Flavored chocolate chips vs. real

Amarante ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 8:37 am

How much do you care about the end result?

Are you making a lot of cookies for children who probably don't have finely developed tastes yet or to serve in a situation in which you take pride in serving the best to people who have discerning taste.

FWIW, I have a friend who is an absolutely fantastic cook. She even has her own chocolate tempering machine.

When she goes to Europe she brings back chocolate chips because European chocolate is so much better because even the better grocery brands use less than great ingredients.

Of course the really high end chocolate chip cookies and desserts actually make their own "chunks" with chocolate that is really could be savored on its own.

A bit like cooking with wine - you don't use wine you wouldn't drink in a glass.

↑ PinkFridge

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 9:00 am

scruffy wrote:

IMO the fake ones are truly awful. But it's not a major investment to buy a bag of each and conduct a blind taste test. It will be easy.

I remember using them another time there was a hike in prices. They didn't taste good when eating plain but I don't remember really noticing in finished products. (And that's the last time Amarante's going to eat from my kitchen Wink

*)

*No, she never has.

amother

Bubblegum

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 9:05 am

I like to use them for melting as well..
Also when serving warmed choc chip cookies you won’t get the melted chocolate feel
I definitely taste the difference much more than the vanilla extract .
So for me I don’t use them

But your cookies will still be eaten no matter which ones you use

amother

Blushpink ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 9:12 am

If I was making for a large group of kids who don’t bother to chew or taster their food before they eat, I probably wouldn’t care. For myself and adult (and teen girls-they are the toughest critic IMO) I would care.
I went a little crazy before pesach and bought 8 bags of chocolate chips, 6 brands. We had a taste test and they are not all created equally.

FYI,
Costco has 16oz real vanilla @$9.99 (so disappointed that I don’t need any)

↑ Amarante ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 9:16 am

PinkFridge wrote:

*)

*No, she never has.

Honestly I have almost ever met a chocolate chip cookies that I wasn't happy to eat - I am ecumenical in terms of cookies.

I am not a fan of most of the grocery store cookies though in general as I can taste the "fakeness" in terms of texture and taste but Pepperidge Farm cookies are good quality and they sell the Milanos in two cookie snack packs which are great because I could probably eat a whole bag if it was open in front of me LOL

But baking involves effort for the most part and so if I am going through the effort of home baking I want to make them as good as possible because I generally bring them to a friend or serve for a special meal in some way.

If I were stuffing lunchboxes or feeding bottomless adolescent stomachs with home baked items, I would probably adjust as they are going to be devoured happily even if the chocolate isn't Valhrona or even Guilliards. Very Happy

Bnei Berak 10 ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 9:20 am

Amarante wrote:

Chocolate tempering machine. Wow

↑ Amarante ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 9:27 am

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

Chocolate tempering machine. Wow

She was such fun to visit because there was always fantastic food to eat or even nosh on.

Her dipped giant strawberries were amazing.

She loved every aspect of cooking and baking. Made her own puff pastry. I first tasted couliabac when I went to a casual lunch at her house.

ETA She was an accountant and got the chocolate tempering machine from a client who was going out of business

amother

↑ Blushpink

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 10:05 am

amother Thistle wrote:

I buy the yellow bag - is it blooms? The one that says in huge letters on it real chocolate. The taste is so superior to the fake ones it's crazy

The yellow bag did not win our taste test.
I think paskesz premium.

California Gourmet Choco Chips Are probably my real favorite, but are a different price point.

Honestly, ShopRite ranks pretty high up there. (Especially the mini)

↑ Amarante ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 10:44 am

For what it's worth, Bon Appetit did a taste test of grocery store chocolate chips and Ghirardelli Semi Sweet were the winners

I do bake with butter often milk chocolate isn't an issue for me when I do

Their chocolate squares are also quite good for grocery store chocolate.

https://www.bonappetit.com/sto.....chips

The Standout Winner: Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

What’s inside: Whole milk powder is listed among the ingredients here, though it’s the third to last ingredient, which suggests Ghirardelli uses less milk-based ingredients than other brands we tested. It’s an ingredient Ghirardeli appears to have started including around seven years ago; it does essentially the same job of milk fat—a creamier flavor and softer texture.

The verdict: In a taste test, when you taste the best, you just know. That was the case here. Upon first chews, our tasters agreed that these chips would be the ones to beat. There wasn’t just a life-changing cocoa flavor. There wasn’t just a velvety melt. There wasn’t juuust an intriguing interplay between bitter and sweet that made our tasters dive for a second bite. What really pushed Ghirardelli into first place was that it went the extra mile—it made our chocolate chip cookie somehow taste better. The more restrained sweet flavor in the chocolate allowed the warm vanilla and brown butter flavors in the cookie to soar to new heights. Chocolate chips are great on their own, but a chocolate chip that can make your baked goods actually taste better—that’s unbeatable.

↑ Bnei Berak 10

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 11:02 am

Amarante wrote:

Not surprised Ghirardelli took 1st prize. Italians + chocolate = excellent marriage Smile

↑ Amarante

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 11:22 am

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

Not surprised Ghirardelli took 1st prize. Italians + chocolate = excellent marriage Smile

The Italian bloodline at this point is pretty attenuated.

The original Ghirardelli emigrated from Italy and opened up a confectionary store in San Francisco in 1852 so like Rice A Roni, it is a San Francisco "treat". Ghirardelli Square is a major tourist attraction on the wharf.

It is now owned by Lindt which in turn is owned by Hershey which has a division of "luxury" chocolates.

Of course San Francisco has wonderful food - the absolute best sourdough bread and Irish coffee are rumored to have originated there