Hot Chocolate from Ground Cocoa Nibs

Source: Medicaster, Wikimedia Commons

The first time I tried cocoa nibs, I was amazed how something so delicious as chocolate could come from something so bitter and pungent. Eventually I found a compromise . . .

My favorite way to use cocoa nibs is as hot cocoa. Some people will cringe and say that by a little heat and milk I am destroying the nutritional quality. However, the result is a great, like the difference between chewing coffee beans and drinking a nice cup of coffee, and the heat applied is really very minimal.

Instructions:

First, I grind the nibs to a fine powder with a coffee grinder. Then I heat them on the stove in a pot of milk (not even to boiling, and skim milk works just fine). The quantity to add is not important. Just use a couple of spoonfulls of the ground powder. Stir the milk well while it is cooking (I suggest with a whisk to beat the powder around and help the flavor seep out of the nibs). Gradually the bitter smell will change to a delicious chocolate odor, and the milk will turn a brown/gray chocolate color. Heat until you see the chocolate color and a good thin foam across the top of the milk.

Source: Teinesavaii, Wikimedia Commons

SUBSTITUTE: If you don't have cocoa nibs, you can substitute cocoa powder. There is a dark chocolate version in most baking sections of grocery stores that works ok too. The powder is not exactly the same composition as the ground nibs. One obvious difference on the labels is that the baking powder contains no saturated fat. I used to believe that this made it better than cocoa nibs, but I have also read that the fats in cocoa nibs are fairly healthy ones. The best thing you can probably do for your health here is to not add any refined sugar to the mix. It isn't necessary, and the drink tastes great without it.