Cocoa Powder

Yes, there is a difference in cocoa,. but there are a few things to keep in mind.

There are two ain types of cocoa -- natural and Dutch-processed. Natural cocoa,, such as Hershey's, is primarily an American phenomenon and is acidic. Dutch-processed cocoa is processed with alkali and generally used in European recipes; this cocoa has a deeper, richer flavor. Compounding the differences are fat levels with some of the European cocoas containing significantly more fat than others; this lends a richer flavor.

I preferDutched cocoa for most applications. It has a better flavor, in my opinion, an does produce superior products. While I use several, my favorites are a Bensdorf full-fat version, Guittard's Cocoa Rouge, and a King Arthur Flour blend combining Dutch cocoa with black cocoa (makes beautiful brownies).

I also keep natural cocoa on hand; Hershey's being my preferred brand. While I do not generally use this type of cocoa, in recipes utilizing baking soda as the sole leavening agent, one must use natural cocoa. Without the acidity of natural cocoa, leavening will be incomplete, and the products will not rise properly. (In recipes utilizing baking powder, it is fine to use the Dutch cocoa).

If you are looking for a good, all-purpose product, King Arthur Flour also produces a blend, combining natural, Dutch-process, and black cocoas. While it works, I prefer keeping the separate cocoas, choosing among them as my recipes vary.

While I probably have provided more information than needed to begin, I say try new brands. It is fun to experiment with different brands as you find what you like. Honestly, I do not think one ever need to worry about choosing a bad type of cocoa. After all, one can always make brownies or hot cocoa, and honestly, even bad brownies ad hot cocoa are pretty good in my book.

Hershey's-always!

Thanks, ladies. And KYToby, I have copied and pasted your response in a word document so I can refer to it later, though I will likely just buy the Hershey's for my holiday baking as I always have.