Here's one of my favorite videos of all time. The poor kid...the facial expressions...the puffs of powder going out...it's hilarious and it never gets old. As a parent of young kids I can totally see this happening with mine.
And thanks to TJs I now have yet another way to get 'em on a day I need a laugh at their expense.
I picked up a bag of Trader Joe's Organic Completely Cacao Chips mainly for my lovely bride, who just loves dark, dark chocolate. The darker, the btter. No milk. No sugar. No...anything except for cacao, in a not so gritty form ala cacao nibs which I've tried and it's a hard no from me. These chips are just smooth little discs, like half a drop of chocolate each, just waiting for someone unexpectedly to take a bite. Sadness may follow.
It's really interesting how something so small can pack so much taste. They're so bitter that they're almost sour, if that makes any sense. Like, yes, there's a taste *of* chocolate, but they don't taste *like* chocolate. I can do about 90% dark chocolate bars but man, not these, by themselves. Too strong. Too bitter. Too...simultaneously chocolate and not.
Of course, straight consumption likely isn't the intended use for these. Holiday baking anyone? Use 'em for that! Or if you have something that you want a small taste of chocolate for, use these TJ's chippies. My wife has put a small handful in her morning oatmeal or yogurt and there's enough sugar from those to rub off and make a palatable taste. Peanut butter on a graham cracker is an okay snack for a kiddo but for an adult, kinda meh...unless you add some of these. it's transformative. I even made small, paleo friendly snack just mixing these cacao bits with sunflower seeds, which sounds kinda awful...but it worked. Maybe just like us, the cacao chips aren't meant to be alone.
It's only $2.99 for the large sleeve of them, which makes the chips a pretty decent value. If you have kids, have 'em try them...I'm still laughing about how mine fared. A good snack ingredient and a laugh is worth at least a double four, right?
Bottom line: Trader Joe's Organic Completely Cacao Chips: 8 out of 10 Golden Spoons
I'm curious how these are meant to be consumed. Not sure I've ever seen unsweetened chocolate in chip form. Usually it's in bars and you melt it and add sugar. But chips, like you would add to cookies? But they're unsweetened? I'm just surprised there would be enough interest for production of such a product.
ReplyDeleteI am on the autoimmune protocol and can't have added sugar, but have reintroduced chocolate. I mix it with golden raisins, walnuts (reintroduced) and toasted coconut for s snack.
Deletedrop a handful in a cup of coffee, mix with stevia extract and a chug of heavy whipping cream
DeleteI Love these. I use them with Trader Joe's semi-sweet chocolates with a touch of honey to make chocolate peanut clusters (using TJ's old fashion salted peanuts).
DeleteI noticed they are from the Ivory Coast. Cacoa grown in that country is done with child labor at best, and in many cases by slaves. Does Trader Joe's offer any assurances that their cocao is ethically grown?
ReplyDeleteQueste Chips sono prodotte con il massimo impegno, il gusto è quello di una massa di cacao 100%, e le piantagioni nn sfruttano nessuno. Informatevi prima di farvi i castelli
ReplyDeleteI just bought some and made a very nice hot choc with them! For 2 mugs: 2 cups milk, heat over med heat, whisk in 2 - 1/2 tbsp completely cacao chips, 2 tbsp gran sugar...heat and whisk until frothy and all dissolved. Pour into mugs. Add shot of whiskey or not.
ReplyDeleteI love these cacao chips! I use them for my healthy chocolate chip cookies and they are amazing. If you are using a sweetener like dates or honey to accompany them, they will taste much more exciting then when you consume them alone. I like to throw dates, cashews, vanilla, cinnamon, coconut oil and cacao chips in a food processor to make raw cookies and they are amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteOh! Can I please have your recipe for the raw cookies. Sounds exciting!
Delete