Cocoa Nibs and Cocoa Nib Tassies
Cocoa Beans
We all know about chocolate and cocoa powder, but there is another product from Theobroma cacao’s cocoa bean that not many people know about. It is called the cocoa nib. Theobroma cacao produces a pod which contains cocoa beans. The cocoa nibs come from a cocoa bean that has been roasted and separated from the husks of the cocoa bean.
Cocoa Nibs
Cocoa nibs may be added to oatmeal, used as topping on an ice cream sundae, adding the chocolate chip cookies instead of or in addition to nuts, added to homemade granola… really the possibilities are endless! Cocoa nibs have the same health benefits of both chocolate and cocoa powder, but possess the added surprise of crunch and texture.
Askinosie Chocolate's Cocoa Nibs
Kopali's Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Cocoa Nibs
You may purchase cocoa nibs for a variety of chocolate makers in their naked form (try Askinosie Chocolate’s cocoa nibs of Scharffen Berger’s Cocoa Nibs!) and they are exceptional tasty covered in dark chocolate (try Kopali’s Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Cocoa Nibs!).
Cocoa Nib Tassies
Serves 24
Ingredients:
For the pastry:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
scant 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling:
1 large egg white
3/4 cup packed light brown
1 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 cup cocoa nibs, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
generous pinch sea salt
Directions:
Position oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
To make the pastry:
Combine the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour and mix just until incorporated.
Divide the dough in half and press each half into a flattened 4-inch square. Cut each square into 12 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Place one dough ball in each muffin cup and press it evenly over the bottom and all the way up the sides of the cup, forming a neat rim. Set aside.
To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat the egg white until foamy. Stir in the brown sugar, melted butter, cocoa nibs, vanilla, and salt. Divide the filling evenly among the tartlet shells, using about 1 teaspoon for each.
Bake the tassies for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F. and bake for 20 minutes more, or until the pastry is well browned on the edges and underneath (life one out with the point of a knife to check). Let cool in the pans on a rack.
(Stored in an airtight container, these remain delicious for about 3 days, with the chocolate flavor intensifying from day to day).
Cocoa Nib Tassies
Tags: Askinosie Chocolate, brown sugar, butter, Chocolate, Cocoa, cocoa bean, cooca nibs, Scharffen Berger Chocolate, Theobroma Cacao, vanilla
Hello again Annemarie. I have gotten so much out of your site! I want to mention that Burdick Chocolate sells cocoa nibs as well. We also sell chocolate covered cocoa beans (big seller for us) http://www.burdickchocolate.com/item-group.asp?C113=Cocoa-Isle. We would love to send some to you to try! Thanks, Paula