I am curious to see what brands of cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate you prefer… and also if there are any that you detest! Thanks a bunch!
I tend to use Callebaut for just about everything. I order it in large quantities and it’s already broken down into small pieces (callets). I have their cocoa powder, unsweetened, semi-sweet, and bittersweet. I don’t usually stock milk or white chocolate.
I can’t say that I “prefer” Callebaut; I chose the brand based on 3rd party ratings. They don’t get tops in every category, but I figure that the differences among top-rated products has got to be pretty small.
I don’t have a huge variety to choose from here in Charlotte, NC, but I’ve been really happy with my results using Green and Black’s unsweetened cocoa powder.
As far as unsweetened chocolate goes, I have one choic: Ghiradelli (spelled wrong, I’m sure).
If it’s anything other than unsweetened, I like to mix chocolates, as I’ve found I prefer that to using a single chocolate. So, if I want a 70% chocolate, I’ll use, say, 1/3 weight of each of a 70%, 85% and 55% bars (or thereabouts), often mixing brands. I really like the chocolate used in the Endangered Species chocolate bars, on the whole, and also the Divine chocolate bars, and I tend to use them quite a bit.
For white chocolate, I found that I preferred Lindt over Green and Blacks (blind taste test) and so did the hub, and that surprised me! I’d like to find something I like a little better than Lindt, even, though.
White Chocolate - Lindt Piccoli (35% cocoa butter fat) I have to drive 45 minutes to get it, but I can get a 2.5kg bag of it for $37.96. I vaccum pack and freeze it. Have never had a problem with it.
- I can also get the green and blacks white chocolate, but it is much more expensive to buy, so not very economical for me.
Dark Chocolate - Lindt Bittersweet Piccoli (58 %) Again I have to drive 45 minutes to get it, the 2.5kg bag is $28.29.
- I also like the Callebaut bittersweet callets ( 60 % ). I can get it at the bulk barn which is only about 20 minutes away from my house. They sell the callets by the pound, so I can get as much as I want.
Milk Chocolate - Defininety the Lindt milk chocolate. Although I usually do not buy milk chocolate for baking very often.
Unsweetened - I haven’t been able to find any good quality unsweetened chocolate in bulk in my area. All I can find is the small Lindt 99% cocoa bars and of course the unsweetened bakers chocolate at the grocery store, which I prefer
not to use. So I have been avoiding any recipes that call for unsweetened chocolate.
Cocoa Powder - I am not sure what the brand is, but it is sold at the bulk barn as well. It is called Ruddy Red and it is a very very dark red/brown color. It is 22/24%. It seems to work quite well with all the recipes I have used it for and it does not have a bitter taste.
I don’t have a huge variety to choose from here in Charlotte, NC, but I’ve been really happy with my results using Green and Black’s unsweetened cocoa powder.
As far as unsweetened chocolate goes, I have one choic: Ghiradelli (spelled wrong, I’m sure).
If it’s anything other than unsweetened, I like to mix chocolates, as I’ve found I prefer that to using a single chocolate. So, if I want a 70% chocolate, I’ll use, say, 1/3 weight of each of a 70%, 85% and 55% bars (or thereabouts), often mixing brands. I really like the chocolate used in the Endangered Species chocolate bars, on the whole, and also the Divine chocolate bars, and I tend to use them quite a bit.
For white chocolate, I found that I preferred Lindt over Green and Blacks (blind taste test) and so did the hub, and that surprised me! I’d like to find something I like a little better than Lindt, even, though.
Anne, where have you been able to find Green and Black’s cocoa powder in Charlotte? I have been able to find the bars but no luck on the cocoa powder.
Earth Fare in South Park definitely has it (that’s where I buy it). I called to find just where, and, according to “Josh,” it’s on Aisle 4. However, if it’s not there, try the tea aisle back toward the meat department. Sometimes they have it in with the hot chocolate mixes. Their phone number is (704) 749-5042.
Good luck!
p.s. BTW, if there are other items you need but EF doesn’t have them, the Harris Teeter at Morrocroft (also in South Park—catty corner from EF) has lots of baking stuff (but not G&B unswt. cc powder). Their number is (704) 364-1245.
White Chocolate - Lindt Piccoli (35% cocoa butter fat) I have to drive 45 minutes to get it, but I can get a 2.5kg bag of it for $37.96. I vaccum pack and freeze it. Have never had a problem with it.
- I can also get the green and blacks white chocolate, but it is much more expensive to buy, so not very economical for me.
For the white lindt chocolate is this the chocolate truffle squares?
I think the truffle squares have a soft cream filling and are not the right thing to use. Just pure, solid white chocolate, all cocoa butter (at least a third or more cocoa butter).
For whatever it’s worth, I am a big fan of G&B—I always use their cocoa powder—and I generally don’t like Giradelli’s chocolate, BUT for white chocolate, I prefer Giradelli. I find G&B’s a bit waxy and with not quite as nice a flavor as Giradelli. You must use the very flat Giradelli white chocolate bars, though, not chips—the chips are fake. It amazed me in my taste test to discover this preference, and hub’s preference was the same.
