I’ve received a little flak this past week from readers who didn’t think my red chocolate myth busting post from last Tuesday was rigorous enough. “No Dutched chocolate!” “You didn’t heat it!”
So OK then. Here goes. First we have a slurry of un-Dutched Ghiradelli cocoa powder and water. Left to right, with a teaspoon of tartaric acid, a teaspoon of baking soda and a combination of both (but only half a teaspoon of each because I didn’t want it exploding all over the place like last time).
Nothing is happening with the acid, we’ve got a little reaction going with the soda (un-Dutched cocoa is slightly acidic, remember) and a nice reaction going with both, as you’d expect. Are any of them even a little red, however? No.
Here they are after they’ve been brought to near boiling, after 45 seconds in the microwave. Very interesting. And very not red.
Now the same with some Dutched Droste cocoa powder. Nothing going on the left with the acid, also nothing going in the middle with the soda (Dutched cocoa is not acidic, it’s a large part of the point of Dutching) and a reaction starting with the combo. Other than the fact that this cocoa wasn’t as dark as I expected compared to the un-Dutched, there’s nothing surprising here. No redness.
Here they are after the same 45-second shot in the microwave. Not red. Not red. And definitely not red.
So I think we’ve fairly definitively dispelled a myth here, and there shall be no more experiments as Mrs. Pastry is already upset enough about the waste of expensive cocoa. If you have a counter-experiment to disprove me, by all means send pictures!
Interesting mythbuster post. I too, lament the waste of cocoa powder but it seems to have gone to strong cause! Hahaha.
-Sally from Jama Cocoa
Ha! Thanks Sally! Anything for science!
- Joe
Okay, now explain why the cocoa pots looked more “cooked” from left to right.
Especially the un-Dutched cocoa. The tartaric acid looks nearly the same, the baking soda looks like pudding and the combo looks like a brownie (mmm…brownies)
Hey Ursula!
It’s the soda. Alkalinity encourages browning reactions. It’s why bagels and pretzels are boiled with soda or lye…so that crusts get crispy and nut-brown in the oven. So that’s what happening there. As for why the right-most samples are the darkest after heat, I’m not completely sure. It might have something to do with more bubbles and more surface area…perhaps the CO2 comes into play…something to cause more browning reactions. I’ll have to think on that one. A great question!
- Joe
Also, by adding soda, you must be sort of “Dutching” the cocoa – or increasing the Dutchedness – thereby making it darker anyway.
I think that’s likely. Thanks, Bronwyn!
- Joe
That’s science, baby.
Great post, J
Chris
Thanks for this…I never knew!
Thanks to you, HBM!
- Joe
This might be a good opportunity for people to think about hitting the Tip Jar so the science can continue unabated. ;>
Oh that would please the missus. Would it ever!
Thanks, Rainey!
- Joe
I think your last line is the most important. It would be impossible to prove the red color DIDN’T come from the chocolate because someone will always be able to say you missed something. If someone says the red does come from the chocolate have them post pictures & a recipe so we can try it ourselves.
What could be better? Science AND chocolate cake!
And I’m the first to admit I ain’t no chemist!
I’m a guy with some cocoa and a microwave.
Thanks, Frankly!
- Joe
You learn something new everyday! Thanks for the heads up.
My pleasure, Spenser!
- Joe
And that’s exactly why I love reading your blog!
Thanks, Shweta!
- Joe
While not fire-engine red, the un-Dutched Ghiradelli does appear auburn to me, which I suspect was the origin of the whole “red chocolate cake” story to begin with. Auburn hair is often called “reddish” without being RED red
Not to be contrary; I just like justifying a food tradition…
Hehe…you may hold whatever opinion you wish, Gloria! I’m just sayin’…if someone came up off the street and held this out to you and said “what color is this?”…what would you say?
Would you look for shades of red in it if it weren’t chocolate? Me thinks…not.
Cheers and thanks for the comment!
- Joe