13 replies to this topic

[Jaymes]

I've heard several folks say that, in their opinion, Askinosie is turning out the best chocolate in the country right now, so I ordered some of their single origin cocoa powder: Davao Philippines

I get that to make ice cream, you're supposed to use "Dutch process" cocoa powder, which this isn't, but was hoping it would work anyway. The taste was terrific, as anticipated, but the texture was not. It was gritty.

I got in touch with Askinosie about this and they told me that there are quite a few artisanal ice cream makers that use their powder, so there must be a way to do it, although they didn't know what it was.

Do any of you?

[Tidyguy]

Can you tell us the method you used to make your ice cream, then we might be able to give you a more appropriate response!

[Edward J]

Cocoa powder is a vegetable fiber with anywhere from %5-%20 cocoa butter content. It IS gritty, becasue it is, essentially, sawdust.

If you boil cocoa powder with a liquid, it will swell and soften somewhat.

Hope this helps

[pastrygirl]

If you boil cocoa powder with a liquid, it will swell and soften somewhat.

Agreed. Mix with boiling milk or water first.

[Darienne]

I've used bulk store basically unnamed cocoa powder and not had any gritty problems with it. I think it was dutch process, but not certain.

Could it be some other ingredient in the recipe?

I've use basically DL's recipe for Aztec 'Hot' Chocolate but with a cornstarch base.

[minas6907]

It sounds like the process more then the recipe. I would typically get 4oz coco powder and one qt of half and half. I mix in enough half and half to make a smooth paste out of the coco powder, then when its all incorporated, I add the rest of the half and half, and just proceed with making the custard, which involves cooking it.

[Sebastian]

most industrially produced cocoa powder is very finely ground, in the single micron range. While i've never looked at shawn's powder, it could very well be that he's simply having trouble grinding it that finely, and may be, by nature - coarser. most 'little guys' aren't going to have the equipment to grind that finely. A second possibility (related to the first), may be that he could be experiencing difficulties in his winnowing (the parts that removes the shell from the nib - or the good part of the cocoa bean), and his powder may have a higher than typical shell content - which will be very, very difficult to grind into a fine powder. If it's either one of these scenarios - i'm afraid you're not going to get it much smoother. hard to say definitively w/o looking at it personally however.

[Edward J]

Don't put too much emphasis on "dutch process".

All this is, is tha the beans are treated with alkali solution prior to proccessing.

The beans are then roasted and ground. This resulting paste, called "cocoa mass" or "cocoa liquor" is then pumped into hydraulic presses and squeezed. Cocoa beans naturally contain over 50 % cocoa butter. Most mnfctrs usually get about 40% of the butter our and leave the remaing 10% in. What's left is a huge big brown cake which is then ground up into cocoa powder.

Dutch process is darker and milder. Unprocessed cooca powder has a much lighter colour.

[Jaymes]

Can you tell us the method you used to make your ice cream, then we might be able to give you a more appropriate response!

We are ice cream neophytes in our household. I gave my SIL an ice cream maker for his birthday a couple of weeks back because he really likes to cook, and loves ice cream, so figured it was a natural fit. I also gave him a copy of "The Perfect Scoop," but he works long hours at a stressful job, and hasn't had the time or energy to fiddle around much with recipes. Thus far, he's been making the simple ones from the ice cream maker instruction book.

This is the one he's used for chocolate. He just went to our local market and bought Hershey's Dutch Process cocoa powder, and the ice cream has turned out very good. But of course, we always think it could be better, right? Hence the attempt with the Askinosie.

Simple Chocolate Ice Cream

1 C unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process preferred)
2/3 C granulated sugar
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 C whole milk
3 1/4 C heavy cream
1 T vanilla

You basically combine everything, then pour it into the machine and freeze.

From what you nice folks have said, I'm wondering if heating the Askinosie cocoa powder with a little bit of the milk might dissolve it.

I did get in touch with the folks at Askinosie and ask if they had any suggestions to keep the final product from being gritty, and they told me that they didn't, because they were really more bakers than ice cream makers, but that several "very famous" artisan ice cream makers use their cocoa powder, so they were certain there must be a way.

However, that Askinosie powder is pretty darn expensive. Not sure I can afford to keep SIL stocked up with that.

Maybe I should encourage him to stick with the Hershey's which he's perfectly happy to go to the grocery store and buy himself.

Edited by Jaymes, 25 August 2011 - 09:51 AM.

[stscam]

When making our dark chocolate gelato we always make a thickish slurry with the cocoa powder and very hot water - stirring with a stick mixer to incorporate. This then gets mixed in to the base. Texture is smooth as smooth can be. Cocoa is Cacao Barry Extra Brute (22/24% fat).

[PetersCreek]

Jaymes, I'm another neophyte ice cream maker and I've been working out of Jeni Britton Bauer's book, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home. Although I haven't used them yet, she recommends Askinosie products. I've made her "Darkest Chocolate Ice Cream in the World" a couple of times. The recipe calls first for the making of a syrup, composed of ½-cup each of cocoa powder, sugar, and coffee, brought to a boil. That syrup might be the trick.

[highchef]

When making our dark chocolate gelato we always make a thickish slurry with the cocoa powder and very hot water - stirring with a stick mixer to incorporate. This then gets mixed in to the base. Texture is smooth as smooth can be. Cocoa is Cacao Barry Extra Brute (22/24% fat).

You've heard the phrase "like water for chocolate"?
It refers to the ability of boiling water (I just use a hot water dispenser, another reason I LOVE the thing!) to bring out the flavor of chocolate, as opposed to milk. I know this is a standard thing to do with cakes, although they are baked, the flavor differential is definitely there...

[butterscotch]

You have to heat it just to a simmer with the milk. I;d check the texture after, if it's gritty, I's probably blend it a bit, add the cream. If it remained gritty, I'd strain it too.

[Jaymes]

Looks like we've got several pretty good possibilities to try.

Thanks y'all!