Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder is the spice produced from the fermented, dried, roasted, and ground seeds (“beans”) of the chocolate plant (Theobroma cacao), a tropical evergreen tree in the cotton, or mallow, family (Malvaceae). The beans are ground to a paste, then pressed to remove most of the cocoa butter, and the remaining cake is milled into powder. Since it’s been stripped of most of the fat, it’s best used for baking or dry rubs.