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Almost every time I bake with cocoa powder, I encounter this certain flavor, maybe like cocoa powder without the sugar, and it doesn't go away no matter how much sugar I add. It might be a bit like black coffee grounds but maybe more acidic. I've read recipes on the internet that supposedly use cocoa powder successfully, and no one seems to complain about the bitter cocoa aftertaste, but it's not like dark chocolate. It's almost a burnt charcoal flavor maybe but not quite, a similar flavor to some coffees--bitter, acidic, and sharp, and it's in the cocoa powder itself.
I've used Hershey's cocoa powder and Nestle cocoa powder, same problem. Any guesses as to what I'm doing wrong? Why do my confections taste more like cocoa and less like chocolate, and how can I get it right?
I know it's possible to get it right, because I've made at least one or two desserts that didn't have that flavor and instead tasted more like chocolate, but I don't know what I did.
Are there any home cooks out there who use cocoa powder instead of baking chocolate willing to share their wisdom?
Last edited by Wannabe Writer; 09-19-2019 at 11:43 AM..
Have you tried using Dutch-process cocoa powder? It is less bitter. Dutch-process is a bit more expensive than natural, unsweetened cocoa.
Also, adding a little salt to the recipe will enhance the chocolate flavor and make it less bitter.
No, I haven't tried Dutch-process. I've heard it's better than regular cocoa powder, but right now that would be the easy way out. I want to learn how to actually use regular cocoa powder.
What causes that weird flavor anyway? Would adding baking soda help?
Last edited by Wannabe Writer; 09-19-2019 at 01:07 PM..
I know what you mean. When I've made hot cocoa w/ the cocoa I used to buy, you could taste bitterness. I use an organic cocoa now and it doesn't have that bitterness. I've been using Saco Conscious kitchen brand. I get it at Lowes Foods, not sure where else you can buy it.
An odd question since cocoa is bitter. That's what it tastes like.
My only suggestion, if you don't like cocoa powder, is to start cooking with milk chocolate instead. Or make vanilla cakes instead of chocolate cakes and blondies instead of brownies.
An odd question since cocoa is bitter. That's what it tastes like.
My only suggestion, if you don't like cocoa powder, is to start cooking with milk chocolate instead. Or make vanilla cakes instead of chocolate cakes and blondies instead of brownies.
It's not exactly the bitter part that bothers me. It's that weird almost copper or burnt "cocoa" flavor that doesn't taste like chocolate. Maybe it has something to do with the acid, because I'm told that Dutch processed doesn't have that issue.
The advice I've gotten is to add just a little bit of baking soda, and I guess I'll try that.
I think you might be using wrong cocoa. There is cocoa for baking and there is cocoa for drinking. Use the right one and see the difference. Try to use a good quality for baking. https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitc...king-chocolate
Or maybe you just use too much of it...
If there is" that weird almost copper or burnt "cocoa" flavor that doesn't taste like chocolate" then maybe, indeed, your cake is just a bit burn, which taste bitter. You wouldn't see the "burn" on chocolate cake, but you definitely will taste it.
Too long in the oven or baking temperature too high.
BTW: Too much baking powder can cause the batter to be bitter tasting. It can also cause the batter to rise rapidly and then collapse.
The normal proportion is about 1 to 2 teaspoons per 1 cup of flour.
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