On Sat, 10 May 2014 04:44:07 -0500, Alan Holbrook >
wrote:

>I'm looking at a recipe for chocolate cherry shortbread cookies (which
>should either be illegal or should at least have a 12-step process
>associated with them), and the recipe calls for 'black cocoa powder' as
>well as regular ol' unsweetened Dutch process cocoa. I've looked on line
>and discovered that I'll have to call my financial planner and cash in some
>mutual funds in order to afford the stuff. It also appears that the main
>use for black cocoa is to darken the end product so it comes out looking,
>well, u'mm, black, instead of chocolate brown. If I don't particularly
>care what the finished color is ("Frankly, my dear, I don't give a
>damn..."), can I just skip the black cocoa, or does it do something special
>to the flavor as well?

Sounds like black cocoa is more of an appearance thing, but if they
make it black by roasting it darker like espresso beans before
processing, I'd imagine that it would impart a darker richer somewhat
bitterish a flavor as well. I dunno, I'm just thinking by what I know
about cocoa beans and chocolate producton. I've never heard of black
cocoa until now.

John Kuthe...