If in the recent past, in order to choose cocoa, you had to go to the store and buy a pack of the only product available in the assortment, today the situation has changed radically. The different varieties and types of cocoa on the shelves can be confusing for anyone. What kind of drink do you need? How to choose it? There are two types of cocoa: cocoa powder, which needs to be boiled, and cocoa drink, which is simply diluted with hot water.
Instructions
Step 1
Cocoa powder is a paste made from the fruit of the cocoa tree, dried and milled. A drink from this product is prepared as follows: milk, water and sugar are taken, a small amount of powder is poured. The mixture is brought to a boil - that's it, the drink is ready. The powder made from the fruit of the chocolate tree retains many beneficial substances, making hot chocolate very useful. It prevents aging, nourishes the body with vitamins and protects against certain diseases.
Step 2
When choosing cocoa powder, pay attention to its flavor and texture. If lumps appear in the powder, this means that the mixture was stored incorrectly or the product's shelf life is coming out. The same means that cocoa powder loses its flavor. If the taste of a drink made from this powder leaves much to be desired, then it is already unsuitable for making hot chocolate. Although usually such a product can still be added to the dough - natural cocoa powder serves as an excellent dye, gives baked goods the taste and aroma of chocolate.
Step 3
Cocoa drinks are easy-to-prepare mixtures. It is enough to take a few spoons of such a product, dilute with hot water or hot milk and the cocoa is ready. The composition of the mixtures used for the preparation of cocoa drinks necessarily includes the powder from the cocoa fruit itself, also sugar, milk powder and lecithin are usually added there - this substance does not allow the appearance of undissolved sediment.
Step 4
If you want to choose a high-quality cocoa drink, then be sure to check the mass fraction of fat in the mixture, it must be more than 15%. This means that a lot of cocoa butter is included in the composition. A good powder for a drink can be very finely ground, if you rub a pinch with your fingers, then it should not crumble, but stick to the skin of your fingers. Grains and lumps are a drawback, indicating that the mixture was stored improperly, or it is of poor quality. This drink can be tasted dry. If the tongue does not taste unpleasant, then everything is in order.
