So, I just found out, that even raw cocoa powder has been crushed down to release about 50% of the cocoa butter out of the bean.

So, the cacao nib has about 50% more oil/cacao butter. I suppose this is what gives it a darker color. I've heard that the cacao nibs sometimes have a vinegar smell/taste.

My question is, if I want to make chocolate milk or chocolate sauce with raw cacao/cocoa, is it better to use cocoa powder or cacao nibs and crush them up?

Has anyone here used the nibs and just crushed them into a powder? Does that extra cacao butter give it a better flavor?

The nibs are bitter as all cacoa is. I think if it smells like vinegar it may be from the processing or it has gone bad. Mine never smells like that.

I've never cooked with the nibs only had them raw in various things. They are quite hard and not very gentle on the teeth but some people may like that.

The nibs are bitter. All cacao is bitter. If you're going to cook with them I would get the powder.

have you ever ground up the nibs into powder? That's what I was thinking of doing. Would it be similar to the cocoa powder? I guess it would just have the cocoa butter in it as well. You think that might make it harder to mix in milk or something similar?

Also, if you're making a chocolate sauce...most chocolate makers add cocoa butter back in. Maybe it'd just be better to use fresh nibs ground up in a powder with the oil/butter already in it.

They must melt if they're composed of cocoa butter so go for it if you plan to make sauces on the stove top but for chocolate milk I would get it preground. I did try to grind it myself in my vitamix but they flew all over and didn't grind as fine as I wanted.

momma mia, check this out!

https://www.shutterbean.com/raw-chocolate-milk/

this lady is making chocolate milk with raw cacao nibs using a blender.

I'll make the recipe even easier by using milk. If this works and it passes the kid test, my mind will have been blown.

Well, what if you were to use a coffee grounder or a mortar and pestal?

I have a ninja. I wonder if that can blend them into a powder.