Extra Brute Cocoa Powder 22–24% — Callebaut Selection

The reference cocoa powder in professional pastry, sold for decades as Cacao Barry Extra Brute and now carried under Callebaut Selection. Same powder, same reputation.

It is heavily alkalized — Dutch-processed — which is where the deep reddish-brown colour comes from, and it carries 22–24% cocoa butter, roughly double the fat of supermarket cocoa. That fat is what makes it disperse cleanly, taste round rather than dusty, and hold its colour on a finished dessert.

The flavour is dominant roasted cocoa: pure, consistent, classic. No fruit, no acidity games — this is the powder you reach for when you want unmistakable chocolate character and the same result every time. It works cold and hot alike: whisk it into ganache and ice cream base, fold it into cake and brownie batter, or dust it over truffles for that amber-red finish lighter cocoas cannot produce.

Working notes

• Cocoa: 100%
• Fat content: 22–24%
• Process: Alkalized (Dutch-processed), high level
• Shelf life: 24 months
• Best for: Dusting truffles, brownies, cakes, mousse, gelato, sauces, hot chocolate, macarons

A note on substitution

Dutched cocoa is alkaline, natural cocoa is acidic. Swapping one for the other changes how baking soda and baking powder behave — if a formula is written for natural cocoa, expect a difference in rise and crumb.

Ingredients & dietary

High-fat cocoa powder processed with alkali. Gluten-free · Vegan and vegetarian · Kosher Parve · Cocoa Horizons Program

Storage

Sealed, cool and dry, away from strong odours. Cocoa powder absorbs surrounding aromas readily.

Supplied by Antalia Wholesale, authorized Canadian distributor of the Barry Callebaut Group.