Technical journal Β· COA-backed
The Foundry
Working notes from the bench and the supply line: cocoa butter, mass and powder, tempering, and what direct-from-Ghana single-origin actually means for makers.
10 Sep 2026
Cadmium in cocoa: why Ghana origin decides your number
Cadmium comes from soil, not processing. Ghana cocoa runs far lower than the Americas origins, and here are our lab figures and what to...
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29 Aug 2026
Couverture or from-raw? A maker's decision guide
Couverture or cocoa mass and cocoa butter from raw? The three questions that decide it, what each route costs you in kit and time,...
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29 Aug 2026
Reading fat content and pH on a natural cocoa powder COA
Fat content and pH are the two figures on a natural cocoa powder COA that decide how it behaves. What each one changes, and...
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29 Aug 2026
Swapping natural for Dutch-processed cocoa in an existing recipe: the leavening maths
Swapping natural cocoa for Dutch-processed changes the acid in your batter. The leavening maths in both directions, and how to test it on one...
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29 Aug 2026
Deodorized vs undeodorized cocoa butter: which one keeps the chocolate flavour?
Deodorized cocoa butter is stripped of aroma; undeodorized keeps the cocoa flavour. Which one your chocolate, bake or cosmetic needs, and why it matters.
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07 Aug 2026
Why UK-held cocoa stock matters when origin prices swing
A cocoa quote and a delivery date are two different questions. What UK-held stock actually buys a buyer, and the five questions to ask...
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07 Aug 2026
Bulk cocoa butter in the UK: what a single-origin Ghana 25kg format actually gets you
What single-origin Ghana cocoa butter in a 25kg format gets a trade buyer: one traceable batch, a COA, UK-held stock and direct-from-origin supply.
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05 Aug 2026
Cocoa mass prices: what drives them, and how to compare two quotes
What actually moves a UK cocoa mass price: the bean market in dollars, the exchange rate, pack format, freight, and where the stock is...
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05 Aug 2026
Food-grade vs cosmetic-grade cocoa butter, and why a COA settles it
Food-grade and cosmetic-grade cocoa butter are not the same guarantee. What separates them, and how a Certificate of Analysis settles which you have.
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05 Aug 2026
Natural vs Dutch-processed cocoa powder: a baker's cheat sheet
Natural cocoa is acidic and pairs with baking soda; Dutch is alkalised and pairs with baking powder. The leavening rules, in one quick reference.
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10 Jul 2026
How do you tell real cocoa butter from a substitute?
CRAFT CHOCOLATE Β· THE FOUNDRY JOURNAL Β· 2 min read Three checks tell you. Read the fat position on the ingredients list, track the...
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10 Jul 2026
Real cocoa butter, or palm oil? How to read a chocolate label in 2026
Mass brands are swapping cocoa butter for palm and shea oil to beat cost. Here's how to read a 2026 chocolate label and spot...
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