Copha

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Copha Butter Kremelta

Copha is solidified coconut oil that will stay solid at room temperature. It comes in blocks or a cube wrapped like butter or dripping. It is white, but goes clear when melted.

It is basically coconut butter that has been hydrogenated to make it even more stable until deliberately melted, and to make it more resistant to going rancid (it's treated with a hydrogen gas that changes unsaturated fat bonds to saturated ones.)

Copha is the brand name in Australia. Kremelta is the New Zealand version, and Palmin is the German version, both of which are the same as Copha except for the brand name.

Cooking Tips
Usually melted before being mixed in with other ingredients

Substitutes
Coconut butter OR 2 parts shortening or lard, with 1 part creamed coconut.

If you are outside of Australia and desperately looking for a substitute to make "Chocolate Crackles" (balls made of melted chocolate and Rice Bubbles, or what the rest of the world calls Rice Krispies), see the recipe section for a healthier version of Crackles that doesn't use Copha. Now, granted, when you're eating something like Chocolate Crackles, "healthy" isn't the point, so let's say instead a version that doesn't use Copha for when you can't get it.

Nutrition
You don't even want to think about how high it is in saturated fat and trans-fats.

Storage
Store in refrigerator.

Language Notes
Copha is a brand name, but probably taken from the Hindi word for coconut, which is "kophra".

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