Dutch Chocolate Flavored Coffee

As day turns to night, where there’s coffee, chocolate will soon follow. The flavors seem to be made for each other. They pair so well in many combinations, from ice cream, mixed drinks, chocolate-covered coffee beans, and even a slice of tiramisu. Coffee and chocolate are like two peas in a pod (literally). Dilworth’s Dutch Chocolate flavored coffee will remind you of all the wonderful ways coffee and chocolate can be combined and satisfy those cravings in every sweet cup.

Why is Dutch Chocolate a Good Combination for Coffee

The flavor profile of Dutch-processed cocoa can actually be a good match for coffee, depending on the type of coffee you're having. Here's why:

• Smoothness: Dutch cocoa has a less acidic and smoother taste than natural cocoa. This smooth character can complement the acidity or bitterness sometimes present in coffee, creating a more balanced and pleasant experience.
• Richness: Dutch cocoa powder boasts a deeper chocolate flavor compared to natural cocoa. This richness can pair well with a strong cup of coffee, particularly dark roasts that have bolder chocolatey notes.

Coffee vs Cocoa

The two beans also have very similar methods of production. They are both picked, dried, fermented, and then roasted. Cocoa must go through a more tedious process than coffee does to become the candy bars we all know and love. But what is Dutch(-ed) Cocoa? What effect does it have on the chocolate we all eat? What makes it different from naturally processed cocoa?

Cocoa beans, once roasted, are cracked into cocoa nibs and then ground into a paste. This paste is then separated into cocoa butter and cocoa powder. This cocoa powder would be considered naturally processed. With a pH between 5 and 6, cocoa is quite acidic. This acidity brings out sharp, fruity, and citrusy notes in the finished chocolate. Those are not the flavors we’re aiming for in our Dutch Chocolate flavored coffee.

Diving into Dutch Cocoa

Dutch cocoa is washed with a potassium carbonate solution that neutralizes cocoa's acidity to a pH of 7. This also changes the color of the cocoa to a darker hue. The flavor also changes with the washing process. Fruity notes turn into woody flavors, and acidity turns into smoothness. Cocoa can also be further ‘Dutched’ to a pH of 8. This kind of cocoa is bittersweet, and you’ll find it in products like bittersweet baking chocolate and Oreos. Dutch cocoa is a little richer, a little fudgier, and may be exactly what you’re looking for to intensify your cookie game. Our Dutch Chocolate flavored coffee boasts those delicious woody, sweet roasted chocolatey flavors.

These two kinds of cocoa aren’t just different in flavor, the pH levels affect how they’re used in baking. Dutch cocoa is not acidic, and so it doesn’t react with alkaline leavens in baking products to produce carbon dioxide. The most common household leaven used in this way is baking soda. The next time you’re looking for a recipe that calls for Dutch Cocoa, make sure it also includes baking powder, otherwise your next batch of muffins may turn out a little flat.

When it comes to our Dutch Chocolate flavored coffee, we exquisitely meld the delicate floral and earthy flavors of coffee and chocolate together. A perfect combination for your morning cup this June.