Theobroma cacao , more commonly know as cacao, refers to the tree that produces cocoa beans. Cocoa is the general term used to refer to the product made from cocoa beans and to the chocolate drinks and flavorings made from cocoa powder. See similar questions...

Cocoa refers to either the dried and partially fermented fatty seeds in the pod of the cacao tree. Cocoa is usually in the form of cocoa powder made from grinding the seed and removing the butter. Cacao (rhymes with cow) is the seed found in the pod of a cacao tree. This is this part that includes the butter and is used to make chocolate. See similar questions...

Natural Cocoa Butter usually retains a strong chocolate or cocoa odor and is more yellow in color. Deodorized Cocoa Butter will still have a slight odor and be lighter in color. Both butters are very hard in texture. See similar questions...

Cacao is the fruit from which chocolate is made. Cacao grows on cacao trees found mostly in the tropical regions of Africa and Latin America. The fruit, often referred to as the cacao pod, is about the size of a pineapple and contains dozens of large beans. It is these beans that are used in the production of chocolate products. For more information on Cacao, please refer to the About Chocolate section of this web site. See similar questions...

Cocoa is finely pulverised de-fatted, roasted CACAO kernels, to which natural and artificial spices and flavours may be added. It is commercially manufactured by pumping hot CHOCOLATE liquor (semi-liquid ground cacao kernels) into hydraulic cage presses where, under extreme pressure, part of the fat, or cocoa butter, is removed. The fat content of cocoa varies from less than 10% to 22% or more for breakfast or high fat cocoa. See similar questions...

Cocoa flavanols are naturally occurring compounds found in cocoa beans. Preliminary studies suggest that cocoa flavanols may have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health by: Promoting healthy platelet function, which may contribute to the maintenance of healthy blood flow and circulation. Reducing the oxidation of LDL, a process believed to be an initial step in the development of heart disease. See similar questions...

The cocoa beans used in Silk Chocolate Soymilk are Dutch processed. This means that the cocoa beans are cleaned, cracked and roasted. At the time of roasting, the beans are treated with alkali for color and flavor. This process yields a dark, flavorful cocoa "liquor," which is made into a cocoa cake that is then milled into cocoa powder. There is no dairy involved in this process. See similar questions...

Not all chocolate or cocoa contain the same level of cocoa flavanols, because these compounds can be lost during processing of the cocoa. Mars, Incorporated developed a proprietary method of gently processing cocoa beans shown to retain much of the naturally occurring flavanols in their chocolate products. See similar questions...

Yachana Gourmet buys all of its cacao beans from small family farmers living in the Ecuadorian Amazon. For more information on how Yachana Gourmet is working with small family farmers in the Ecuadorian Amazon, please refer to the Helping Farmers section of this web site. See similar questions...

The International Germplasm Database of Cacao drawn up in 1997 includes about 12,500 cacao clones. Its exactness will be tested only when a cost-effective method for the detection of cacao molecular DNA is designed and used as a bar-code for clone identification. Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario are the three leading types of Theobroma cacao. Their difference results from their pod structure, the colour of their beans and the number of beans per pod. See similar questions...

Dutch processed cocoa, which is also called "alkalized" cocoa powder, has been treated with an alkali during processing to produce a less harsh tasting, darkly colored cocoa. This process is purely to control flavor and color. Many people erroneously assume that alkalized cocoa powder is "better" than non-alkalized or "natural" cocoa powder. It is no better, just more mellow tasting and darker colored. For best results, use the type indicated in the recipe. See similar questions...

Cocoa is shipped as a binhex (.hqx) archive containing a double-clickable installer file. Most web browsers will automatically unpack the .hqx archive leaving the installer file ready to use. If that's not the case, you may have to de-hqx it using Stuffit Expander or similar products. Double-click the Installer and follow the instructions. The installer will ask you to find the Plug-ins folder for your web browser to install the Cocoa Plugin. See similar questions...

Cocoa is available two ways: 1) "natural"; and 2) "alkalized" which is also known as "dutched" or "dutch process." Natural cocoa has nothing added to it and retains its rich, slightly bitter taste. Alkalized or dutched cocoa uses hydroxide to neutralize the acids in the cocoa, producing a less bitter and smoother taste. Both taste profiles are useful and recipes will often specify one type or the other, especially for baked items. For AH!LASKA products, we use only natural cocoa. Back to top See similar questions...