Question Of The Day - Thursday 18 October

[sivyaleah]

High quality, preferably dark. Imported also - French, Belgium, Swiss. I don't have a huge sweet tooth so a small amount will usually satisfy me if it's good quality.

There are 2 from based in the USA I enjoy; Jacques Torres (NYC) and Vosges. My husband once brought me back a chocolate menorah from JT lol. Was good!

I love Lindt's dark chocolate bars with sea salt. OMG. Addictive.

Richart is amazing too and oh so fancy. One of our former employees used to go home to Paris every year and send back box loads of it to us. Such a treat!

 

[neely]

I LOVE chocolate! However, it has to be dark with a high cacao, e.g 70% or higher.

 

[Winchester]

The only chocolate I like is Hot Cocoa. I prefer peanut butter.

That's un-American. My DIL prefers peanut butter over chocolate, too, and I tell her the same thing. My son likes a chocolate cake, so when they come for dinner, I make him a chocolate cake, but slather peanut butter frosting over the thing, so they're both happy. My granddaughter takes after me....the more chocolate the better. She's 11 and has written her first cookbook: Chocolate and Peanut Butter-What's Not to Like?

My name is Pam and I'm a chocoholic. We have two candy stores in town (both make their own chocolates). They are decadent. I do prefer one over the other; one store makes chocolate-covered pretzels and I honestly think they could make a pretty good living just from their pretzels alone. Everybody buys their pretzels. They make much of their own candy, too. During the holidays, they are simply packed with people.

That being said, I've a thing for peanut M & Ms. I love the things. Something about the chocolate and the peanut. I can (and, unfortunately, have) eat my way through a bag of the things. Preferably with a high-octane Pepsi. Rick loves, loves, loves Reese's peanut butter cups. Trader Joe's carries bags of really tiny peanut butter cups and we always buy them when we're there.

I use only Ghirardelli chocolate any more in my baking. I do keep a container of Hershey's cocoa in the pantry for the chocolate cake that's popular in the family. For other cocoa baking, I use Penzey and/or King Arthur.

 

[jcat]

I love any kind of chocolate other than "white chocolate".

 

[maggiedemi]

That's un-American. My DIL prefers peanut butter over chocolate, too, and I tell her the same thing.

LOL! Yes, people usually do say it's un-American. Your DIL is a girl after my own heart.

 

[muffy]

Good quality white chocolate.

 

[miagi's_mommy]

I like them all but white is definitely my favorite!

 

[Mother Dragon]

Has anyone eaten Scharffenberger chocolate? You haven't lived until you do. Our neighbor's son lives in Switzerland, so when he comes for a visit, he brings a suitcase full of premium Swiss and Belgian chocolate. Then my neighbor shares with me. He gave me a kilo brick of the really good stuff once. I hoarded it more than gold. This is another box he gave me.

OK. You all started this, so I'm going to make you hate me forever. This creamy fudge is set up and ready to eat (but still too hot) in five minutes, start to finish. Try the variations, too.

JACKIE VAUGHAN’S TOO EASY MICROWAVE FUDGE
From the Kitchen of Jackie Vaughan
January 1993

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 C.)
1 can (14 oz.) Eagle Brand Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. chopped nuts or other mix-ins (optional)*

Combine chips and milk in microwave bowl. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla and mix-ins. Fudge will begin to set as you stir. Spread in buttered 8” square pan. Chill until completely firm. Stay away as long as you can. Makes approximately 1 ½ lb. Enjoy!

*Pecans, walnuts, almonds, toffee chips, Rice Crispies™ (will taste like Nestle’s Crunch™), butter brickle pieces (usually found near the chocolate chips), coconut, crushed peppermints, miniature marshmallows, dry-roasted peanuts, etc. Marshmallows and dry-roasted peanuts will yield rocky road fudge.

Substitute other flavor chips or add flavoring such as peppermint, orange, strawberry, cherry, etc. Some chips such as Andes Mints™ tend to make the fudge oily. These are hard to find anyway. This will notwork with white chocolate chips.


Peanut Butter Fudge
1 pkg. (10 oz.) peanut butter chips
1 can (14 oz.) Eagle Brand Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 C. dry-roasted peanuts (optional)

Mix chips and milk. Chopping chips in food processor will aid in melting. Microwave for 3 minutes. Stir well, cook 15 seconds more until mostly melted, being careful not to burn. Stir well, until the chips are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Add peanuts if desired. Spread in buttered pan.

Reese’s™ Style Fudge
Make one recipe of peanut butter fudge. Quickly make a recipe of plain chocolate fudge and pour over the peanut butter fudge. This works best in a 9” x 13” pan so it’s not so thick.

Chocolate candies
Prepare plain chocolate fudge, and chill about 3 hours, or until very firm. Cut into 1 1/2” squares. Working with wet hands, roll pieces into balls. Roll the balls in chopped nuts, coconut, etc. Chill.

Kicked-up Fudge
Prepare plain chocolate fudge, except add ¼ teaspoon of red or cayenne pepper (no more!) with the vanilla. Cayenne will make it a little bit hotter. This will add a slight, surprise bite, but not enough to be unpleasant or painful. You’ll be amazed at how well hot pepper and chocolate go together.

 

[Willowy]

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 C.)
1 can (14 oz.) Eagle Brand Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)

Pfft! Why do I need to make fudge? I just want to eat the condensed milk straight out of the can. Mmmmmm. . .

OK, adding chocolate probably improves it a bit .

 

[Norachan]

Nah, I'm not really into sweet things.

I'll occasionally have the very dark, very bitter stuff if I'm hiking or really need an energy boost, but I don't eat it that often.

Give me a strong enough to stand up by itself and punch you awake cup of coffee any day.

 

[Mia6]

I guess I'm a plebeian. I like Godiva, Dove, Hershey's, Kit-Kats.

 

[Tobermory]

I guess I'm a plebeian. I like Godiva, Dove, Hershey's, Kit-Kats.

Every time I read food-related threads, I’m struck by how different people’s taste buds are and how they can change over time! And there are regional and cultural differences, too. There are probably studies on the subject.

 

[LTS3]

I just want to eat the condensed milk straight out of the can. Mmmmmm. . .

I do that sometimes, eat condensed milk straight out of the can One of the snacks I had growing up with condensed milk spread over no-salt saltine crackers That was the only reason why Mom ever bought condensed milk. She never used it for anything else.

I don't care for fudge. Too dense and sugary for me

 

[aliceneko]

I'm obsessed with chocolate, haha. My favourite types are white chocolate and milk chocolate, though I love Kinder Bars, Maltesers, Minstrels, Rollos, etc. You can't beat Cadbury's chocolate!

I visited America a couple of years ago and I tried Hershey's, but I didn't like it much as the taste was rather strange for me (though maybe that's because I'm not used to it as a Brit).

 

[muffy]

I'm obsessed with chocolate, haha. My favourite types are white chocolate and milk chocolate, though I love Kinder Bars, Maltesers, Minstrels, Rollos, etc. You can't beat Cadbury's chocolate!

I visited America a couple of years ago and I tried Hershey's, but I didn't like it much as the taste was rather strange for me (though maybe that's because I'm not used to it as a Brit).

I think Hershey bars have a waxey taste to them. They do use wax in their chocolate to keep it from melting.

 

[Kat0121]

I think Hershey bars have a waxey taste to them. They do use wax in their chocolate to keep it from melting.

Their chocolate used to be way better. They have changed the recipe to cut costs and now it is . I used to love Hershey bars when I was a kid. It's sad really. Don't get me started on Nestle's & Cadbury chocolate. I've never liked either. Too sweet and too milky. Not worth the calories.

When I was a kid, Mom used to get us the Palmer's chocolate bunnies for Easter. They were solid and BIG. They were also GROSS. I guess I have been a chocolate snob for a long time.

 

[muffy]

Their chocolate used to be way better. They have changed the recipe to cut costs and now it is . I used to love Hershey bars when I was a kid. It's sad really. Don't get me started on Nestle's & Cadbury chocolate. I've never liked either. Too sweet and too milky. Not worth the calories.

When I was a kid, Mom used to get us the Palmer's chocolate bunnies for Easter. They were solid and BIG. They were also GROSS. I guess I have been a chocolate snob for a long time.

My mother also got us Palmer's chocolate for Easter and it was nasty. They still sell it.

Yes, Hersey has been changed and it is not as good as it used to be. It was my favorite as a kid but I quit buying them years ago when they changed.

 

[Mother Dragon]

My mother also got us Palmer's chocolate for Easter and it was nasty. They still sell it.

Yes, Hersey has been changed and it is not as good as it used to be. It was my favorite as a kid but I quit buying them years ago when they changed.

When the price of chocolate soared, some manufacturers replaced the real chocolate with a synthetic. Mars tried it but I think they went back to the real stuff. I don't know about Hershey's or the others. It seems to me that even chocolate milk isn't as chocolatey as it used to be.

 

[LTS3]

Their chocolate used to be way better. They have changed the recipe to cut costs and now it is . I used to love Hershey bars when I was a kid.

The quality of many popular US brands of chocolate has gone down over the years. I can tolerate Hersheys if I have to. I've always hated those Palmer chocolate bunnies Whitman and Russel Stover chocolates are also pretty bad.

Even Godiva has gone down in quality. It used to be sold only at Godvia stores and high end stores. Now you can find it everywhere.