bitter phenolics, which now bond to each
other to form flavorless dark pigments. The
result is a cocoa powder with a milder flavor
and darker color. Dutched cocoa can be
produced in shades running from light brown
to nearly black; the darker the color, the
milder the flavor.
Chocolate Cools the Mouth
Well-made chocolate has an unusual and
refreshing characteristic for such a rich
food: as it melts, it cools the mouth. This
happens because its stable fat crystals melt
in a very narrow temperature range, and
just below body temperature. The phase
change from solid to liquid absorbs much
of the mouth’s heat energy and leaves little
to raise the temperature of the chocolate,
which therefore feels persistently cool.
Cocoas in Baking It’s important for bakers to
be aware of the difference between “natural”
and alkalized cocoa powders. Some recipes