# On the other hand - black chocolate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [August 20, 2022, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005 "2022-08-20T18:01:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/1 "2022-08-20T18:01:39Z")
The Asian store near me has tons of Japanese and European candy. Yesterday I tried a bar of Meiji Black Chocolate. It really wasn’t what I expected. First off, it isn’t black - just the standard dark brown. It’s just dark chocolate as far as I can see. I don’t really care for dark chocolate but this wasn’t too bad so it is probably a low cocoa version. > **[Meiji Black Chocolate Blocks](https://www.japancandystore.com/meiji-black-chocolate-blocks)** > > These rich black chocolate blocks from Meiji carry the same creaminess & non-changing ingredients of their famous Milk Chocolate. Each piece is rich with cocoa flavors with a slightly bitter kick of black chocolate. Perfect when served with tea... ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/2 "2022-08-20T18:07:42Z")
So it’s basically very dark chocolate mixed with a little milk chocolate? Sounds good. > Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa mass, vegetable oil, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, lecithin (soybean), flavouring . ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/3 "2022-08-20T18:14:21Z")
So you take dark chocolate, make it lighter in flavor by mixing it with a little milk chocolate, and call the result… black chocolate. Naturally. (I am generally well-disposed toward the eccentricities of the whole chocolate cult thing even though I do not partake myself bc allergy, but sometimes, man. Just, man.) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/4 "2022-08-20T18:32:48Z")
In Europe at least the ingredients are listed according to their weight. So this “chocolate” has more sugar than cocoa mass, more vegetable oil than cocoa butter and it tastes so bland that it needs flavouring. 9.90 $ for 120 g? US$? 80 $ per kilo? Hmmm… 🤔 I’ll pass. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/5 "2022-08-20T18:37:46Z")
So if you spill the chocolates and put them back in the box is that a Meiji restoration? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/6 "2022-08-20T18:47:16Z")
I happen to like the bitter taste of 90% dark chocolate. This isn’t it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/7 "2022-08-20T18:51:18Z")
Black cocoa powder exists, it’s the stuff used in Oreos. I guess dairy content makes these bars a lighter color? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/8 "2022-08-20T19:08:28Z")
I found this on the internet so it must be true: Black cocoa powder is **an ultra-dutch processed cocoa powder**. A dutch processed cocoa powder is unsweetened cocoa powder that has been treated with an alkaline solution to remove its acidity. Black cocoa powder has simply been heavily alkalized. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/9 "2022-08-20T20:07:03Z")
Don’t think we didn’t all just see that. 😠 😜 ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/10 "2022-08-20T20:19:52Z")
I want you go sit in that corner and think about what you’ve done. Don’t you give me that look! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/11 "2022-08-20T21:04:58Z")
When I do a Low carb diet, I go for Ghirardelli Intense Dark or similar. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/12 "2022-08-20T21:07:11Z")
I buy some when I’m in SF. It’s good stuff, but there are other brands out there that are cheaper and just as good. Dark chocolate is supposedly good for your heart, so I can eat it guilt-free. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2022, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/13 "2022-08-20T21:15:56Z")
I don’t like chocolate much. But Black chocolate? Man, NOW you’re talking! At Xmas, with a sweet white wine. A Sauternes will do very nicely, thank you! j ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/14 "2022-08-21T00:00:38Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I found this on the internet so it must be true: > Black cocoa powder is **an ultra-dutch processed cocoa powder**. A dutch processed cocoa powder is unsweetened cocoa powder that has been treated with an alkaline solution to remove its acidity. Black cocoa powder has simply been heavily alkalized. All I know is that adding black cocoa powder to coffee creates an Oreo mocha. 🙂 I bought some via Amazon and put it in my coffee, not really knowing what it is. I had to look it up when the Oreo flavor surprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2022, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/15 "2022-08-21T06:39:46Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Black cocoa powder exists, it’s the stuff used in Oreos. I had no idea that this could be bought by the common consumer. I just added this to my shopping list and am looking forward to baking with it. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/16 "2022-08-21T15:41:37Z")
I was thinking it would be the perfect ingredient for [Schadenfreude Pie](https://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/09/26/how-to-make-a-schadenfreude-pie/), the recipe here being found in a certain political thread but, alas, there is no cocoa powder in the pie, just chocolate chips. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-other-hand-black-chocolate/970005/17 "2022-08-21T15:59:37Z")
Yes, what you want is “unsweetened baking chocolate”, never seen it marketed as “black” chocolate [OTOH I never tried buying “black cocoa powder”, the stuff in the tins of cocoa powder I got was brown]. Should be something like 99% chocolate and no sugar (you can add some yourself if your recipe wants it).