ottawa foodies

I never buy cocoa powder and now I want to buy some for making chocolate cookies.
Usually when I have make chocolate cookies I have used dark melted chocolate (as I always have too many extra chocolate bars to get rid of).

Cocoa powder would probably add more richness with less sweetness too,
-actually I make chocolate chip cookies more than double chocolate cookies.
But I did have a really good double chocolate cookie last night and now want to make some too....

Here is what I'm looking at like brands:

Fair Trade pure cocoa 100% ETHICABLE brand 75 grams = $3.68

VALRHONA "Gastronomia" cocoa powder ,250 grams $14.00

VAN HOUTEN Cocoa powder from Belgium 250 grams = $8.00

Also are these prices good? I will also look at the grocery store this week.

Hands down Valhrona if you want the best taste and colour.
I know it is very expensive, but you use less so in the end it works out about the same cost as the others.

Thanks,

I actually like Valrhona chocolate a lot (esp the milk chocolate pecan bar :)

Do any stores in Ottawa sell Valrhona cocoa powder?
I am buying it online,but curious if any actual stores here have it?

Maybe I will buy a smaller package of the Vanhouten one to compare the smaller size is 125 grams and $4.50

I think the grocery store, usually what they have is Fry's Cocoa?
is that stuff any good?

I've baked with cocoa a few times, but not sure what kind was used as it was in a bulk container someone had (like a clear plastic storage box).

I think you can buy Valrhona cocoa at Grace in the Kitchen, on Bank St in Old Ottawa South. It's rather pricey but I think it's worth it! It might be a good idea to buy a few kinds and see which one you like better. I personally don't like Fry's too much, it doesn't seem very chocolate-y to me. But that may just be my preference and you may like it.

Based on a 2005 cook's illustrated taste test, I have been using Droste. They liked Callebaut the best, but I haven't really seriously looked for that one.
their full test results are online here:
www.cooksillustrated.com

I will try and look at Grace in the Kitchen soon!

I've been there once to buy kitchen stuff, but their foods and baking chocolate is quite pricey.

$14 sounds ok for Valrhona- I'm actually buying it from the distributor's website who stocks Swiss Pastries and a lot of smaller delis with chocolate and foods.
I was already ordering other items,so shipping is not a issue as it is a flat rate.

If you want a richer, more flavourful cocoa powder, you can try one that uses the Broma process (also called the Natural process), instead of the Dutch process. Ghiradelli cocoa is an example of one that uses Broma process. It has a stronger flavour, and less cocoa fat. If you are making Red Velvet Cake, then a Broma process cocoa is pretty much required ( and saves you from adding tons of red food colouring ).

What Pete said. Ghiradelli is pretty awesome. I'm also a fan of black cocoa, though, that's a whole other ballgame.

Has anyone ever found or tried the Callebaut? CI didn't like Valrhona or too many of the others, but I find chocolate is a very personal thing and everyone has a favorite. I had resisted spending the big bucks on Valrhona based on the CI review, but based on what I'm reading here, may give it a try.

I buy the Cacao Barry Extra Brute 22% fat Dutch-process cocoa powder. It's called Cacao Barry, but the manufacturer is Barry Callebaut. It's wonderful--very dark and flavourful. 1 kilogram is $22.99, so it's a better deal than any you've listed above. I bought it at Market Organics on York Street. It makes the best oreos...

I thought the website I buy chocolates from would have Callebeaut cocoa,but when I just looked they only have Callebeaut baking chocolate.

500 grams Callebeaut baking chocolate is $13 (not sure if that is a good price or not??).

I will try Market Organic's then, that sounds cheap for 1kg.

The website I'm buying from is chocodirect.com

the baking chocolate is under Jaques Callebeaut (his brother maybe,lol).
I bought the Jaques Callebeaut baking chips and those are good also.

For now the cocoa powder I bought was Ethicable and also Van Houten.

hopefully those are good!

Wrong Callebauts imo, ptr - check out Bernard's cocoa at www.bernardcallebaut.com
Excellent stuff, again imo, but I've also used Barry's high fat cocoa(@ Bulk Barn), Fry's, and others. For most cookie uses Fry's, Droste, etc will be good to most people if the cookie recipe and other ingredients, as well as the cook, are all in good form. I save the good stuff for the more intensively flavoured goodies where you want to knock your socks off (and others too).

I have been following this thread with interest but I have a question for the chocolate connaisseurs on ottawafoodies. Some recommendations have been made for Callebaut chocolate but specifically their cocoa powder. I am familiar with the Callebaut chocolate that Andy provided a link to above but for some reason (and it could be my own ignorance) that Callebaut chocolate products were chocolate bars as opposed to powder. I also learned over the summer we have a new chocolatier on the Gatineau side - Rochef chocolates - and they make a Callebaut chocolate which is a chocolate bar. Which leads to further confusion on my part. Does Callebaut chocolate refer to the specific company or a style of chocolate?... Or both?...

Here is the pic of Callebaut cocoa powder that scored highest on the Cook's Illustrated tasting panel. $20 for 2.2 pounds but I don't know where. Droste and Mercken's natural cocoa were both recommended, but with reservations. All the other brands they tested were rated as "not recommended" for one reason or another.

Pasta lover, here's some good background on the Callebaut name: en.wikipedia.org

I'm guessing the Gatineau chocolatier you mention is simply melting down Callebaut chocolate and using it to make new confections. Chocolatiers need to source their chocolate from someone and Callebaut is a good choice!

Fresh Foodie Thanks! I had already visited the Rochef website but the only information they provide is where to buy it - nothing about ingredients or different types of products. Your explanation of sourcing Callebaut chocolate to make new confections makes sense.