What's the tastiest chocolate chip?
October 9, 2011 2:30 PM Subscribe
What would you say are the best chocolate chips you have ever eaten cold and melted?
It's Assignment America time in my social group - everyone else is bringing a traditional home-baked cookie from their country of origin.
It's Assignment America time in my social group - everyone else is bringing a traditional home-baked cookie from their country of origin.
Response by poster: Snowflake: I know what chocolate should taste like for me, but I can't eat chocolate any more and have not eaten it in 13 years and can't really fixate on anything but the aroma. I would be shopping at either Selfridges or Fortnum and Mason but they have a wide selection.
posted by parmanparman at 2:37 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by parmanparman at 2:37 PM on October 9, 2011
Ghirardelli are probably the best in the easily obtainable category, Nestle (toll house) for most traditional, IMHO.
posted by cestmoi15 at 2:37 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by cestmoi15 at 2:37 PM on October 9, 2011
Valrhona Feves in the 55% are really something special. You can buy huge bags on Amazon or often find smaller bags at Whole Foods. They are delicious and make big, warm pools of chocolate in your cookies.
posted by Saminal at 2:38 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by Saminal at 2:38 PM on October 9, 2011
Do you mean melted and then cooled? As in like, you dipped something in melted chocolate? (Like a moonpie?)
Most chocolate tastes the same in chips as it does coated in something, it's usually the texture that get's all out of whack. If youre going to melt and coat something, I suggest Ghirardelli.
But if you're talking chocolate chip cookies, then in my opinion, the tastiest is Hershey's.
posted by royalsong at 2:38 PM on October 9, 2011
Most chocolate tastes the same in chips as it does coated in something, it's usually the texture that get's all out of whack. If youre going to melt and coat something, I suggest Ghirardelli.
But if you're talking chocolate chip cookies, then in my opinion, the tastiest is Hershey's.
posted by royalsong at 2:38 PM on October 9, 2011
Response by poster: No I mean it's hot and melted in a warm cookie.
posted by parmanparman at 2:40 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by parmanparman at 2:40 PM on October 9, 2011
Ghirardelli. Seriously. Don't be fooled by what anyone else is going to say on this thread.
posted by too bad you're not me at 2:44 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by too bad you're not me at 2:44 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The secret is: don't get chips. Get a really really good bar and cut it up into sloppy chunks. Like a semisweet Scharffen Berger, which they should carry in the UK.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 2:45 PM on October 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by RJ Reynolds at 2:45 PM on October 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate chips are my favorite in cookies.
posted by blacktshirtandjeans at 2:45 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by blacktshirtandjeans at 2:45 PM on October 9, 2011
Scharffen Berger is good. Valrhona is good. Callebaut is good.
posted by jeather at 2:55 PM on October 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by jeather at 2:55 PM on October 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Depends on what kind of chocolate you prefer!
Milk...semi-sweet...bittersweet.
IMO, for those generally found in USA grocery stores, Guittard semi-sweet are good, but a step up would be Ghiradelli '60% cacao' bittersweet.
You can not go wrong by putting milk chocolate and bittersweet together in the cookie mix.
posted by artdrectr at 2:55 PM on October 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
Milk...semi-sweet...bittersweet.
IMO, for those generally found in USA grocery stores, Guittard semi-sweet are good, but a step up would be Ghiradelli '60% cacao' bittersweet.
You can not go wrong by putting milk chocolate and bittersweet together in the cookie mix.
posted by artdrectr at 2:55 PM on October 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
Serious Eats did a taste test for chocolate chips.
posted by halogen at 3:02 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by halogen at 3:02 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Ghiradelli semi-sweet chips
Agreed. This is my Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips and peanuts "trail mix" face.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 3:16 PM on October 9, 2011
Agreed. This is my Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips and peanuts "trail mix" face.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 3:16 PM on October 9, 2011
Oh also my mom has substituted Ghirardelli in for Toll House in her chocolate chip cookies and hasn't seen this much of her kids' frends since we were small.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 3:17 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 3:17 PM on October 9, 2011
I agree with this taste test from a well respected website
posted by Infernarl at 4:16 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by Infernarl at 4:16 PM on October 9, 2011
Ghirardelli makes several. The best for cookies are the 60% bittersweet ones.
I think this and so does Cook's Illustrated, but obviously it's subjective.
posted by fingersandtoes at 4:56 PM on October 9, 2011
I think this and so does Cook's Illustrated, but obviously it's subjective.
posted by fingersandtoes at 4:56 PM on October 9, 2011
Best answer: I find Ghirardelli to be overly sweet. I love Barry's couverture chocolates.
posted by gmarceau at 5:00 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by gmarceau at 5:00 PM on October 9, 2011
Scharffen Berger is good. Valrhona is good. Callebaut is good.
Seconded. Ghiradelli is the best of the supermarket brands.
posted by benzenedream at 5:18 PM on October 9, 2011
Seconded. Ghiradelli is the best of the supermarket brands.
posted by benzenedream at 5:18 PM on October 9, 2011
I need to stop into my local Gelson's. I'm in California.
I did an experiment once with dipping fruit - I think the brand that was BEST also had a "G" name but was not Ghiradelli. I'll know for sure because Gelson's is the only grocery to carry this hard to find brand. I'll Memail you.
This is why I am sure it isn't Ghiradelli - because you can find those anywhere,
I hate having Mommy Brain since the birth of my first child - everything escapes me.
There is an answer to your question because I spent a lot of time and money hunting down the answer 4 years ago.
I'll get back to you.
-Jenn
posted by jbenben at 6:15 PM on October 9, 2011
I did an experiment once with dipping fruit - I think the brand that was BEST also had a "G" name but was not Ghiradelli. I'll know for sure because Gelson's is the only grocery to carry this hard to find brand. I'll Memail you.
This is why I am sure it isn't Ghiradelli - because you can find those anywhere,
I hate having Mommy Brain since the birth of my first child - everything escapes me.
There is an answer to your question because I spent a lot of time and money hunting down the answer 4 years ago.
I'll get back to you.
-Jenn
posted by jbenben at 6:15 PM on October 9, 2011
I believe jbenben is trying to remember Guittard. (I am so there with you on the mommy brain thing.)
Cook's Illustrated did a review of dark chocolate chips a few years ago. Ghirardelli 60% Dark was highly recommended, then Hershey's Special Dark (not their regular chip), then Guittard. I am personally partial to Guittard as well, so another vote for that.
posted by ambrosia at 6:52 PM on October 9, 2011
Cook's Illustrated did a review of dark chocolate chips a few years ago. Ghirardelli 60% Dark was highly recommended, then Hershey's Special Dark (not their regular chip), then Guittard. I am personally partial to Guittard as well, so another vote for that.
posted by ambrosia at 6:52 PM on October 9, 2011
I have been putting Ghirardelli's chocolate chips into various items of a cookie, brownie, and quick-bread nature, and can attest that the results are extremely impressive.
posted by thomas j wise at 7:08 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by thomas j wise at 7:08 PM on October 9, 2011
Callebaut is good.
Seconded. Can be tough to find, though.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:24 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Seconded. Can be tough to find, though.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:24 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I make chocolate Linzer tortes every year. I've done so for about 15 years now and after a lot of experimentation, have decided Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet are the best.
posted by Miko at 7:25 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by Miko at 7:25 PM on October 9, 2011
Ghiradelli is the best of the supermarket brands.
This is probably what I mean. There is better chocolate but not at this convenience/price point.
posted by Miko at 7:26 PM on October 9, 2011
This is probably what I mean. There is better chocolate but not at this convenience/price point.
posted by Miko at 7:26 PM on October 9, 2011
I wouldn't waste really excellent chocolate on a chocolate-chip cookie unless you're doing something seriously gourmet. Ghiradelli is great for a cooie. I think Nestle chips taste chalky.
posted by thinkingwoman at 7:31 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by thinkingwoman at 7:31 PM on October 9, 2011
A vote for Guittard!
posted by vespabelle at 7:48 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by vespabelle at 7:48 PM on October 9, 2011
I did an experiment once with dipping fruit
Fruit coatings are a whole different beast, since room temperature melting is a big problem. Many dipped strawberry recipes call to add edible paraffin for this reason, so the chocolate coating will have a higher melting point. The best fruit coating chocolate may not be the best cookie chocolate.
posted by benzenedream at 8:04 PM on October 9, 2011
Fruit coatings are a whole different beast, since room temperature melting is a big problem. Many dipped strawberry recipes call to add edible paraffin for this reason, so the chocolate coating will have a higher melting point. The best fruit coating chocolate may not be the best cookie chocolate.
posted by benzenedream at 8:04 PM on October 9, 2011
'Good chocolate' and 'Chip form' are mutually exclusive.
posted by Sphinx at 8:24 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by Sphinx at 8:24 PM on October 9, 2011
If you can find it in stores, absolutely Guittard. Either the large Milk Chocolate or the Semi-Sweet - first had them as a kid because lucky me, I grew up with Darrell Corti as the local grocer and they started stocking it in the baking section. Other choice would be the Valhronia feves. Pricey but I just made a batch of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with them and it's pretty nice.
As for other regional NorCal brands, hasn't Schaffen Berger gone the way of Mother's Cookies and been bought up by a larger company that's moving production to another region? And anybody who says Ghiradelli, how long have you lived here? Ghiradelli is something you only think about when you have visitors from out of town who want to see tourist attractions.
posted by gov_moonbeam at 11:39 PM on October 9, 2011
As for other regional NorCal brands, hasn't Schaffen Berger gone the way of Mother's Cookies and been bought up by a larger company that's moving production to another region? And anybody who says Ghiradelli, how long have you lived here? Ghiradelli is something you only think about when you have visitors from out of town who want to see tourist attractions.
posted by gov_moonbeam at 11:39 PM on October 9, 2011
And anybody who says Ghiradelli, how long have you lived here? Ghiradelli is something you only think about when you have visitors from out of town who want to see tourist attractions.
What? There's nothing wrong with Ghiradelli. They're the only US company that is involved in the chocolate making from nib to bar. Yes, they are now owned by Lindt, but they still roast their own nibs. Though I have no idea why you're asking, I'm a fifth generation Northern Californian and my grandmother used to work at Guittard.
'Good chocolate' and 'Chip form' are mutually exclusive.
I disagree, there is good chocolate available in chip form- good enough for cookies, certainly. I prefer chips because they keep their shape due to the nifty wax coating. Sure, if you're melting, chips are silly and possibly problematic. We're talking about cookies, though.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:24 AM on October 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
What? There's nothing wrong with Ghiradelli. They're the only US company that is involved in the chocolate making from nib to bar. Yes, they are now owned by Lindt, but they still roast their own nibs. Though I have no idea why you're asking, I'm a fifth generation Northern Californian and my grandmother used to work at Guittard.
'Good chocolate' and 'Chip form' are mutually exclusive.
I disagree, there is good chocolate available in chip form- good enough for cookies, certainly. I prefer chips because they keep their shape due to the nifty wax coating. Sure, if you're melting, chips are silly and possibly problematic. We're talking about cookies, though.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:24 AM on October 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by melangell at 2:36 PM on October 9, 2011 [8 favorites]