Droste Cocoa Powder, 8.8 oz (4 pack)

FIrst FAQ's Then review and RECIPE for hot chocolate below What is Dutch Process This is an alkali treatment that makes the cocoa less acidic and darker. The flavor is milder and less bitter but the color is darker. Can I use it baked goods? Yes, but unprocessed (like Hershey) will give greater lift (rise) Dutch process will taste fudgier (less rise) and also less dry and powdery. Can I make cocoa drink with it? Yes. Why does my cocoa not dissolve into the milk? Cocoa is hydrophobic (rejects water) To counteract that dissolve it (really mix to a smooth paste) in a little COLD water or cold milk before adding hot milk. Why is it so expensive now? You get a lot of cocoa in 8 oz but remember during COVID pandemic, everyone loaded up on chocolate to assuage loneliness and isolation. Or maybe it wasn'treally COVID and you all know that chocolate and lots of it is the specific remedy for dementor oppression. And apparently COVID depression and dementor oppression are similar. This is good cocoa, GREAT cocoa, rated BEST by Cook's Illustrated (America's Test Kitchen.) I think it's the best. I've been using this brand since childhood. (My sister and I liked to bake as kids. Still do.) I now like it for hot chocolate. You can make your own drink, it's a bit more work than opening a packet and pouring on boiling water but you get the best cocoa, and can choose your sugar amount (some, none, stevia, sucralose, whatever works for you.) And your type of milk, full fat, skim, soy, rice, coconut, hemp, almond. I use 1 pct cow milk. I make my hot chocolate by heating up the milk just to the boiling point, not boiling. Mix 2 tsp Droste cocoa powder with a splash of cold milk. Mix to a smooth paste. Pour on the 8 oz of hot milk, stirring to blend. (You can use a Mexican Molido mixer...works well.) I add one mini square of dark chocolate from Aldi (about 1/3 oz or 10 grams --size of a postage stamp) or two) a tiny pinch of salt and a pinch of cinnamon. Mix again. I don't bother with whipped cream but that's nice, or a big fat marshmallow. And then...flannel jammies, a movie and a fireplace and hey wait, it's July so turn down the AC and pretend it's Christmas already. Seriously, this is the best hot chocolate you'll ever have and it's worth the slight effort.

Great cocoa powder. Made a cocoa set for Xmas for my holiday boutique Very chocolaty taste

The review asked me to rate the "scent" - it doesn't really have a scent so I gave it a 5 anyway. This Dutch cocoa is delicious. I don't cook with it, I just make hot chocolate and mochas. It dissolves fairly easily, and has the best flavor. When the pandemic started in March of 2020, my only trip outside the house was a daily walk with my dog to Peet's Coffee to get a mocha. It cost $5.26 plus $1 tip. That's $6.26 x 365 x 3 years = $6,855. In the beginning of the pandemic I really tried to observe the mask rule and the 6 foot social distance, but other people didn't and it used to irritate me. So I looked in my storage area and found an old Krups espresso maker I hadn't used in 20 years, fired it up, and started making my mocha at home. The Droste cocoa is *much* better than whatever chocolate syrup Peet's uses, plus I can sweeten to taste. I figure my home mochas cost about $1.10 to make. $1.10 x 365 x 3 = $1205. Over the past three years I've saved $5650 of AFTER-TAX money, I have a delicious mocha made just the way I like it, and I didn't get Covid. YAY

Best Dutch Cocoa you can purchase. I have a cookie recipe that fails when I have use other brands.

This is the best tasting chocolate. I have made chocolate cake, delicious I also make a no bake chocolate cookie.

the very best cocoa.just don't know why it took a month to arrive.

This is one of my favorite brands of cocoa. It makes deep, dark, luscious chocolate cakes. And frosting and cookies etc.

Best cocoa powder on the market, in my opinion. Great price. Cheaper than World Market.