Even the Incas, Aztecs and Mayans revered the cocoa tree. The beans were considered valuable and were even used as a means of payment and exchange. Only the higher classes were able to enjoy the aromatic cocoa bean, which was referred to as the "food of the gods" back then. Even today, few people can resist the chocolatey treat. There are now an incredible number of products made from the fine bean. In this article, we take a closer look at two of them: Cocoa nibs and chocolate drops.
Cocoa nibs - a chocolatey, tangy treat
Cocoanibs are obtained from the raw cocoa bean. After harvesting the large cocoa fruits, the pods are broken apart and fermented. Fermentation is a natural fermentation process whereby the pulp separates from the bean by itself. The beans are then gently cleaned and dried in the sun. Now the cocoa beans still have to be separated from their hard shell to reveal the small aromatic kernel. This is then broken into small pieces, known as nibs.
Due to the natural fermentation process and sun-drying, cocoa nibs are a raw food product. Even though cocoa nibs are a product made from cocoa beans, the small pieces have little to do with conventional chocolate, as they contain no sugar, emulsifiers or dairy products. Their taste is much more bitter than "normal" chocolate.
Our cocoa nibs come from controlled organic cultivation in Peru and are free from additives - so no sugar or preservatives!
Cocoa nibs provide a great flavor
You can use the aromatic cocoa nibs as the icing on the cake in yogurt, muesli, pudding or your smoothie. As a topping or stirred in, the dark nibs spread a delicious and slightly bitter taste. They are also great in homemade ice cream. But they also go just as well with cold desserts or as a baking ingredient in cakes, cookies and the like! Chocolate lovers can even nibble them on their own as an alternative to dark chocolate.
If pure cocoa nibs are too boring for you and you've already stirred them into all kinds of desserts and porridges - we've got something for you! Try our peanut butter with cocoa nibs. Deliciously creamy, crunchy and chocolaty at the same time!
Chocolate drops - the new star in chocolate heaven
The certified cocoa beans for our vegan chocolate drops with xylitol come mainly from the Dominican Republic. Briefly recall the production process for cocoa nibs. For chocolate drops, the resulting nibs are ground and pressed into a kind of paste. This is heated and processed into liquid cocoa mass and cocoa butter. Xylitol (a low-calorie sugar substitute) and sunflower lecithin (a natural binding agent) are then added to the two resulting cocoa products. The resulting mixture is then formed into small dark drops and cooled.
Pssst: If you want something extra special, the chocolate drops are also available in a delicate pink color made from Ruby chocolate. We have explained what this is all about here.
Chocolate drops - a chocolaty extra for your kitchen
You can stir the chocolate drops into your smoothie bowl, muesli or other sweet breakfast treats as a topping. They are particularly popular in baking and add a subtle chocolate note to cakes and other baked goods. They also cut a fine figure in cold desserts.
If you are looking for a gift idea for the next birthday: melt the chocolate drops, spread them on a smooth surface, top with ingredients such as freeze-dried fruit or nuts and leave to cool. That's how easy it is to make a homemade chocolate bar.
Cocoa nibs vs. chocolate drops
Both cocoa nibs and chocolate drops go perfectly with muesli and the like. Depending on what you have planned in the kitchen, you can use both for baking and for cold desserts.
Basically, it's quite simple: if you prefer a tangy chocolate flavor, go for cocoa nibs. For the sweet-toothed among us, the choice is chocolate drops. For those who are undecided: both, please!
