Chocolate & Cocoa
Cocoa Paste in gelato
Cocoa paste (also called cocoa mass or chocolate liquor) is 100% ground roasted cocoa beans, roughly half cocoa butter and half non-fat cocoa solids. In gelato it delivers deep, unsweetened chocolate flavor and fat without adding any sugar.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 99% |
| Water | 1% |
| Sugars | 1% |
| Fat | 54% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 13% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 1 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 1 |
Typical use: 3-10% of the total mix (often paired with cocoa powder in dark chocolate gelato)
Balance cocoa paste in a real recipe
Free balancer · no signup wall · watch PAC, POD and Total Solids update live as you add it.
Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Cocoa paste is prized in gelato because its ingredient list is simple: only cocoa butter and cocoa solids, with no added sugar, milk, or lecithin, so the balancer keeps full control of the recipe. Its ~54% fat adds richness and coating, while its non-fat solids build chocolate intensity and body. Because it carries essentially no sugar, it contributes almost nothing to PAC or POD, so hardness and sweetness must be dialed in separately with sugars. Its high fat also stiffens the mix, so total fat and other solids should be recalculated when it is added.
Origin & background
The term 'liquor' dates to the fact that ground cocoa nibs flow as a liquid at warm temperatures; it contains no alcohol. Under the U.S. FDA standard of identity, chocolate liquor is defined as ground cocoa nibs containing between 50% and 60% cocoa fat, the base from which both cocoa butter and cocoa powder are derived.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Baking_chocolate%2C_squares%2C_unsweetened_nutritional_value.html
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-search/?component=1057
- https://www.pasticceriainternazionale.it/2024/12/05/massa-di-cacao-perche-la-consigliano-per-il-gelato/
- https://it.venchi.com/blog/pasta-di-cacao-cos-e
- https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-cocoa-mass-definition-uses-and-health-effects/