, it’ll keep well for up to two years.

Packing type in bulk: packed in 3ply craft 25 kg paper pockets.

 

Cocoa Allergy

Allergy is a reaction by your immune system to something that does not trouble other people (an unusual immune response to the proteins found in vegetables and fruit). People who have allergies are usually sensitive to more than one item.

An actual allergy to cocoa or cacao is rare. Most cases of chocolate allergy are caused by an allergic reaction to some ingredient in chocolate or only sensitivity to chocolate. Cases of critical allergies should be taken seriously and can be life-threatening. Doctors can help you discover your allergies and consider treatment options and alternatives to help you avoid the feeling that you are missing out.