Is There Caffeine in Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans?
Whether you’ve tried them or not, chocolate covered espresso beans are worth appreciating. This treat is the combination of two of the most craved things in all of the world: chocolate and coffee. This match made in heaven lives up to the expectation, and so many have become addicted to this new discovery. However, the real question is how much caffeine, if any, are in chocolate-covered espresso beans?
There are a lot of components in this snack that seem to be quite straightforward and simple, but yes. There is caffeine in our beloved chocolate-covered espresso beans, so before you eat an entire bag and get the major jitters, let’s learn just how much caffeine.
What is a Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean?
If you haven’t ever tried a chocolate espresso bean, we first need to explain exactly what this delicious snack is. Depending on the type, they are an espresso bean covered in white, milk, or dark chocolate. These are not straight from the plant. They are roasted to provide a nice crunch. Some use more chocolate than others, but overall, the consensus is a crunchy snack that mimics a mocha of our dreams.
Espresso beans and espresso shots are from the same origin, but an espresso bean will have quite a different flavor. Unlike espresso shots, it will not be watered down or mixed with anything else, so the chocolate not only adds a sweet touch but masks the harshness of straight espresso. Don’t get it twisted, however, chocolate carries a bit of caffeine on its own as well, so this treat is the definition of danger in disguise.
All of that to say chocolate covered espresso beans are not for the faint of heart. However, once you do find a liking to them, it can be quite difficult to put down.
How much Caffeine is in a Bean?
One espresso bean covered in chocolate can range from 6 to 13 mg of caffeine. The reason for the range is the amount and type of chocolate. White chocolate, for instance, has little to no caffeine in it while dark chocolate has a decent amount of caffeine. Mix this with ranges of chocolate coatings, and it’s a bit more difficult to get a one size fits all answer on how much caffeine one has.
A full espresso bean also has more caffeine than after it’s brewed into coffee, so you can’t use the amount of beans for a cup of coffee as a reference. To help demonstrate, take a well coated dark chocolate espresso bean coming to 13 mg a bean. Now compare it to a standard cup of coffee which comes to 95 mg of caffeine. That means it only takes a little over 7 beans to equal an entire cup of coffee.
Now, we are looking at the extreme here in comparison, but there are studies that show our body should only have up to 400 mg a day of caffeine. That being said, we can assume that the recommended portion of chocolate-covered espresso beans comes to 30-40 beans for an entire day’s worth of caffeine. This means no coffee, no tea, or any other means of caffeine.
If that seems near impossible like it does to us, play it safe and aim for about 20 beans for a snack in a day. This leaves you a bit of room for a cup of coffee without veering close to over-caffeinated jitters that won’t allow you to sleep through the night.
Can I Make My Own?
If you aren’t fond of trying these out from store-bought options, you can make your very own chocolate espresso beans at home. Luckily, it only takes a few ingredients and a few minutes. You will need the chocolate of your choice, espresso beans, and optionally a roaster.
The biggest selection is choosing which roast you would like. If you are roasting your own, then you have a bit more leeway in this area. If you are buying roasted beans, then decide between light roasted, medium roasted, or dark. Each has its own benefits, so use your personal preference to help decide. It’s your homemade snack after all.
Light roast will have more caffeine and acidity while the dark roast will feel fuller and more flavorful. As you might assume, medium roast is a mixture of the two.
Dip the roast of your choice into the chocolate of your choice. I like to set the beans on a rack to let the excess chocolate fall off, but if you love the extra chocolate, set them on a pan to harden. You can set them in the fridge to speed up the process. Pull the beans from the pan and voila! Your tasty snack is ready.
Conclusion
So there ya have it. Chocolate covered espresso beans need to be monitored to about 20 beans a day if possible, and if you are opting for dark chocolate over milk or white, be even more cautious. While we all have seemed to build up quite a tolerance to caffeine, our bodies still have a limit. So go grab the ingredients and give this snack a try!
