Goodnow Farms Almendra Blanca Hot Cacao

Goodnow Farms is one of the only chocolate makers to press their own cocoa butter.  One of the many benefits of this time consuming process is they’re able to make this rich, incredibly flavorful hot cocoa mix from scratch in their chocolate kitchen, using the same premium single origin beans they use to make their chocolate, so each variety has it’s own unique flavor profile!

Most hot cocoa is alkalized, which means it’s washed with a solution of potassium carbonate.  This allows the cocoa powder to dissolve in milk or water more easily, but significantly alters the flavor.  Alkalizing also removes a significant amount of the natural flavanols, which are compounds that play a significant role in the beneficial effects of eating cacao.

This cocoa is NOT alkalized.  You may need to stir a your hot cocoa a bit more vigorously but you’ll taste the unique flavor of the beans, and get the full benefit of cacao’s flavanols!

This Almendra Blanca hot cocoa has a distinctive nutty flavor.

Goodnow Farms has direct relationships with the farmers who grow and harvest the cacao.  By dealing directly with farmers they’re able to ensure they always receive the very best beans, which in many cases are fermented and dried to custom specifications.  Theirdirect trade model also allows them to pay significantly more than commodity or Fair Trade prices, and ensure that farming practices are sustainable and labor practices are equitable.