Cocoa Nibs: Like Grownup Chocolate Chips For Your Baking
And an answer to that question you probably have: Do they melt?
Enjoy dark chocolate’s roasty, bitter, fruity complexity? Love the contrasting crunch of nuts in baked goods and as a garnish? Then you should try cocoa nibs.
What Are Cocoa Nibs?
Cocoa nibs are the cracked pieces of cacao beans, which manufacturers dry and ferment to make chocolate. They are dry and crunchy and can be sold raw or roasted, the latter of which taste predictably toastier. Either way, cocoa nibs have the bitterness of unsweetened chocolate or coffee, tempered by a slightly fruity acidity.
What’s the Difference Between Cocoa Nibs and Chocolate?
Cocoa nibs are a component of chocolate. They’re typically ground to a thick paste (cocoa liquor) and mixed with cocoa butter, sugar, milk (for milk chocolate), vanilla (sometimes), and an emulsifier to make chocolate.
Do Cocoa Nibs Melt?
Cocoa nibs don’t melt when heated, but their cocoa butter comes to the surface.
How to Use Cocoa Nibs
Their crunch and roasty, bitter, faintly fruity flavor makes cocoa nibs a great addition to a range of sweet applications. They’re even great in salads (think: alternative to toasted nuts).
Sprinkle On:
Oatmeal, Yogurt, Pudding, Mousse, Pies, Tarts
Bake Into (use ½ to ⅔ cup cocoa nibs per batch):
Quick Breads, Muffins, Granola, Granola Bars, Brownies, Blondies
Mix Into:
Ice Cream, Smoothies, Trail Mix
How to Store Cocoa Nibs
Cocoa nibs can be stored like other forms of chocolate in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
