Kitchen

[Sooner]

We are out of some kinds and I was thinking what to buy! I have always used grocery store brands, and was mulling that over and then thinking maybe Trader Joe's. . . 

So I thought I would ask here.  I'm in the market for bittersweet and/or unsweetened. 

[mspatmac]

I use  Ghirardelli 

[msgb]

I bake a lot and give away a lot of it as gifts and I purchase from Trader Joe's. I have also bought from Aldi. In fact right now I have some that was just bought from Trader Joe's in the pantry and going to be used in baking for a gift this week.

[Just Bling]

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@mspatmac wrote:

I use  Ghirardelli 

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I do too if available or Bakers

I didn't know Trader Joe's had their own brand of baking chocolate, I know regular chocolate bars but haven't seen baking chocolate, I'll have to look againl

[Queen of shop]

Hi  @Sooner. I like, @mspatmac, use Ghiardelli. I buy straight from the company and keep it on hand. I keep it in a cool spot and it lasts a very long time without turning that funky white ashiness. Great stuff.

[loriqvc]

@Sooner - America's Test Kitchen recently revisited their chocolate test rankings and the top pick was Ghirardelli's 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Premium Baking Bar, which is also my preference. However, if you're looking for really dark chocolate, I recently tried the Lindt Excellence Bar (70% Cocoa) and loved the results—but that extra cacao makes it extra dark. Good luck!

ETA: Their pick for unsweetened chocolate was Baker's 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar, that grocery store classic. 

[deepwaterdotter]

Dark: Ghirardelli

Unsweetened: Baker's

[Sooner]

Well, I looked around and found something interesting since many use this brand:

CHOCOLATE SUBSTITUTIONS

WHEN YOU'RE BAKING AND YOU NEED TO SUBSITUTE ONE GHIRARDELLI PRODUCT FOR ANOTHER, TRY THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:

• Ghirardelli Bittersweet and Semi-Sweet Chocolate can be used interchangeably.
• Ghirardelli Unsweetened Chocolate and Ghirardelli Chocolate Semi-Sweet Baking Bars: 4 ounces of Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate equals 2 ounces of Ghirardelli Unsweetened Chocolate combined with 2 ounces of sugar.
• Ghirardelli Unsweetened Premium Cocoa and Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa: For each ½ cup of Unsweetened Premium Cocoa, use 1 cup of Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa and decrease the amount of sugar the recipe calls for by ½ cup.
• Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa and Ghirardelli Unsweetened Premium Cocoa: For 1 cup of Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa, use ½ cup Unsweetened Premium Cocoa and ½ cup sugar. Mix together prior to adding to the recipe.
• Ghirardelli Unsweetened Chocolate and Unsweetened Premium Cocoa: For every 1 ounce of Unsweetened Chocolate called for in a recipe, use 3 level tablespoons of Unsweetened Premium Cocoa and 1 tablespoon extra of butter, margarine, or vegetable shortening than called for in the recipe.
• Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa and Ghirardelli Unsweetened Baking Chocolate: For every 1 ounce of Ghirardelli Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, use 6 level tablespoons of Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa; add 1 tablespoon extra of butter, margarine, or vegetable shorting than called for in the recipe; and decrease the amount of sugar the recipe calls for by 3 level tablespoons.

[ECBG]

I make candy and bake.  The first time I used Ghirardelli, it was chocolate on steroids! 

Ghirardelli has made everything I do superior to what it was.

[homedecor1]

Watching America's Test Kitchen -PBS and the segment is baking comparing chocolate and making frostings.  Of course, baking tips for cakes too.

Might want to check it out!! 

@Sooner