Calling All Cacao Nib Lovers!

[luckitri]

Organic raw cacao nibs are suppose to taste how?

Please help me know if I should return these that I got from the HFS. They are bitter and nasty. I barely can tell that they are related to chocolate. If I don't enjoy eating them naked how would I want to add them to anything?

Aren't these supposed to be good by themselves?

I remember reading that truly fresh coffee is naturally sweet. I assumed that these would be good that way.

[DewDrop]

I thought the same exact thing, bitter and nasty. I purchased mine through a popular company. I don't think they are bad (rancid), but I don't know for sure. I did use them in a candy (ground smaller) any there was no distinct flavor. I will be watching for the answer too.

[Lilly the Naiad]

Chocolate isn't natually sweet, it is when sugar is added.

Cacao nibs are just crumbled cacao bean, pure. I'd be worried if they were sweet!

You add them to foods that are sweet to get a chocolate flavour.

Or you can grind them up, add agave, cacao butter or coconut oil then put them in the fridge till it hardens and enjoy as a chocolate bar.

[juliebove]

They're very bitter. Not sweet at all. I don't think they're nasty but I like bitter chocolate. You might try mixing them with some fruit or some sort of sweetener.

[Dr. White]

I make a mint chocolate chip shake with mine. A few bananas, almond milk, 1/8 tsp mint extract or some mint leaves and cacao nibs.

[LearningDaily]

Cacao nibs are nasty by themselves, much like dark chocolate but even more bitter. Imagine eating a spoon full of baking cocoa all by itself. The only time I use nibs are when I'm making some sort of chocolaty dessert and I want a bit of a non-nut crunch. It's a texture thing for me. They are really excellent in Alissa's fudge balls.

[Dj 247]

When I first bought cacoa nibs I thought these are awful. By the end of the bag I kind of liked them. I ended up buying cacoa powder the next time and by the 3rd of 4th spoonful I wish I had bought the nibs. I eat nibs by the spoonful with some sweetner like agave or raw honey. You have to chew them really good to get the best flavor. Also some brands taste better than others. I like the cheap ones I bought at the hfs better than the ones I bought online.

[Juicy Girl]

I love adding the nibs to banana leathers. I put them in after the bananas are well blended. Then I turn on the blender for a few seconds so the nibs don't completely grind up. YUMMY!

[sbaker]

i like the powder MUCH better, but it's harder to find, so i get the nibs and coffee grind them...they dont taste as good to me, but what can ya do! i always want them NOW not 5 days from now if i order them online:)

[brnfmlymom]

I think they are kind of bitter - I actually add them to my morning smoothies sometimes - kind of like chocolate chips - yummy! If I am having a major chocolate craving I eat a few and them I'm ok. :)

[Shell]

i like the powder MUCH better, but it's harder to find, so i get the nibs and coffee grind them...they dont taste as good to me, but what can ya do! i always want them NOW not 5 days from now if i order them online:)

I do the same thing....raw cacao powder IS hard to find! I find the ground nibs are much more bitter than bought powder. I usually add the whole nibs to banana ice cream.....yes, they are bitter, but like it has been said before, just add them to something sweet to get that chocolate flavour. You really do get used to them, if you use them long enough....

[River Mom]

Ya, that's how they taste.
I soak mine overnight and stuff them in dates for a little cookie type snack

woo whee are they good.

Rm

[DewDrop]

i like the powder MUCH better, but it's harder to find, so i get the nibs and coffee grind them...they dont taste as good to me, but what can ya do! i always want them NOW not 5 days from now if i order them online:)
Go to Alissa's store and check out the Cacao powder. I bought some and am completely happy:p

[sfdreams]

I thought the same thing when I got mine--the package said that could enjoy straight from the package. You should've seen our faces when we tried that!!:D I grind them up and add them to banana nut smoothies with some agave nectar added for sweetening (not too much as the bananas give some sweetening) I also got some raw cocoa as a gift from a friend, and the chocolate taste is much less in the powder--maybe 'cause not freshly ground??

[RawHeaven]

I guess I'm the odd one out, I like cacao nibs. But I also used to eat the chocolate baking powder out of the can at my grandmothers as a kid. I think someone mentioned that, lol. :D

When I get my new blender and food processor, I plan to make a raw chocolate cake. Already have the recipe, just waitin' for the equipment.

Thanks for sharing the chocolate bar and choc mint smoothie recipes above!!!

[Riiiya]

cocoa nibs are bitter but i looove to eat them with some honey- it's like...divine!:p

[walnutty]

I LOVE the raw cocoa (cacao) powder...and for those of you who are having a hard time finding it check this link out:

http://www.rawguru.com/store/raw-food/truly-raw-cocoa-powder-organic-chocolate-powder-1-lb.html

Alex (Raw Guru) has the BEST price online for raw cocoa/cacao powder AND there is FREE SHIPPING on orders of $100.00 or more. He also sells the 5 lb. and 10 lb. size (10 lbs. comes with FREE Naked Chocolate book by David Wolfe and Shazzie). He sells tons of raw stuff!!!


Chocolate Malt Recipe:

Coconut Water (from one young, white coconut about 1.5 cups)
2 packs stevia
2 T. agave syrup
1 T. raw cocoa/cacao powder
1 tsp. lucuma powder
2 frozen bananas
6 ice cubes

Tastes BETTER than a Dairy Queen Chocolate Malt!!!!

[Starbuck]

I love Raw Guru too, but he doesn't have the best price online-

You can buy Raw cacao powder from amazon.com - $25.00 for 32 ounces. That's an amazing deal...

Cheers!

[StarFire]

nope.. cacao nibs are kinda bitter...

and coffee... fresh off the trees... the cherry that surrounds the coffee bean is sweet -- but the coffee bean VERY VERY BITTER.

a friend of mine has a coffee estate along the Hamakua coast -- some of the best organic coffee in the world - only I don't drink cofee - ;) :D

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/grin.gif

[luckitri]

Hi Starfire. Well I am gullible for the hype that I read on-line from a coffee company that says U.S. coffee is stale and that fresh coffee is sweet. So thank you for correcting me.

I cut open some dates and filled them with almonds and cacao nibs and a bit of coconut oil to glue them together. It was good. And I had to eat it all because my family refused to explore with me!

Feeling fat now! LOL!

[walnutty]

Thanks for the info about amazon.

I love the cacao/cocoa powder so will check it out.

Have you actually ordered this product? How does it taste? How are they as far as shipping costs?

Thanks!

[walnutty]

I decided to order some and compare it to what I get from rawguru.com (Natural Zing brand)....thanks Starbuck!!!