Baking with chocolate and cocoa can take any dessert to the next level; however, using the right type of chocolate or cocoa is key to pulling off the perfect taste and texture. At CraftMe254, Nairobi, we have an assortment of baking products, including premium chocolate and cocoa.

This blog will take you through the many different types of chocolates and cocoas.

Dark Chocolate: Pure flavor for intense desserts.

Dark chocolate, though often referred to as both bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate, is featured with high cocoa and less sugar, which is typically around 60-85%. It has a deep, bold flavor that many bakers would go to and prefer, especially when you need to balance out the sweetness in a dessert.
Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate is the best choice for desserts in which you want a strong chocolate flavor but not cloying sweetness. It shines in recipes like brownies, chocolate tarts, and flourless chocolate cakes.
Best Uses: Dark Chocolate is ideal for making ganache, brownies, and rice cakes, as a coating for truffles or dipped fruits.

At CraftMe254, we stock high-quality dark chocolate that melts smoothly and delivers great, intense flavors to your baked goods.

2. Milk Chocolate: Sweet, Creamy, and Versatile

Milk Chocolate: It contains a smaller percentage of cocoa, usually around 30-40%, and a higher concentration of sugar and milk solids. This makes it far sweeter and creamier compared to dark chocolate and is what makes it perfect for desserts that require a much milder flavor of chocolate.
Milk Chocolate: it will be great for recipes that require added sweetness, like chocolate chip cookies, soft fillings, or light chocolate cakes. It goes well with mild flavors like vanilla or caramel.

Best Uses: Milk chocolate is best used in cookies, frostings, or mousse. It will also find application in making chocolate bars and softer candies.
CraftMe254 brings you smooth, creamy milk chocolate, ideal for home bakers and professional ones who want to get things right.

3. White Chocolate: Rich, smooth, sweet.

White chocolate is not, technically, “real” chocolate because it does not contain any cocoa solids; instead, it is made of cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids, which make it very rich and creamy in texture, and extremely sweet. White chocolate is to be applied often in those desserts that do not require a high amount of cocoa flavor.

When to use white chocolate: White chocolate is ideal for sweet, subtle desserts, like a white chocolate mousse, blondies, or frosting. It’s good, too, for decorating or giving bakes a creamy texture.
Best Usage: Truffle making, dessert decoration, and burgeoning ganache for cakes and cupcakes work best with it.
Here at Craftme254, we offer the best white chocolate to the baker who wants to add a touch of sweetness and creaminess to his or her creation.

4. Natural Cocoa Powder: Bold and Bitter

Natural cocoa powder is a powder resulting from roasted, most-of-the-cocoa-butter-removed cocoa beans. It’s acidic in nature and has a strong, pungent, and bitter taste making it perfect for recipes that call for baking soda because the acid in the cocoa helps the baked goods rise.
Natural Cocoa: Know when to use it. It works great in recipes that use baking soda for leavening. It shows up in cakes, cookies, and muffins when a strong, chocolate flavour is desired.
Best Uses: Natural cocoa is much better in recipes where the flavor should be strong, like chocolate cakes, brownies, and cookies.
CraftMe254 natural cocoa powder gives an intensely rich chocolate flavor to any homemade pastry.

5. Dutch-Processed Cocoa: Smooth and Mild

Dutch-processed is treated with an alkali to neutralize its natural acidity. It is therefore darker in color than natural cocoa. Because it’s neutral in pH, Dutch-processed cocoa is used in recipes that rely on baking powder, rather than baking soda, for leavening.

When to use Dutch-processed cocoa: This cocoa is best used in recipes that call for a milder flavor and don’t rely on the cocoa to create an acidic reaction with baking soda. It works very well in ice cream, chocolate sauces, puddings, and cakes-like European-style tortes.

Best Uses: Perfect for making chocolate sauces, custards, and rich smooth cakes. At CraftMe254, we have in stock both Dutch-processed and natural cocoa powder to let the baker have several choices depending on what the recipe calls for.

Conclusion:

The right kind of chocolate, or even cocoa, is so crucial to achieving perfection in baking. Be it the strong, posh taste of dark chocolate, the milky sweetness of milk chocolate, or the versatile powder of coca, each has its place in your recipe. Based in Nairobi, CraftMe254 helps you with top-quality baking products to get mouthwatering desserts each time. Come for all your baking needs, and give your creations that extra with the finest chocolate and cocoa.