Coffee grounds are a versatile thing: used in everything from sustainable concrete to glasses frames, even offering natural oils for cosmetics. But as a cocoa alternative?
It might sound far-fetched, but that’s exactly what a USA-based startup is trying to achieve. The logic is simple enough: from a taste perspective there are similarities between coffee and cocoa.
First the grounds are dried then the coffee notes are extracted, leaving the sour, roasted notes typically associated with cocoa. This residue is finely ground and the resulting product can either be mixed with chocolate powder or replace it entirely.
There are alternatives to cocoa from naturally-grown beans: Using cell cultures, for instance, while the cacao plant’s pods can also be fermented.
