Cocoa

Cocoa powder is essentially ground up roasted cocoa bean particles. It is made from the left over cakes that result after most of the cocoa butter is extracted. It is the most concentrated version of chocolate. It has pronounced astringency and bitterness. Its pH is around 5.

"Dutched" or alkalized cocoa is cocoa powder that has been treated with potassium carbonate. This alkaline substrate brings its pH to 7 or 8 and encourages astringent phenolics to form flavorless dark pigments, thus reducing the astringency, bitterness, and flavor of the cocoa. Dutched processed cocoa has a milder chocolate flavor despite its darker color.

Wacky cake

This section is a bit of a refresher on some topics we have already explored. I debated whether or not to include it (hence the lateness of these posts), but since the wacky cake raised our eyebrows, here it is. The format of this section is short and sweet, like the cake. Enjoy!

Topics include:

Cocoa
Vinegar
Baking powder and baking soda
Butter
Lukewarm water
Salt
Powdered sugar