Cocoa bean, seed of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), which is used to create cocoa and cocoa butter, key ingredients of chocolate. The beans themselves can be crushed or chopped into “nibs” for a variety of culinary uses, from salad dressing to ice cream toppings; they can also add thickness to a sauce or texture to a cake. The flavours tend to be pungent and untamed, while quality is very obvious.