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Back in 2008, I went on a Japan Airlines flight and they served some small, almost oreo-like black in color chocolate cookies for snack. I looooved those cookies so much as it had a deep chocolate taste without being too sweet and bitter. Of course, the texts in the wrapping were all in Japanese so I wasn’t able to know what the ingredients were. My guess was it was made of dark chocolate or dutched processed cocoa powder. I did several attempts and I couldn’t quite get the almost-black color and the deep chocolatey taste as those Japanese cookies. Those cookies remain in my memory and I have never tasted something like them until…I made a batch of cookies using black cocoa! Apparently, black cocoa is the key to that intense, dark, sexy black color and smooth, deep chocolate taste. Black cocoa is by far my new favorite culinary discovery!
What is Black Cocoa?
Have you ever tried making a devil’s food cake and couldn’t quite make it as deep and dark and chocolatey as you always think it should be? The answer, my virtual foodie friends, is black cocoa powder.
Black cocoa is, well, black in color. Contrast that with the color of a dutch processed cocoa powder (best described as reddish/brownish), which looks like this:
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For this recipe, I used a mixture of half black cocoa and half regular Dutch-processed cocoa. Why? Here’s a bit of the science-y part: Black cocoa is essentially an ultra-Dutched processed cocoa powder. That means all the acidity has been neutralized, rendering the cocoa powder completely mellow, non-bitter, and very black. It also contains no acid, so it won’t react with baking soda. However, since it’s heavily dutched processed, it also means it contains almost no fat, which can make your baked goods on the dry and crumbly side. (source: theKitchn.com) So for best results, use black cocoa in combination with Dutch-process cocoa.
I noticed that black cocoa powder is not readily available in grocery stores. If you’re in Canada, I buy black cocoa from Bulk Barn. If you’re in the US, King Arthur Flour and Amazon carry them. You can also try Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa. It is not quite as “Dutched” as black cocoa but it will give you a closer outcome than other cocoa powders.
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Here’s what you’ll need…
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT:
- small and medium bowls
- flour sifter or any fine mesh strainer
- whisk
- stand mixer
- spatula
- parchment paper
- knife
- baking sheet or cookie sheet
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- I use and recommend Williams Sonoma Gold Touch Baking Sheet. It heats up evenly and cools down quickly, avoiding overcooked baked goods!
- cooling rack
INGREDIENTS:
- 125 grams (4.4 oz) all-purpose flour
- 30 grams (1 oz) ounces black cocoa, sifted
-
- If you can’t get black cocoa, you can also try Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa. It is not quite as “Dutched” as black cocoa but it will give you a closer outcome than other cocoa powders.
- 30 grams (1 oz) ounces dutch processed cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 113 grams (4 oz / 1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 50 grams (1.8 oz) granulated white sugar
- 110 grams (3.9) ounces light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 grams (3.5 oz) chopped pecans
- link here
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How to make…step-by-step
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NOTE: Alternatively, you can entirely skip the rolling into a log part. After the flour and pecans have been combined, chill the dough for at least 1 hour then portion the dough onto the baking sheet using a medium cookie scoop, then bake as instructed below.
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I have become a fan of black cocoa powder and I think I would be making more things with it, like this Black Cocoa Powder Cake!
Have you ever baked with black cocoa powder?
Black Cocoa-Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 125 grams 4.4 oz all-purpose flour
- 30 grams 1 oz black cocoa, sifted
- 30 grams 1 oz dutch process cocoa, sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 113 grams 4 oz / 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 50 grams 1.8 oz granulated white sugar
- 110 grams 3.9 oz light brown sugar
- 1 piece large egg at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 grams 3.5 oz chopped pecans
Instructions
- MISE EN PLACE. Prepare and measure all the ingredients. Butter and eggs should be at room temperature. Sift the black cocoa and dutch processed cocoa. Chop the pecans into small pieces.
- MAKE THE FLOUR MIXTURE. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powders, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- ADD THE LIQUID THEN DRY INGREDIENTS. Reduce mixer speed and add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined. Add flour mixture and nuts and mix until just combined. The mixture should be heavy and clay-like at this point.
- ROLL AND SHAPE THE COOKIE DOUGH. (Note 1) Place dough on parchment paper. Use the parchment paper to lift and shape dough into a log, about 10 inches long and 2 inches wide. Wrap roll in parchment paper and chill dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- SLICE THE DOUGH. Once the dough has been chilled for at least 1 hour, preheat oven to 350F. Cut log into 1/4-inch slices then place slices about 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet.
- BAKE AND COOL. Bake for approximately 10 mins, or until the middle is mostly set. Cool on pans for 5 mins then transfer to to a wire rack to cool completely.