Organic Raw Cacao Nibs

You've seen cacao nibs, maybe even smelled their delicious, chocolate-y scent, but do you know how to use cacao nibs? Let's quickly answer the question: “what are cacao nibs?”

Organic Cacao Nibs are made from certified organic cacao beans, fermented, sundried and roasted at temperatures below 47 °C and without chemicals, then crushed into small bits. They are basically raw chocolate before being ground and mixed with sugar, adding crunchiness and a mild chocolate flavour with a hint of bitterness to baked goods and savoury dishes. The result is pure chocolatey goodness in its most natural form.

So, what are cacao nibs used for? While they can't act as a simple replacement for chocolate chips because of their bitter flavor, they do work in many of the same foods that include chocolate chips—like muffins, cupcakes, granola, cookies, and brownies. They’re delicious mixed into oatmeal and hot cereal—some people even like them in cold cereal. Cacao nibs work very well when matched with sweet ingredients. This balances their bitter flavor and makes them truly enjoyable.

Here are 8 way to use organic Cacao Nibs:

Add Them To Granola
Cacao nibs work wonderfully in many homemade granola recipes. Simply add a couple of tablespoons to a half-cup to a recipe batch (about 3 to 4 cups of granola) after baking the granola. You can also sprinkle a few nibs on top of a bowl of granola along with some fruit or dried berries when serving. 

Sprinkle Them On Smoothies and Smoothie Bowls
Cacao nibs make a great topping for smoothies and smoothie bowls. They balance out the sweetness of the fruit and provide some crunch, which can help kick-start your digestion so you'll absorb the nutrients in the smoothie more efficiently. Cacao nibs pair well with nuts, dried coconut, and fruit.

Add Them to Trail Mix
Boost your homemade trail mix by adding a few tablespoons of cacao nibs. As mentioned above, cacao nibs pair extremely well with nuts, dried coconut, and fruit, so they work perfectly in a healthy, homemade trail mix. Begin by adding a small amount to be sure you like the flavor, then increase as desired until you find the perfect balance.

Fold Them Into Ice Cream
Like sprinkles in your ice cream? You’ll love the flavor of cacao nibs! Mix a few cacao nibs into a bowl of ice cream for a delicious treat. Again, start with just a few nibs and increase as desired.

Include Them In Salad
When you’re considering what cacao nibs are used for, we imagine that salads aren’t high on your list...but they should be. Kick the carb-heavy croutons out of your pantry and add something different to your salad. A quick sprinkling of cacao nibs can go a long way to make salad more interesting—especially a salad with fruit, like this refreshing strawberry-spinach salad.

Infuse Cream With Cacao Flavor
Roast 1/4 to 1/3 cup cacao nibs (see below), then mix with 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. Warm the mixture in a saucepan until simmering, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain out the nibs and chill the infused cream in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours. Leave the infused cream unwhipped to use as a creamer in coffee or hot chocolate. If you’d rather, you can whip the cream as you normally would (adding sweetener as desired) and use it as a topping for hot chocolate, coffee, or other desserts.

Make Hot Brewed Cacao
If you're trying to avoid caffeine or even quit coffee altogether, you can make a coffee-like drink with cacao nibs. This delicious cacao drink uses roasted cacao nibs with water in a French press to create a simple, hot beverage to satisfy even the strongest of coffee cravings. Add sweetener, milk, or creamer as desired until you’ve found the brew that’s just right for you.

Use Cacao Nibs As A Garnish
If you have some frosted cupcakes, muffins, a sheet cake, or a glazed quick bread or bundt cake, a sprinkling of cacao nibs on top makes a lovely garnish with the bonus of added texture. 

How To Roast Cacao Nibs
One easy way to boost the flavor of cacao nibs is to toast them.

Heat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Spread the cacao nibs on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before using or storing.
Store in an airtight container. They typically remain shelf-stable for about three months.
The roasting step is not necessary but is a nice way to accentuate their complex, chocolatey flavor.

Credits to www.wildlyorganic.com for the inspiration!