Tag Archive: nibs
Taza Stone Ground Cacao Crunch
May 7, 2018
Cacao Crunch is an 80% dark, stone ground chocolate made by Taza Chocolate.
A couple years ago I reviewed another chocolate by Taza, a very dark (87%) single origin Bolivian bar. I pointed out its unusual texture due to the stone ground processing technique. That texture still prevails in today’s bar and is tightly woven into the whole tasting experience.
Raaka Virgin Chocolate – Maple and Nibs
March 27, 2018
Last week I wrote about my experience with a virgin chocolate bar. For those of you that read my blog, you’re welcome for the double entendre. For those of you who didn’t – get your mind out of the gutter!
To recap, for the previous post I tried a Raaka 82% Bourbon cask aged Tanzanian virgin (as in unroasted) chocolate bar. Absolutely delicious!
Today’s tasty treat will be another Raaka production...
Infusing Spirits With Cacao Nibs
February 15, 2016
Infusing spirits with different flavors is something new for me. It’s another way I can experiment with combinations that reflect my own personal tastes, similar to finding the wine and chocolate pairings I like.
I love discovering new taste sensations and with this recent endeavor, I’ll end up creating new cocktails while making my drinking experience a lot more interesting!
indi chocolate Spice Rubs
February 1, 2016
indi chocolate is a family operated business in Seattle, WA. You can find them on the 5th floor of Pike Place Market where they sell their artisan dark chocolate.
They also sell a variety of products that use chocolate as a vital ingredient. These products range from body lotions, soaps and lip balms, to coffee, tea, and kits to make cacao infused alcoholic beverages!
Cacao Nibs
May 10, 2012
Cacao nibs have enjoyed an increased amount of attention lately. They are turning up almost everywhere nowadays, but since they are often just added to other products, many people don't really know what they are.
Nibs are actually cocoa beans with the shell removed. By the time you get them as an ingredient they have usually undergone roasting and prepping to a point that making them into bars is the only major step that remains.
The chocolate making process consists of grinding up the cocoa nibs into a very consistent and thick paste and then adding sugar. For milk chocolate, milk powder would be added. For some chocolate, extra cocoa butter might be added. But the basis of all chocolates are the ground up nibs.
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Mint Chocolate Rooibus
May 23, 2011
Rooibus (Rooibos) tea (pronounced roy-bos) means “red bush” in Afrikaans. Rooibus is herbal, caffeine-free, and contains powerful antioxidants. It is also lower in tannins than green or black tea.
Rooibus is grown only in a small area of South Africa. It is slowly becoming more popular in the U.S. for the health conscious.
I recently bought a specialty Rooibus tea from a company called Christiani-Tea. I chose a flavor infused tea called Chocolate Mint. The ingredients are organic Rooibus, organic cacao nibs, and organic peppermint leaf. Added to those main flavor ingredients are apple and orange peel.
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Mayan Superfood – Sweet Raw Cacao Nibs
April 11, 2011
Theobroma cacao is the scientific name for Cocoa Beans. After the cocoa beans are harvested, fermented, dried and shipped to the chocolate manufacturer, they are stripped of their outer-most coating, called the shell, and roasted before being ground into chocolate liquor (unsweetened baking chocolate).
These shelled beans are called nibs. Almost all nibs are roasted. Roasting brings out flavor and color development. Roasting also drives off moisture and undesirable “volatiles.”
I wanted to share this brief story about bean processing because RAW nibs are not roasted, and I’d like you to see where they come from and why they stand out even more as a superfood than the already proclaimed superfood-ness (is this a word?) of chocolate.
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Samuel Adams® Chocolate Bock
November 19, 2010
Hey, let’s talk about beer again. A few months ago we had a guest author blog about chocolate AND beer. This time we’ll talk about chocolate IN beer!
Many chocolate beer makers will use a type of malted barley called chocolate malt. Chocolate malt is similar to other malts but cooked at even higher temperatures. This dark roast produces a more complex flavor with undertones of vanilla and caramel. The color also becomes dark.
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Grilling with Cocoa Nibs
August 7, 2010
From Martha Stewert to Scharffen Berger to the Food Network, it appears that cooking with cocoa nibs is “in”!
And why not? Besides the great flavor and a nice crunch, nibs have nutritional benefits as well. Cacao contains antioxidants that are known to reduce blood clotting, improve circulation, and help regulate blood pressure. Antioxidants also protect us from environmental pollutants and help repair damage caused by free radicals.
Cocoa or Cacao Nibs are roasted cocoa beans that have been separated from their shells/husks. You can buy them in health food stores, or online.
Scharffen Berger is a chocolate company that sells nibs online. They also have a great collection of recipes, and some of them are listed under the Savory category. One unique recipe is the nib rub for steak on the grill.
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Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Nibs
March 2, 2010
Cocoa (or Cacao) Nibs are made from cocoa beans after they get separated from their thin shells and roasted. The bulk of nibs produced are ground into chocolate liquor, either used as unsweetened baking chocolate or as the main ingredient of chocolate bars and candies.
Roasted cocoa nibs are not for everyone. They taste rather bitter because they are not sweetened. If you can get past the bitterness, you’ll find they do taste rich and chocolaty and have a crunch similar to nuts. In fact, nibs are often used to replace nuts in cookies and granola recipes.