Benoit Cocoa Powder Natural is an indispensable ingredient for chocolaty desserts, ranging from cakes, cookies, puddings, souffle, tart, and custard. Cocoa powder is also used in making dessert sauces, frosting, ice-cream, and even hot-cocoa. It imparts a deep, chocolaty flavor and also enhances the texture of the desserts. Benoit Cocoa powder has a reddish-brown color, and it is naturally gluten-free. It is acidic and has a pH value ranging between 5 and 6. The acidity is borne in the flavor of the cocoa powder that imparts it an almost citrusy and fruity kind of finish. Our cocoa powder has a prominent bitter and astringent taste. The naturally acidic powder, when combined with a leavening agent like baking soda, produces some of the most well risen and airy cakes, and light and crumbly cookies. When the acid in the cocoa powder reacts with the leavening, it produces carbon dioxide bubbles, which compels the batter to rise better when baked in the oven. Our cocoa powder is also low in fat and has a higher starch content. Benoit's natural cocoa powder is gluten-free and vegan as well. Nourished with the goodness of cacao beans, it is lighter in color but has a very prominent chocolate flavor since it is unprocessed. The natural powder tastes stronger, imparting a sharp, almost fruity flavor reminiscent of the cacao nibs.