Cheap cocoa powder

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pengyou

Senior Cook
Joined
Feb 14, 2011
Messages
409
Location
Beijing
I found some inexpensive cocoa powder today in a local market. 2.2 pounds for us$6. I am trying it now. The uncooked doesnt taste as "full" as the more expensive one I habe been using, so instead of 3/4 cup i added one cup. The pan is about 10% than the normal pan - two experiments at once. I know that it is not good form...but i have to wait 30 minutes for the results.
 
I noticed an advert in a "posh" cooking magazine recently. It was for "cacao" and passed off as far superior to common or garden "Cocoa" (and more expensive - about double the price of "ordinary" cocoa).

Don't fall for it. It's just a fancy name for ordinary cocoa.

Having said that, Cocoa is good for you but don't confuse it with "Drinking Chocolate" eg Cadbury's. Drinking chocolate is "got at" with other ingredients whereas cocoa is just cocoa.

Cocoa is said to be a good source of antioxidents (good for us and thought to be good for our hearts). However, it acts as a stimulent so probably not a good idea to drink it as your bedtime drink! And don't let your dog drink it as it may poison him/her (it contains a naturally occuring chemical which is relatively harmless to us but poisonous to dogs).

Try and buy "Fair Trade" cocoa. There is some suggestion that some producers who are not in the "Fair trade" system have been using child slavery on their plantations.
 
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Well it well know that chocolate industry is run on child labour and sometimes child slaves, it hard to find a 100% none child harvested chocolate brand out there, even among fair trade, sadly.
 
Round two with stanadard recipe and cheap cocoa came out tasty. The chocolate waa was not as intense but still very acceptable. Round two: cheap cocoa powder US$2 per pound. Expensive cocoa powder US$11 per pound. Score one point for cheap.
 
There is a german grocery, Aldi's in the US, they have a cocoa that is inexpensive and it tastes just great. I put a spoonful on ice cream, it is bitter and lovely. I don't think price is always the deciding factor, though, I am sorry to hear children are used in labor for cocoa. I'd love to grow cocoa here but we don't have the climate.
 
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