Infusing Spirits With Cacao Nibs
February 15, 2016
Infusing spirits with different flavors is something new for me. It’s another way I can experiment with combinations that reflect my own personal tastes, similar to finding the wine and chocolate pairings I like.
I love discovering new taste sensations and with this recent endeavor, I’ll end up creating new cocktails while making my drinking experience a lot more interesting!
The basic practice of crafting an infusion is to add a particular combination of flavors to a base liquor. Sounds easy so far.
How Does One Begin?
Since I’m a newbie, I started with an uncomplicated alcohol -- Vodka. Vodka is a pretty common base spirit and absorbs flavors easily.
The indi chocolate Cacao Infusion Kit comes with a flask filled with cacao nibs and a vanilla pod, all ready for adding whatever spirit moves you.
Top off the bottle, and seal it shut. Then you simply let it infuse for two weeks. That’s it!
How Did The Cacao Infused Vodka Turn Out?
The color of my chocolate vodka is a lovely deep brown, and the aroma reminds me of a freshly baked brownie.
The chocolatey notes are smooth, slightly nutty, and spicy, with a little vanilla at the end. It is not overly sweet (which is wonderful) and the vodka feels warm at the back of my throat. Ahh, nice on a cold winter evening!
According to the indi Chocolate website, I can take out the “drunken nibs" and sprinkle them over ice cream, or use them in my favorite nib recipes. ‘Nuff said!
What will I try next? Bourbon, rum, whiskey...
The CUO Chocolate and Wine Tasting Guide will show you how to pair chocolate and wine for amazing experiences of your own or with friends!
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Just came across this in looking for ways to infuse coconut cream or liquor with some of my cacao nibs. I process the cacao myself from our tree and love making good use of it. Would like to try it with my new sous vide perhaps.
Glad you enjoyed the infusion kit Bryn. At indi chocolate, we like to introduce people to new ways to enjoy chocolate and go from bean to bar and beyond to the unexpected side of chocolate too.
I’m looking forward to hearing more about your infusion adventures.
I’ve been a Chocolate University fan for a long time.
Enjoy!
Erin