Nib-bling

Consider yourself warned. I told you I had chocolate on the brain.

This is my new favorite chocolate bar, by leaps and bounds. I already loved Scharffen Berger's Milk Chocolate bar, but now they have gone and added nibs. They might as well have included a needle with that, because I just want to mainline it forever and ever.

Lest you pooh-pooh milk chocolate in favor of dark, let me assure you that this is no ordinary hollow-Easter-Bunny variety milk chocolate. It's rich, chocolately, smooth and with a hint of caramel. The reason that it's so much better is that the percentage of cocoa is as much as some manufacturers put in their dark chocolate (I learned this on the factory tour a few years ago, and sadly, they no longer give tours). The roasted nibs and crunch and an extra punch of pure cocoa.

It's a little bit hard to find, but fortunately there's a little corner market not far from my house that carries them. Fortunately, or unfortunately - hm, I could use one right about now!

(extra thank you to Jude who put one in my Christmas stocking AND brought one to the movies with us last week. Milk Nibby, popcorn and "Black Swan" - a most excellent combination!)

Nibble Nibble Like a Mouse

Here is my tribute to Robert Steinberg and the wonderful chocolate that he brought to the world. The recipe, and others, was right inside my trusty can of cacao nibs.


From the Scharffen Berger website:
Cacao Nibs are perfectly roasted cocoa beans separated from their husks and broken into small bits. They are the essence of chocolate. Nibs add crunchiness and subtle chocolate flavor to baked goods and savory dishes. They make a great substitute for roasted nuts or chocolate chips, without added sweetness. Packaged with suggestions for use in a 6-ounce nitrogen flushed mylar bag, they are a unique gift for the home baker.


Scharffen Berger Nibby Cookies

• 1 c. dark brown sugar
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 lb. (1 c., or 2 sticks) butter - NOT softened
• 1 t. vanilla
• 3 c. flour
• 1/4 t. salt
• 3/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 c. Scharffen Berger Cacao Nibs

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Measure sugars into food processor and blend
- Cut up butter into chunks and drop into the feeding tube until blended.
- Stop processor, add 2 egss, followed by vanilla. Process for 15 sec, scrape down sides, process for an additional 10 sec.
- Remove cover, pour in flour. Add salt & soda and mix it into flour. Cover and process for 30 sec. Scrape down sides and process for an additional 10 sec.
- Remove cover, add nibs, and process for 15 sec.
- Drop onto cookie sheets, adding a sprinkle of nibs on top of each cookie, and pressing down.
- Bake for 8-12 min (until edges are brown, may take longer).
- Cool on cookie sheet 5 min before removing.