Is pure cacao the same as cocoa powder?

No. Cocoa powder is a different product form: much of its cacao butter is pressed out, and it may be alkalised. Espresso-XOC is made from fermented and dried cacao beans that are gently roasted, de-shelled, milled into 100% cacao mass and formed into wafers.

How much pure cacao should I use per cup?

For Espresso-XOC Original, use 6 g (3 wafers) with 60 ml water at approximately +70°C. Add 1–2 wafers if you prefer a stronger flavour.

Does pure cacao contain caffeine?

Theobromine is a naturally occurring compound in cacao. Cacao contains both theobromine and caffeine.

Can I drink pure cacao in the evening?

Cacao contains both theobromine and caffeine, and individual sensitivity varies. Choose a serving and time that suit you.

Why should the water not boil?

Approximately +70°C is the standard preparation temperature. Boiling water can produce a more bitter taste.

Can I make pure cacao with milk instead of water?

Yes. Water keeps the cacao flavour clearest, but oat milk or whole milk gives a rounder, creamier cup. Heat it to the same temperature.

Pure Cacao

Pure cacao, kept whole

Pure, unalkalised, nothing added, nothing removed. A guide to what pure cacao actually is, how it differs from the cocoa powder in your cupboard, and how to prepare it properly.

What pure cacao actually is

Espresso-XOC is made from fermented cacao beans that are dried and gently roasted — not raw or unroasted. The shells are removed, and the cacao kernels are milled into 100% cacao mass and formed into wafers. The natural cacao butter remains in the mass, and no other ingredients are added. It is cacao mass, not cocoa powder.

Cacao mass and cocoa powder are different product forms. Cocoa powder is pressed to remove much of the cacao butter and may be alkalised, while drinking chocolate may also contain sugar or milk ingredients.

Gently roasted
Unalkalised — no dutching to neutralise acidity
100% Criollo cacao mass — formed into wafers
No sugar, milk powder, emulsifiers or flavourings

Pure cacao vs cocoa powder vs hot chocolate

The same plant, three very different products.

	Pure cacao	Cocoa powder	Hot chocolate mix
Processing	Gently roasted	Varies by product	Varies by product
Alkali treatment	None	Often dutched	Usually dutched
Cacao butter	Kept in the mass	Pressed out	Mostly removed
Added sugar	None	None	Typically the main ingredient
Cacao content	100%	100% cocoa solids	Often 10–30%
Natural compounds	Theobromine and caffeine	Theobromine and caffeine	Varies by cacao content
Taste	Full, fruity, bitter-sweet	Dry, sharp, roasted	Sweet, milky
Best used for	A daily drinking ritual	Baking	A sweet treat

Processing

Pure cacao: Gently roasted
Cocoa powder: Varies by product
Hot chocolate mix: Varies by product

Alkali treatment

Pure cacao: None
Cocoa powder: Often dutched
Hot chocolate mix: Usually dutched

Cacao butter

Pure cacao: Kept in the mass
Cocoa powder: Pressed out
Hot chocolate mix: Mostly removed

Added sugar

Pure cacao: None
Cocoa powder: None
Hot chocolate mix: Typically the main ingredient

Cacao content

Pure cacao: 100%
Cocoa powder: 100% cocoa solids
Hot chocolate mix: Often 10–30%

Natural compounds

Pure cacao: Theobromine and caffeine
Cocoa powder: Theobromine and caffeine
Hot chocolate mix: Varies by cacao content

Taste

Pure cacao: Full, fruity, bitter-sweet
Cocoa powder: Dry, sharp, roasted
Hot chocolate mix: Sweet, milky

Best used for

Pure cacao: A daily drinking ritual
Cocoa powder: Baking
Hot chocolate mix: A sweet treat

Composition varies by producer. The comparison describes typical processing, not a laboratory measurement of any specific brand.

How to prepare pure cacao

Espresso-XOC Original: four simple steps and a 60-second whisk.

1
Measure
Break 3 Espresso-XOC cacao wafers (6 g) into a mixing cup or cacao brewer.
2
Add water at approximately +70°C
Add 60 ml hot water at approximately +70°C. As broader guidance, keep water below boiling; boiling water can produce a more bitter taste.
3
Whisk
Whisk for 60 seconds, or use the Espresso-XOC cacao brewer.
4
Serve
Serve directly in an espresso-sized cup. For a stronger flavour, add 1–2 wafers; cardamom or cinnamon are optional.

Espresso-XOC Original

Cacao: 6 g · 3 wafers
Water: 60 ml at approximately +70°C
Whisking: 60 seconds

Ways to drink it

Pure cacao fits differently into different parts of the day.

Morning ritual

A simple way to make pure cacao part of a morning routine.

With breakfast

Serve a small cacao alongside breakfast or before heading out.

Evening cup

Cacao contains both theobromine and caffeine. If you are sensitive to either, choose an earlier time or adjust the serving.

As a recipe base

Whisk it into oat milk, blend it into smoothies, or use it as the base for our signature recipes.

Recipes and inspiration

Common questions about pure cacao

How Cacao Products Differ

Cacao mass, cocoa powder and drinking chocolate are different product forms made through different processes.

•Cacao mass retains its natural cacao butter
•Some cocoa powder is pressed and may be alkalised
•Drinking chocolate may contain sugar or milk ingredients

Espresso-XOC is 100% cacao mass: fermented, dried and gently roasted Criollo cacao, de-shelled, milled and formed into wafers. Nothing added. Nothing removed.

The Journey from Bean to Cup

Espresso-XOC is made from certified-organic Criollo cacao sourced from the Andes mountain range in Peru. The cacao beans are obtained directly from family-owned farms.

Gently Roasted — Never Alkalised

Espresso-XOC cacao is fermented, dried and gently roasted. The shells are removed, and the cacao kernels are milled into 100% cacao mass and formed into wafers. The natural cacao butter remains in the mass, and no other ingredients are added.

Keep reading

More on cacao, its composition, and ways to prepare it.

Read more on how processing affects cacao's natural plant compounds:

Start with the real thing

Everything on this page describes cacao kept whole — gently roasted, unalkalised, 100% Criollo.

Shop pure cacao

Espresso-XOC 200 g — 100% pure cacao in wafers