A Chocolate Question

[chocomouse]

I'm glad you posted your results, BakerAunt -- this is on my list to bake tomorrow morning! I've not decided yet how much healthier, if at all, I will make the cookies. Nor have I checked my stash of chocolate in the freezer; I know there is plenty, but not sure of the quality. I'm going out of town tomorrow, and need something chocolate for the trip.....

[BakerAunt]

The oil version can be an emergency "I'm out of butter!" option. It's also non-dairy, which might be necessary for some people.

I've told my husband that we each are limited to one per day. (The man has no self-control when it comes to chocolate, unless I issue a fiat.) As they are large, substantial cookies, they are nice for slow nibbling with a glass of milk or cup of coffee.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Glad to hear your results BA. I probably don't think enough about saturated fat. But after years of upping butter I have started cutting back some. The best thing to do in my house is to just not make things. Fortunately I have enough school events that I can bake for. The boys running teams will eat as much as I can make. And now my oldest son is part of a show at school where they are asking us to make things for rehearsals and bake sales during shows.

Callebaut and Valrhona are both available at Whole Foods. When Callebaut goes on sale I stock up. So U probably have about 30 lbs of bulk chocolate right now. Valrhona is about $18 a pound, never goes on sale, and I am not certain I could tell the difference in a blind baked goods test. Even if I could $18 a pound is just too crazy. Callebaut actually works out to be cheaper than Guittard because I can buy Callebaut in bulk and because my family does not steal and eat the big blocks of chocolate.

And then there is the REALLY crazy stuff like Taza! Stoneground in Somerville MA and about $25-30/lb and only comes in tiny packages.

[Mike Nolan]

When we were in Hawaii my son found a chocolate company on the big island that is growing their own cacao plants. I've had a number of single-bean chocolates, this one had some interesting notes to it. It was kind of pricey, but I guess they're going for the tourist trade.

Stover (in western PA) has 11 pound bags of Callebaut dark chocolate for $43.99, plus shipping, though I usually buy the 2.5 kg bags, currently $22.37. I've not found a local suppliers (as far as Des Moines or Kansas City) whose prices come close to that.

[chocomouse]

The cookies smell wonderful, but we are not eating any until after dinner! I did not attempt to make these healthier, and I doubled the recipe. For the melted chocolate called for, I used the last of a block of milk chocolate I got at KAF years ago, when they sold the large blocks, and made up the rest in Baker's sweet chocolate. I couldn't find my bag of KAF triple cocoa blend, so used store brand unsweetened cocoa powder. Finally, I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips; the bag was labeled "bitter", but they sure taste like semi-sweet. I added an extra tablespoon of Kahlua, because the dough seemed a little dry. Just sayin'. The raw dough tasted delicious. I know, I know - raw eggs, uncooked flour. But I've been eating raw dough for 76 years and it hasn't killed me yet!

[chocomouse]

The cookies are very good, although there is little to no flavor of the espresso or the Kahlua. I baked (from a double batch) 32 2"cookies, and then scooped and then freezing about 30 more balls of dough for later. These cookies are not quite what I had hope for; my preference is a thinner cookie with crisp edges and a chewy center. I had thought the dough was a little dry and that may be at least part of the problem. I'll make them again, and reduce the amount of flour.

[BakerAunt]

Chocomouse--These are a thick cookie, and I recall their being so when I made them with the butter, although the butter ones might have spread a little more. I think that the espresso and Kahlua highlight the chocolate rather than calling attention to themselves--which is why I have had no complaints from my husband who hates the taste of coffee.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Mike,

It looks like there are several chocolate farms on Hawaii now. Any idea which one your friend goes to?

11 pounds for just under $44 is really good - way better than I can buy for on sale. Not sure what the wholesalers around will sell for. They always want to give me a "quote".

[Mike Nolan]

'Original Hawaiian Chocolate' was the place my son visited, in Kona.

They're growing criollo cacao, which many (but not all) chocolate experts consider the highest grade, only about 3% of the worldwide cacao crop is criollo.

Criollo has some interesting flavor notes in it. I found it a bit gritty on the tongue, which is a processing choice. Personally, I like my chocolate smoother.

At chocolate school we tasted chocolates made from all 3 types of beans (the ruby chocolate products hadn't been announced yet.) Most chocolates are blended from more than one type of bean, but single-source chocolates are a growing trend.

[Mike Nolan]

Not all suppliers will sell to walk-in customers like Stover does. Some (like Restaurant Depot) require you show a retail tax permit.

Stover's prices are why I have probably 40 pounds of chocolate in the coolest part of the house.

Callebaut's website has a list of wholesalers, but I find it not very helpful.

There's a new chocolate shop near us, they're buying Valhrona chocolate in large enough quantities that they can have it trucked in. I hope they do better than the last chocolatier in Lincoln.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Growing chocolate where they grow coffee! Makes sense.

I have access to a couple of wholesalers through my restaurant friends. I've purchased flour through them and I can probably buy some chocolate too. But the one I used doesn't have prices online so I need to ask for a quote.

[Author]

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