What Is Cacao Butter (Or Cocoa Butter)
October 18, 2022
You’ve probably heard about cacao butter and you’re wondering what it is and what is so special about it. In fact, a lot of people haven’t heard about it before. That is why today, we are all going to learn about it.
What Is Cacao Butter?
Cacao butter is the pure edible fat that comes from cacao beans. It’s also widely known as cocoa butter, and has a lot of benefits. You’ll find it mostly in chocolates, baking, and even cosmetics! It has high moisturizing capabilities and can soothe irritated skins. That’s why it is widely used on soaps, creams, hair conditioners, and lip balms. Plus, it smells like chocolate! Yum!
Even though cacao butter smells exactly like chocolate, it’s rarely eaten on its own. But since it’s a type of vegetable oil, it is vegan-friendly and even dairy-free. And it has an amazing melting point which is just below the human body temperature, thus making it the perfect ingredient for that “melts in your mouth” goodness.
How Is It Made?
Most people know that chocolate comes from cocoa beans, and in turn, cocoa beans come from the cocoa pod. But only a few know that cacao butter is literally made from cacao beans.
Cacao pods grow from the trunk of the Theobroma cacao tree, and the seeds are called the cocoa beans. These beans are fermented, dried, and roasted to make the shell easier to peel. After roasting, the beans will be peeled to take out the cocoa nibs.
Grinding peeled cacao nibs will create a thick chocolate paste called chocolate liquor. Then, the chocolate liquor is pressed to separate the fat and the solid part. The fat is the cacao butter and the solids are then made into cocoa powder.
Cacao butter is usually a pale yellow in color and is proven to give chocolates a smooth and creamier flavor. It’s also perfect for molding chocolates, because it adds glossiness. Since it is usually in solid form, it needs to be melted before you can use it. The melting process is similar to how you melt chocolates, which is slowly and carefully.
Can It Be Used For Cooking?
Since it’s the perfect butter for vegan and dairy-free diets, it can be used as a substitute for your usual butter or oil. However, make sure that the one you are using is food-grade and not cosmetic-grade.
In fact, cacao butter has a lot of health benefits. It’s good for lowering blood cholesterol levels and inflammation in the body. It can also help boost your mood and immune system. However, these benefits are only found in raw variants. Processed cacao butter undergo deodorizing process which removes its strong chocolate scent, but at the same time also stripping its antioxidants and nutrients.
Loving Cacao Butter So Far?
If you have one at home, you should store it in dark containers and away from light and heat. It's basically the same as what you do for chocolates. Here are some tips! Cacao butter heats faster though, so it’s best to keep it in cool and dry places, or in the refrigerator. If stored properly, it can last for years!
Cacao butter is great as long as it’s taken in moderation. Also, make sure you don't have any chocolate allergy! So, what are you waiting for? Time to experiment and start using it for your baking and cosmetics! 😊
- The Sweet Origins: Who Really Invented Chocolate? - April 23, 2024
- Homemade Guilt-Free Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe - April 16, 2024
- Plant-Based vs Vegan Chocolates - April 9, 2024