Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
A whole roasted espresso bean inside a shell of 70% dark chocolate: bitter, snappy, and just caffeinated enough to matter.
What It Is
These are exactly what they sound like, and that straightforwardness is the point. A real espresso bean sits at the center, coated in bittersweet dark chocolate made with fair trade organic cacao. The chocolate is thin enough that you taste the coffee first.
The bean itself brings a dry, slightly woody bitterness that the chocolate rounds out without hiding. A handful is a legitimate alternative to a cup of coffee, and a more interesting one.
What To Do
Eat them out of hand. That is the main event. They also work crushed over vanilla ice cream, stirred into trail mix, or set out with an after-dinner cheese board where something sweet and bitter is welcome.
Store them somewhere cool and dry, away from sunlight. A sealed container keeps them from picking up other smells. They hold well for several weeks at room temperature, longer in the fridge if your kitchen runs warm.
