Espresso Beans in Chocolate Bark

[peter rabbit]

I have a great list of new types of bark I am going to try. During my research, I did see Expresso Beans covered in chocolate. So I'd like to make a bitter sweet chocolate bark using Expresso Beans. Couldn't find a receipe but did see retail stores selling the product: http://www.vermontcountrystore.com

So in the product is described as using Arabica whole bean roasted etc.

I did find illy whole bean coffee (medium roast for any preparation)described as 100% Arabica roasted coffee beans.

Can I use this product "as is" in the bark or do shops do something else with the bean before adding it to a bark recipe?

I think people will like this but can't wrap my head around putting a coffee bean used to prepare coffee in a chocolate confection. I know how to brew a coffee bean but can't imagine eating one....even if it has chocolate on on.

Help me figure this one out....THANKS!

[Kerry Beal]

Try it! Roast the beans until they are nice and dry so they crumble when you bite them.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

If you want to avoid the crumbling issue, you can also soak coffee beans (especially "middling" ones) in spirits overnight, then dry them a little bit by draining them and roasting another 2-3 minutes in a hot pan over medium heat. This gives you a nice liqueur flavour in the final bean, and it's a bit less crumbly than a straight roasted bean. The spirits you use for this also come out a bit coffeed, which makes them excellent apertifs.

[Moopheus]

In my younger days when I used to do more road trips, chocolate-covered coffee beans were often my stay-awake snacks while driving. A properly roasted coffee bean is already going to be pretty dry and crunchy, I don't see that additional roasting is going to be needed.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

It's to remove the surface alcohol after the bean has been soaked in spirits. Alcohol messes with the texture of chocolate, especially in barks, but if the beans are surface-dry they won't cause a problem and they'll be less crumbly. Otherwise I wouldn't advocate re-roasting, unless of course you want a darker flavour than the beans already provide (medium vs. dark roasts).

[lironp]

I caramelized cocoa nibs and added them to a dark chocolate bar, it might work with coffee nibs as well...