Can you use coffee grinder for raw cacao beans?

[MaineMomof4]

I was just wondering if I can grind raw cacao beans in my coffee grinder and if I do will it make them into cacao powder or is cacao powder only from the nib? Thanks, my local health food store only has the whole beans not nibs or powder.

[raweater]

Cacao powder is not simply ground nibs or beans, cacao powder is made from defatted nibs or beans. If you just grind nibs or beans not only will it not be defatted but it will not turn into a fine powder. You can still do it but it won't be as fine and will also contain the fat.

[ruffsongraw]

i dont know about hte fat or not, but i have been putting nibs AND the whole beans in my coffe grinder. it takes awhile and the above poster is right--it isnt "fine" powder. but i mix it with fresh juiced OJ or in a smoothie and it's yummy.[they taste horrble to me if not mixed into something!] it does make for a grainy testure, but if you dont mind, it's ok. i am sure the pwder is eaiser tho. but i got the nibs and beans before i knew that. when they get low i will get powder instead. : )

jen

[MaineMomof4]

I basically just want something I can use for a shake or chocolate drink and ran out of cacao and was hoping I could substitute the cacao beans since that is all my health food store has. Do you think it would better to just grind the nibs instead and peel the bean first? Thanks

[Baby Bird]

The flavor of the nibs is completely different from the powder. It's very bitter, and much more nuanced...almost like a very complex wine. If you have a vitamix, it does a pretty good job breaking them up if they're one of many ingredients, like in a smoothie, but I always use both cacao powder and cacao nibs together in my smoothies/shakes. To me, the nibs just don't taste like my concept of "chocolate", but I think they're probably better for me, from a nutritional standpoint. So I compromise.

One thing that I discovered accidentaly that is delicious--put cacao nibs through your champion juicer with a blank plate on...like dark, delicious, insanely pungent chocolate goo.

[raweater]

Why grind them if it's to put in a smoothie/shake? You should be able to blend them whole in a blender even if it's not a very powerful one.