rely on acidic natural cocoa to react with baking soda and generate leavening carbon dioxide If the same recipe is made with an alkalized cocoa, the reaction won’t take place, no carbon dioxide will be generated, and the taste will be alkaline and soapy Instant Cocoa So-called “instant” cocoas for hot chocolate include lecithin, an emulsifier that helps separate the particles so that they mix readily with water Sugar is frequently added to instant cocoa mix and may account for up to 70% of its weight Chocolate and Cocoa as Ingredients Chocolate and cocoa are versatile ingredients They’re incorporated into many mixtures of ingredients, and not just sweets; savory Mexican mole sauces and some European meat stews and sauces borrow depth and complexity from them Chocolate and cocoa provide flavor, richness, and structurebuilding capacity; their dry particles contain both starch and protein, absorb moisture, and contribute thickness and solidity to baked goods, soufflés, fillings and icings Flourless cakes can be made with chocolate or cocoa as the starchy and fatty ingredients, eggs as the moistening and setting agent In a chocolate mousse, the foam structure provided by the whipped eggs is reinforced by both the dry particles and the gradually crystallizing cocoa butter Of course, chocolate can be presented as is, part of a pastry construction for example, or melted over a preparation and then hardened to provide a coating It’s when we melt and cool it for coating or molding that it requires the most care (p 708) Otherwise, keeping in mind a few facts about chocolate will prevent most problems Working with Chocolate Dark chocolate is a ...provide flavor, richness, and structurebuilding capacity; their dry particles contain both starch and protein, absorb moisture, and contribute thickness and solidity to baked goods, soufflés, fillings and icings... cakes can be made with chocolate or cocoa as the starchy and fatty ingredients, eggs as the moistening and setting agent In a chocolate mousse, the foam structure provided by the whipped eggs is reinforced by both the dry particles and the gradually crystallizing cocoa... particles and the gradually crystallizing cocoa butter Of course, chocolate can be presented as is, part of a pastry construction for example, or melted over a preparation and then hardened to provide a coating