Chocolate: Cocoa Powder, Baking Squares & Chips

Chocolate is a popular ingredient in many sweets, as it is enjoyed by many. The three most common chocolate ingredients recipes call for are cocoa powder, chocolate baking squares, and chocolate chips.

Cocoa powder is always unsweetened; if sugar is added it is no longer cocoa, it usually goes by the name of “chocolate drink mix.” These products are in the forms of powders to make chocolate milk or hot chocolate, and are not suitable for use in recipes calling for cocoa. There are two main varieties of cocoa: natural and Dutch – Processed. Natural cocoa is bitter on its own with a deep chocolate flavour, while Dutch – Processed cocoa has a milder, more delicate flavour.

Chocolate baking squares come individually wrapped and are one ounce (28 grams) each. The come in many different types, including unsweetened, bittersweet, dark, semi-sweet, sweet, and white. They are primarily used in recipes that call for the chocolate to be melted, but may also be chopped up and used in place of chocolate chips as chocolate “chunks.”

Chocolate chips come in many of the same flavours as chocolate baking squares. Chips are specially formulated to maintain there shape when baked in the oven. They are mainly used in recipes where chocolate chips are required to maintain their shape, but they may also be melted and used in recipes.

As much as possible, you should try to use the type of chocolate the recipe calls for. However, if you do not happen to have that particular ingredient on hand, there are some convenient substitutions to remember.

·         3 Tbsp cocoa + 1 Tbsp butter, margarine, shortening, or oil = 1 unsweetened chocolate baking square, in baked recipes where the square is melted; this substitution cannot be used for drizzling.

·         1/3 cup chocolate chips = 2 chocolate baking squares, in recipes where the square is chopped or melted. This substitution will not work when unsweetened squares are called for, as chocolate chips always contain added sugar.

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