THE LOWDOWN

What are they?

Cacao nibs (also sometimes labelled as cocoa nibs) are little bits of fermented, dried, roasted and crushed cacao beans. If you were to continue the chocolatemaking process, these nibs would then be ground into a paste called chocolate liquor. Add to that sugar and milk, and you’d eventually end up with a chocolate bar.

Why do we care?

We love these tiny pieces of goodness for the chocolate flavour they deliver minus the sugary sweetness. They deliver big on the texture front, too – crunchy with a slightly cool mouthfeel, courtesy of cocoa butter. While cacao nibs are often found in raw desserts, we’re not shy to add them to traditional chocolate desserts and sweets. Throw them into brownies, slices and biscuits, for instance, for a nut-like crunch with bonus chocolate flavour. They’re also versatile enough to use in savoury dishes – try them tossed in a salad of bitter leaves, goat’s curd and soft herbs or try our roast beetroot recipe here.

Where can I get them?

Once only found in health-food shops, cacao nibs are now widely available in supermarkets.