Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Cocoa Nibs

thegreatdane

By thegreatdane
in Pastry & Baking

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • 1 year later...
ulterior epicure

ulterior epicure

Posted
Posted

1. What's the difference between "roasted" and "raw" cocao nibs? I'm almost positive that the roasted ones are the ones used in (edible) desserts. If so, are roasted what I would buy for use in home-made desserts (either as a garnish or a bake-in ingredient)?

2. Can anyone suggest a reliable, yet affordable online vendor?

Thanks!

U.E.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Patrick S

Patrick S

Posted
Posted
1. What's the difference between "roasted" and "raw" cocao nibs?  I'm almost positive that the roasted ones are the ones used in (edible) desserts.  If so, are roasted what I would buy for use in home-made desserts (either as a garnish or a bake-in ingredient)?

2. Can anyone suggest a reliable, yet affordable online vendor?

Thanks!

U.E.

You want roasted nibs. Just like with coffee, roasting brings out the flavor. You can buy Scharffen Berger nibs from Amazon or ChocoSphere, though Chocosphere is out of stock at this moment (I've bought from Chocosphere many times with no problem).

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced" - Vincent Van Gogh
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ulterior epicure

ulterior epicure

Posted
Posted

Thanks Patrick.

If I do find or buy raw, is it feasible to "roast" them myself (oven)? Or is this something that requires a special roaster (like coffee)?

U.E.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites
eje

eje

Posted
Posted

I'm curious, too.

They sell whole, raw cacao beans at the mexican grocery down the street, and I was wondering what I would have to do to use them to flavor a liqueur or something.

I think, from what I've read about the chocolate making process*, the husk should be separated if you are going to use them to make cocoa powder; but, I'm wondering if I'm not going to eat them, if I have to worry about that.

*All About Chocolate Website at the field museum.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cdh

cdh

Posted
Posted (edited)

I've got a couple of pounds of El Rey nibs, which are delicious sprinkled on things that could use a little crunchy bitterness. They're great mashed into a spoonful of peanut butter....

Dunno if El Rey still sells nibs, but they used to...

[edited to add: yes they do, but they're much more expensive than they used to be......]

Edited by cdh (log)

Christopher D. Holst aka "cdh"

Learn to brew beer with my eGCI course

Chris Holst, Attorney-at-Lunch

Link to comment
Share on other sites
duckduck

duckduck

Posted
Posted

Anybody got a source for ordering Felchlin's cocoa nibs by mail? Tried them this summer and they were better than anything else I've tried. Not gritty and great flavor. I'd love to play with them.

Pamela Wilkinson

www.portlandfood.org

Life is a rush into the unknown. You can duck down and hope nothing hits you, or you can stand tall, show it your teeth and say "Dish it up, Baby, and don't skimp on the jalapeños."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jason Perlow

Jason Perlow

Posted
Posted

Yeah I'm not sure if I want cocoa nibs used for those purposes.

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

Foodies who Review South Florida (Facebook) | offthebroiler.com - Food Blog (archived) | View my food photos on Instagram

Twittter: @jperlow | Mastodon @jperlow@journa.host

Link to comment
Share on other sites
duckduck

duckduck

Posted
Posted (edited)

They are much better IMO. I don't care for Scharfenberger for eating. I like the flavor for infusing but there is a gritty texture when you chew them that I don't care for. Felchlin's don't have that gritty thing going on. They process them a little more so they are more pleasurable to chew. :biggrin: Does anyone know of any others, besides Felchlin and Scharfenberger? I'd love to do a side by side comparison.

Edited by duckduck (log)

Pamela Wilkinson

www.portlandfood.org

Life is a rush into the unknown. You can duck down and hope nothing hits you, or you can stand tall, show it your teeth and say "Dish it up, Baby, and don't skimp on the jalapeños."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
duckduck

duckduck

Posted
Posted

I need to learn to use froogle google more often. Found this site - http://www.worldwidechocolate.com/

and they have Plantations, Dagoba, El Rey, Scharffen Berger, Valrhona, and Michel Cluizel.

Pamela Wilkinson

www.portlandfood.org

Life is a rush into the unknown. You can duck down and hope nothing hits you, or you can stand tall, show it your teeth and say "Dish it up, Baby, and don't skimp on the jalapeños."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SJ Shappee

SJ Shappee

Posted
Posted
They are much better IMO. I don't care for Scharfenberger for eating. I like the flavor for infusing but there is a gritty texture when you chew them that I don't care for. Felchlin's don't have that gritty thing going on. They process them a little more so they are more pleasurable to chew. :biggrin: Does anyone know of any others, besides Felchlin and Scharfenberger? I'd love to do a side by side comparison.

I have to admit, I got excited over the bacon taste tests - and even ordered two pounds of great bacon as a result....but a side by side of nibbs would be a GREAT idea! Are the Felchlin good for eating? I only use nibbs for cooking; they're just a little too bitter (don't know if that's the best description of how they taste, but it's close) for snacking...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wesza

wesza

Posted
Posted
Yeah I'm not sure if I want cocoa nibs used for those purposes.

Doesn't it compliment the "Whipped Cream" {Schlage} even sounds right if you combine both, especially without the "L".

Sometimes it feels good to be the right age to be a "D.O.M."

Irwin

I don't say that I do. But don't let it get around that I don't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
duckduck

duckduck

Posted
Posted

To my recollection, they are not only smoother in texture but in taste was well. I remember thinking when Max was passing them out that I really don't like nibs straight, but I was going to be a polite little student and try them. After tasting them, it made me rethink the whole nib thing. I could see using these on a dessert where I've been served a dessert with sharffen berger nibs and thought that the dessert wasn't for everyone. It's for those kind of people that like their coffee so thick and dark that you can spread it on toast. :biggrin: I would have passed up Keegan's recipe on the dobla site if I hadn't already tasted the felchlin nibs. It's soundin' kinda good to me now. If I get my hands on some, I'll share with whoever wants to try them. If anybody has any other kinds they'd like to swap, I'd be interested. I can only afford to buy so many different kinds. :huh:

Pamela Wilkinson

www.portlandfood.org

Life is a rush into the unknown. You can duck down and hope nothing hits you, or you can stand tall, show it your teeth and say "Dish it up, Baby, and don't skimp on the jalapeños."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wesza

wesza

Posted
Posted

I have been enjoying Chocolates produced by:

"Max Felchlin AG", located in "Schwyz, Switzerland" for many years since learning about them from the Pennisula Hotel in Hong Kong.

My favorite is their Arriba 72 % that exemplifies to me the best available "Grande Cru" Chocolate in the market.

Their nibs are also available in many variations but the "Milk Chocolate Nibs", my daughters favorite and she has kept a scrapebook with comparrisons over 40 years with several comparrison trips to France, Austria and Switzerland occuring.

The are sometimes available at the : Chef Depot (630) 434-7768

Irwin

I don't say that I do. But don't let it get around that I don't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
duckduck

duckduck

Posted
Posted (edited)

Waiting on a swiss chalet catalogue. Finally found my way around the website to find it in their list of products. If I go into my local distrubutor's list of their products, they have nothing for nibs. :sad:

Edited by duckduck (log)

Pamela Wilkinson

www.portlandfood.org

Life is a rush into the unknown. You can duck down and hope nothing hits you, or you can stand tall, show it your teeth and say "Dish it up, Baby, and don't skimp on the jalapeños."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...