It’s a dull and dreary morning here on the Isle of Wight. It’s raining and I can barely make out the line between the sky and the ocean. Job prospects for my husband are still thin on the ground and I am feeling the pressure of being sole breadwinner for the family.
I need a pick me up, but a true pick me up, not something that’s going to spike my blood sugar and crash me down further.
Well, this recipe might be a false economy, since dairy blocks the absorption of flavenoids (or something like that) meaning the full effect of the cacao nibs won’t be felt, but it tastes good and after drinking this, the whole family managed to get out of bed and we’ll be off for a stroll on the beach as soon as the rain stops.
There’s a lot of room for movement on this recipe. I will try it with almond milk, or coconut milk next, and maybe with rapadura or honey for sweetening. But for today, this was perfect. Delicious, smooth, And a real lift to the mood. 
If I didn’t have to share it with the kids, I’d probably add a pinch of cayenne pepper too, like a Mexican hot chocolate, with it’s aphrodisiac qualities… hmmm… save that for a rainy day when the children have left home 😉
For these Cacao Nib Lattes, I use the Suma brand here, but obviously you can use whatever works best for you. These are unroasted, and I don’t roast them, but you can.
- 30g cacao nibs
- ½ vanilla pod
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- seeds from 1 cardamom pod
- cream to top (optional)
- 500g milk
- 5g sugar/rapadura
- Add the cacao nibs and vanilla pod, cinnamon and cardamom seeds into a blender bowl and chop to a powder (Thermomix®: speed 6 for 20 seconds.
- Add milk and sugar and mix on speed 4/7 mins/80C
- Pour through a nut milk bag, or into a cafetiere to strain, then pour into cups.
- Top with cream, or not. It's delicious either way.
thank you – I love your recipes
Please let me know if you toast the cacoa nibs before using them.
i’m dying to try the cacao nib latte:)
Hi Olivia, thank you 🙂 It’s always nice to hear! No, in this case I do not toast the cacao nibs first. I hope you enjoy it! I can’t get enough of it 😉