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Natural Cocoa - sources


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This is probably a dumb question, so pardon me for my ignorance, but please tell me if I'm wrong: I am only able to find Dutch processed cocoa, even the regular grocery stores carry it exclusively. I have yet to see natural or un-Dutched cocoa or am I just not looking in the right areas? I seem to remember buying Hershey's natural cocoa at the grocery stores years ago, but no longer. Is there anywhere where I can find the natural version locally? I'm not too picky at this point on the brand. I need it for a chocolate cake recipe I'll be trying out - the Cook's Illustrated Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt cake which I have been inspired to try after reading the 17 pages :blink: of the quest for the perfect chocolate cake thread. Thanks! :wink:

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Frys Cocoa is not Dutch Processed- in the yellow tin. You should be able to find it anywhere in Grocery stores in Vancouver

The sea was angry that day my friends... like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.

George Costanza

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Thanks but Fry's is Dutch processed cocoa. I have a cannister to verify. Anyone else have a lead on unsweetened non-alkalized (natural) cocoa powder in the city? Thanks!

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Thanks Anne, I forgot to check Galloways. I checked at Famous Foods and they didn't have it. So I guess it's not just my imagination that it's not that easy to find natural cocoa powder here. Or is it? :hmmm:

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This is funny - because I thought non-akalized cocoa was the standard in North America - so anything that is not labeled dutched process should be 'natural'.

What about the other american brands like Ghiredelli? These should be pretty widely available.

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John DePaula
formerly of DePaula Confections
Hand-crafted artisanal chocolates & gourmet confections - …Because Pleasure Matters…
--------------------
When asked “What are the secrets of good cooking? Escoffier replied, “There are three: butter, butter and butter.”

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Scharffen-Berger, at Whole Foods, is definitely natural cocoa. I think I've seen it at the Gourmet warehouse too, but not all the time. It is about $10 for a small can though.

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This is probably a dumb question, so pardon me for my ignorance, but please tell me if I'm wrong: I am only able to find Dutch processed cocoa, even the regular grocery stores carry it exclusively. I have yet to see natural or un-Dutched cocoa or am I just not looking in the right areas? I seem to remember buying Hershey's natural cocoa at the grocery stores years ago, but no longer. Is there anywhere where I can find the natural version locally? I'm not too picky at this point on the brand. I need it for a chocolate cake recipe I'll be trying out - the Cook's Illustrated Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt cake which I have been inspired to try after reading the 17 pages  :blink:  of the quest for the perfect chocolate cake thread. Thanks! :wink:

I have made a few of the chocolate cakes on that thread, although not the one you mention. I think you'll find that the Dutch processed you have in your cupboard will work just fine for the time being, especially if the recipe has both baking soda and baking powder in it. I believe the Double Chocolate Cake on that thread specifies natural cocoa but many have made it with Dutch processed.

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

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Thanks but Fry's is Dutch processed cocoa. I have a cannister to verify. Anyone else have a lead on unsweetened non-alkalized (natural) cocoa powder in the city? Thanks!

I'm a bit dumbfounded by the Fry's thing but besides GW (a couple brands), Urban Fare carries a natural cocoa as does WholeFoods and I'm quite sure Famous Foods does as well. I used the brand from UF that begins with Dagouin? (sp?) specifically for that cake and wouldn't go there again.

I've made that cake and in spite of the chemical leavening, you're correct, it doesn't suffer using DP. On the other hand, I've used Scharffen Berger natural testing recipes where that wouldn't be compromised by the lack of acidity but I'm too used to the clarity of flavour in the DP.

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