ADAPTED FROM A RECIPE FOR ALMOND MACAROONS IN CHEZ PANISSE DESSERTS BY LINDSAY REMOLIF SHERE. MAKES 3 DOZEN COOKIES.

• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup Scharffen Berger Cacao Nibs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 400 F. Slice the vanilla bean vertically with a small paring knife and scrape the seeds into a measuring cup with the nibs. Grind about half the nib and vanilla mixture in the coffee grinder until nibs reach the consistency of ground almonds. Repeat with the remaining nibs. (It will be necessary to grind in pulses and intermittently scrape finer particles from the bottom of the grinding chamber in order to obtain a uniform particle size.) Place both batches in a small mixing bowl and toss ingredients together, breaking up as many lumps as possible with your fingers. Sift sugar, nibs and vanilla into a second bowl, breaking up any remaining lumps.

Butter and flour a baking sheet or cover it with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they hold stiff peaks. Fold quickly into the nib and sugar mixture, until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Over-mixing will cause the egg whites to lose body.

Pipe 1-inch mounds from a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch tip (a Ziplock bag cut at one corner also works), keeping the cookies 1/1/2 inches apart. Bake for about ten minutes, or until cookies begin to darken at edges. Let them firm slightly, then remove from baking sheet to a rack to cool. If cookies stick to the parchment, just turn the parchment over and moisten a bit under each cookie-they will pull right off.

Stored in a tightly covered container, they will keep for several days.