The Cacao tree is native to Central America and only grows close to the Equator. Mayans domesticated the Cacao tree 5,000 years ago and considered the plant a gift from the gods. To them and other pre-Columbian civilizations, cocoa was both a ritualistic drink and a currency. After Europeans discovered cocoa and chocolate, their appetite led to an increase in the number of cocoa plantations, both in Central and South America, but also in Asia. Users describe it as being the creamiest of all Ghirardelli powder cocoa types, very well suited for decadent chocolate desserts. Ghirardelli chocolate is recommended by Chef Rakhee Vaswani for a Ghirardelli Chocolate and Oregon hazelnut brownies recipe, as it has an intense flavor and rich taste.

The powder is rich in flavonol antioxidants, substances that turn it into a superfood, but are partially lost when the cocoa powder is processed. Because of the chemical process involved in obtaining it, Dutch-processed cocoa behaves differently while cooked. As it has a neutral pH, when combined with baking soda, it will stop the batter from rising, keeping it moist and fudgy. When cooking with natural cocoa its acidic quality allows the batter to rise, resulting in airier, but drier baked goods.Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder is another well-known brand, produced by the American company Ghirardelli, currently a division of theLindt & SprüngliSwiss confectioner. Cocoa powder, known as “food of the Gods” in the Maya civilization of Central America, is a well-known dessert ingredient and superfood. Obtained from the seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree, also known as “the chocolate tree”, cocoa powder is a solid that results from grinding the seeds after the cocoa butter is extracted. Valrhona is one of the most renowned chocolate producers in the world. The French company was established in 1922 by Pastry Chef Albéric Guironnet, who wanted to produce the best artisan chocolate, balancing flavors and texture. Today, Valrhona is the brand of chocolate and cocoa powder used by many pastry chefs and chocolatiers. These classic sweets are a great choice for treat time. And with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, you can feel happy to enjoy these as a fun treat. At this stage, which is usually done in factories, the beans can be ground into the so-called “chocolate liquor” (cocoa paste), from which chocolate can be obtained directly. Also, the cocoa paste can be separated into cocoa butter and cocoa powder, and processed further.

This is partially the reason for which professional chefs recommend Dutch-processed cocoa for desserts that don’t require baking (such as dusting cakes or truffles), and natural cocoa for products that require baking. Dutch-processed cocoa is recommended only for those batters which must remain moist.

Cocoa powder and cocoa butter are the key ingredients of one of the most loved foods on the planet, chocolate, which gets its melting texture from the presence of cocoa butter. For low-carb cocoa powders, there is a lot to take into account. Although many brands don’t have any added sugar, cocoa powder naturally contains small sugar quantities. There are countless brands of cocoa powder and choosing one depends on several factors, such as budget, nutritional recommendations, type of dessert, and, of course, professional chef recommendations.