I love to bake, and regardless of what I'm baking, I try to work in as much chocolate as possible. Shocking, I know. That means chocolate chip pumpkin bread, chocolate yogurt scones, chocolate chunk blondies (which I do realize kind of refutes the whole blonde part of the equation, but still--butterscotch AND chocolate? Fan-tastic.). And the list goes on and on! I have been a lifelong fan of Ghiradelli chocolate chips. They are great for baking, but also perfect for a petite-sized nosh. Ghiradelli chips, particularly the 60% cacao variety, have been my baking go-to for years, and it always warms my heart to know that there's a shimmery bag of them safely tucked away in my cabinet, dresser drawer, or handbag (or, let's be real: all three).
Since these chips aren't always the easiest to find, I've had to branch out. That's how I discovered these Nestle dark chocolate morsels. They are much more widely available at all different kinds of grocers, not just the fancy pants ones. I've even seen them at bodegas--perfection for late night baking. Holla! These chips are slightly less dark and slightly smaller (translation: they are the size of a normal chocolate chip), than Ghiradelli's. With 53% cacao, these chips are actually preferable for many recipes. Though Ghiradelli chips are beyond delicious (and generously sized), they tend to be the stand-out feature wherever they find themselves. In addition to their creamier quality (less cacao=less density=more creamy), they also have a more quintessential chocolate flavor. These chips taste like a much better version of a Hershey's bar, whereas the Ghiradelli chips, with their higher cacao content, have more complexity with strong fruity tones.
My advice? If you don't have access to Ghiradelli, or if you prefer milk chocolate that still has some muscle, or if you want a chip that will be a classy team player and blend well with its respective recipe companions, then give these chips a try. The price is right (about $3.50 a bag, a mere 51 cents more than most bags, and for a significant quality increase), and they're easy to find. Plus, they really are delicious. In fact, I just realized that in the course of writing this I've eaten about a 1/4 of the bag. So maybe Ghiradelli is getting ready to take the backseat after all. On that note, I'd better get myself to yoga pronto. Thanks for reading! Strawberry kisses :*:*:*
Since these chips aren't always the easiest to find, I've had to branch out. That's how I discovered these Nestle dark chocolate morsels. They are much more widely available at all different kinds of grocers, not just the fancy pants ones. I've even seen them at bodegas--perfection for late night baking. Holla! These chips are slightly less dark and slightly smaller (translation: they are the size of a normal chocolate chip), than Ghiradelli's. With 53% cacao, these chips are actually preferable for many recipes. Though Ghiradelli chips are beyond delicious (and generously sized), they tend to be the stand-out feature wherever they find themselves. In addition to their creamier quality (less cacao=less density=more creamy), they also have a more quintessential chocolate flavor. These chips taste like a much better version of a Hershey's bar, whereas the Ghiradelli chips, with their higher cacao content, have more complexity with strong fruity tones.
My advice? If you don't have access to Ghiradelli, or if you prefer milk chocolate that still has some muscle, or if you want a chip that will be a classy team player and blend well with its respective recipe companions, then give these chips a try. The price is right (about $3.50 a bag, a mere 51 cents more than most bags, and for a significant quality increase), and they're easy to find. Plus, they really are delicious. In fact, I just realized that in the course of writing this I've eaten about a 1/4 of the bag. So maybe Ghiradelli is getting ready to take the backseat after all. On that note, I'd better get myself to yoga pronto. Thanks for reading! Strawberry kisses :*:*:*