Thanks Grainlady. I'll chuck the thing and good riddance!

And you should probably gift it to someone who would appreciate it.

i stupidly (I thought it was wisely at the time) transferred that cocoa powder to a hermetically sealed container and got rid of the package. I do that with everything (flour, sugar) to avoid bugs. It won't look very nice if I present someone with that powder in a plastic bag, saying I just can't stand the taste of it.

Put in a mason jar with a cutesy tag (there are millions on the internet that you can download and print yourself) and you've got a nice gift for someone.

I would sure accept a bag of cocoa from a friend!

Indeed...

Great info, grainlady!

What are you comparing the Dutched cocoa to? I ask since you say you don't generally care for cocoa and are talking about drinking it. The kind that they put by the hot water urn in the employees lounge isn't pure cocoa--it's instant hot chocolate drink mix (though "cocoa" in American English is often the word used for the hot chocolate drink), and has sugar in it, and likely non-dairy creamer as well, to be parve (here it would be dried milk). If you want to make a comparable drink with your cocoa, you'll need milk and sugar, at the least. There are many recipes out there. Americans typically put marshmallows on top as a garnish that melts into the drink.

If you use it in your chocolate cake it should be fine.

I was wondering that, too. Did you add sugar and milk? If people are used to using something like Quik for hot cocoa, maybe they wouldn't know that. I use the DP cocoa and regular unsweetened interchangeably without noticing any difference. Although, I don't bake much with cocoa and will take note of Grainlady's warnings about leavening.

Even Americans know what baking cocoa is...well I think they do...I'm one of them (pure raw chocolate).

I found a recipe for a chocolate bundt cake on Pinterest about a month ago and it called for dutch prossesed cocoa. Well I found the cocoa after searching a bit. Made the cake according to the directions and it came out horrible. I tried a bite of a slice and threw the slice out. I would have fed it to my dog but no chocolate for him so I threw it in the fire pit I have. The container will probley get thrown away

Karl - you're a man after my heart!

I couldn't possibly give that horrid powder to a friend, and I'm trying to be kind to my foes. So into the garbage it goes!

Wintercat, what brand did you buy? Just curious--I've never tried the Dutch process cocoas.

I don't remember which brand. I'm in Israel and it's imported and repackaged by some food import company with an eminently forgettable name. I discaded the package when I transferred the powder to a Lock'n Lock, so I can't check for you. I just tried googling in the hope it might jolt my memory, but it didn't work. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Actually i CAN be of some help. Next time I'm in the supermarket I'll check. Will take a couple day though.

Oh--did not realize that you were not in the US. But, still the info would be good to know if it's not too much bother.

Re what Karl said, it's probably the recipe that was bad. :)

Wintercat, if you can get some Valrhona (French), that might be more what you're looking for. Since you don't care for chocolate, you might not like the flavor, but it's more intensely chocolaty than most other Dutched cocoa powders, which in turn have more flavor intensity than non-Dutched roasted cocoa powders, which have stronger flavor than raw. Valrhona, especially when fresh (best to buy in use-up-able quantities), makes fabulous chocolate cakes. It's the only cocoa powder which I think tastes good straight. :)

It may be the brand, or maybe you just don't like it. I bought Rodelle brand at Costco, quite a large container, so it was a darned good thing I loved the stuff. I was sad when it was gone, but didn't use any of it for hot cocoa/chocolate to drink, I used it in baking and it was quite good. At least I thought so.

Of course, I also buy the Special Dark cocoa instead of the regular. If I'm in a pinch, the only things available here are Nestle and Hershey.

I do realize that there's a difference in leavening, but I used it in several recipes successfully and liked it a lot, including some mocha ice cream.

Annie

Dutch processed cocoa is a no no for me. The reason? Treating cocoa with alkali strips chocolate of a LOT of its health benefits. This therefore eliminates any excuse I may have for the scandalous amounts of dark chocolate I consume daily(for health reasons only of course)

The only justification for eating chocolate is health reasons.

Mmmmmmmmm....health reasooooons. :)

It can sure improve my mental health.