Chocolate Candies

[Carborendum]

I have a question about chocolates, if anyone has had a very expensive chocolate candy.

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I believe that for most Americans, the standard chocolate candy bar is the Hershey chocolate bar or chocolate kisses.  I've had all the Mars candies, Ghirardelli's, Dove, and many more common candies.  With only minor differences, I'd say that they were all very similar.  It would take me a while to learn the differences to the point where I could name them all with a single crumb.  But I acknowledge that they are different.

Recently I tried another brand.  And it was supposedly created by looking up ingredients and methods used by the more expensive chocolatiers. While Hershey sold their bars for $1/bar (for whatever size it was that was standard) this new bar sold theirs for $6/ bar (equal weight as Hershey) when bought in bulk.  I thought, "No way.  If you can get it down to $2, I'll buy it and see."

Well, true to my word, I noticed that after about a year or so on the market, they brought down their price point to $2.  So, I got a large box for my wife as a Mothers' Day present.

I tried a bar.  It had a funny texture.  The flavor and smell were fine.  But the texture was more like hard plastic.  It didn't melt in my mouth all that well.  It "crunched" in my mouth.  Perhaps it was because we had the AC set to a low temp.  But it really ruined the experience.

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So my question is: If you've had a high-end chocolate, was it like that?  Was it a bit harder?  More like hard plastic?

In the meantime, I'll try giving it a shot while the weather is warmer and see if that changes anything.

Edited May 13, 2024 by Carborendum

[Vort]

  On 5/13/2024 at 9:53 PM, Carborendum said:

So my question is: If you've had a high-end chocolate, was it like that?  Was it a bit harder?  More like hard plastic?

In the meantime, I'll try giving it a shot while the weather is warmer and see if that changes anything.

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Disclaimer: I like milk chocolate, and am not a fan of bitter or semisweet chocolate. I realize this makes me a heretic and robs my opinion of any value, at least in the eyes of those chocolate connoisseurs who revel in such distinctions.

Hershey's and other American chocolates are waxy. High paraffin content. Part of the reason might be to raise the chocolate's melting point. European chocolate melts easily in the mouth, and their milk chocolate has a very smooth texture that enhances and sort of brings out the chocolatey flavor, still sweet but not to the extent that American chocolate tends to be. The milk chocolate tastes the better for not being quite as sweet. That's the difference I have noted.

On a related topic, I bought some store-brand chocolate bars from Walmart last week—I believe the store brand name is Great Value. I actually found it to be smoother, mellower, and less waxy than Hershey's (and if we're being honest, you could make a candle out of Hershey's chocolate). Still very sweet, but I actually liked it fairly well.

Edited May 15, 2024 by Vort
Connoisseurs --is-- the correct[ed] spelling.

[Ironhold]

  On 5/13/2024 at 9:53 PM, Carborendum said:

I have a question about chocolates, if anyone has had a very expensive chocolate candy.

********************

I believe that for most Americans, the standard chocolate candy bar is the Hershey chocolate bar or chocolate kisses.  I've had all the Mars candies, Ghirardelli's, Dove, and many more common candies.  With only minor differences, I'd say that they were all very similar.  It would take me a while to learn the differences to the point where I could name them all with a single crumb.  But I acknowledge that they are different.

Recently I tried another brand.  And it was supposedly created by looking up ingredients and methods used by the more expensive chocolatiers. While Hershey sold their bars for $1/bar (for whatever size it was that was standard) this new bar sold theirs for $6/ bar (equal weight as Hershey) when bought in bulk.  I thought, "No way.  If you can get it down to $2, I'll buy it and see."

Well, true to my word, I noticed that after about a year or so on the market, they brought down their price point to $2.  So, I got a large box for my wife as a Mothers' Day present.

I tried a bar.  It had a funny texture.  The flavor and smell were fine.  But the texture was more like hard plastic.  It didn't melt in my mouth all that well.  It "crunched" in my mouth.  Perhaps it was because we had the AC set to a low temp.  But it really ruined the experience.

*********************

So my question is: If you've had a high-end chocolate, was it like that?  Was it a bit harder?  More like hard plastic?

In the meantime, I'll try giving it a shot while the weather is warmer and see if that changes anything.

Expand  

What brand did you try that came out like that?

As Vort noted above, there's a *lot* that goes into the production of chocolate, from the ingredients themselves to how it's prepared, packed, and stored. This can all make a difference in flavor, smell, coloration, and texture. 

[NeuroTypical]

  On 5/13/2024 at 9:53 PM, Carborendum said:

If you've had a high-end chocolate, was it like that?  Was it a bit harder?  More like hard plastic?

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I worked for a candy store for 5-6 years.  There are hundreds of types of chocolate, and dozens of "high-end".  Lots of combinations of dark/light, % butterfat, % cacao.  And yes, the final texture can change based on how it's melted/tempered/cooled.

[Phoenix_person]

True dark chocolate tends to be very hard. I could see some of them being described as plastic-like. This is my personal favorite. Hard, bitter, and kinda chalky. They also have a coffee version that's absolutely fantastic.

[Carborendum]

Thank you all for your posts.

  On 5/13/2024 at 11:38 PM, Vort said:

Disclaimer: I like milk chocolate, and am not a fan of bitter or semisweet chocolate. I realize this makes me a heretic and robs my opinion of any value,

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The chocolate I'm talking about is milk chocolate.  I, too, am not a fan of semi-sweet or dark.

  On 5/13/2024 at 11:38 PM, Vort said:

at least in the eyes of those chocolate connoseurs who revel in such distinctions.

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Wow.  I've never known you to make a spelling error on this forum.  You must be drunk with the Great Value Chocolate you've been hiding from your wife .

  On 5/13/2024 at 11:38 PM, Vort said:

Hershey's and other American chocolates are waxy. High paraffin content. Part of the reason might be to raise the chocolate's melting point.

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  On 5/14/2024 at 1:28 AM, Ironhold said:

...how it's prepared, packed, and stored. This can all make a difference in flavor, smell, coloration, and texture. 

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That may be the key.  This is a mail-order brand.  So, they can't ensure environmental conditions during shipping.

  On 5/14/2024 at 1:39 AM, NeuroTypical said:

And yes, the final texture can change based on how it's melted/tempered/cooled.

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Thank you.

  On 5/14/2024 at 4:20 AM, Phoenix_person said:

 They also have a coffee version that's absolutely fantastic.

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I'll keep that in mind.  

[mikbone]

We purchase a Toblerone 4.5 Kg bar once a year.  It comes straight from Switzerland and I swear it tastes better.

A single triangle is enough for a pot of fondue.  Just add strawberries, marshmallows, bananas, pound cake, etc.

Ritter Sport are pretty good.

Sees Candies has some good options too.  Milk Bordeaux & Milk Butterscotch Squares can get you in trouble quick.

[zil2]

  On 5/14/2024 at 2:02 PM, mikbone said:

I swear it tastes better

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Not you - that's some seriously good chocolate - far better than American-made.

[Vort]

  On 5/14/2024 at 11:55 AM, Carborendum said:

Wow.  I've never known you to make a spelling error on this forum.  You must be drunk with the Great Value Chocolate you've been hiding from your wife .

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My wife knows how to spell "connoisseurs". (FTR, I do, too. Sometimes.)

[Phoenix_person]

  On 5/14/2024 at 2:02 PM, mikbone said:

Ritter Sport are pretty good.

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My mom fell in love with them in the 80s when my dad was stationed in Berlin. She was in heaven when she learned they could be bought in the US.

[Just_A_Guy]

Just_A_Girl and I toured the Cailler chocolate factory in Switzerland last year.  Apparently, when evaluating hoity-toity chocolate, one of the criteria is supposed to be the sound it makes when it breaks.

[Backroads]

  On 5/14/2024 at 4:20 AM, Phoenix_person said:

True dark chocolate tends to be very hard. I could see some of them being described as plastic-like. This is my personal favorite. Hard, bitter, and kinda chalky. They also have a coffee version that's absolutely fantastic.

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My goodness, that stuff is good. 

[classylady]

Whenever I go to Germany I always come home with lots of chocolate. I give the chocolate bars away as gifts.  Just got back from Germany/Switzerland/Austria/Liechtenstein on April 23rd, and have given away most of my chocolate bars. My favorite is milk chocolate with strawberry yogurt. When you buy chocolate bars with nuts, it’s hazelnuts that are used, not peanuts. One of my favorite brands is Ritter Sport, but I usually buy the less expensive store brands to bring back as gifts, such as the Aldi or Lidl stores.

We went into a Lindt (Lindor) Chocolate shop while there and bought some interesting truffle chocolate flavors that I’ve never seen here in the States.  Some of the flavors that I remember are chocolate mint, raspberries & cream, strawberry cream, blood orange, Sakura, caramel, white chocolate, pistachio, sea salt, and a lot of other flavors that I don’t remember. It was fun to pick out the ones that sounded good. The blood orange milk chocolate was one of my favorites.

Edited May 20, 2024 by classylady

[mikbone]

Give one of these a try (or a six pack).

[JohnsonJones]

So, American Chocolate after eating Chocolate from Switzerland or Germany seem to always taste...weak...waxy...or something akin to that.

The only really hard chocolate I've eaten was Dark Chocolate.  I've had up to 90% pure, and that was VERY bitter.  It's said that they used to melt it down and drink it much like coffee.

[zil2]

  On 5/20/2024 at 5:13 AM, classylady said:

Lindt (Lindor) ... strawberry cream...

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A friend gifted me some of this a month or so ago - serious yums! (I assume she found it here in the states, though I've never seen it here.)

[NeuroTypical]

Just a reminder that consuming a lot of chocolate could give you Dunlap syndrome.  If you're not careful, you'll look down and realize your belly dunlap over your beltline.

[pam]

Call me weird but I rarely eat chocolate.  😆

[Carborendum]

  On 5/20/2024 at 8:27 PM, pam said:

Call me weird but I rarely eat chocolate.  😆

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Ok, weirdo. .

Edited May 20, 2024 by Carborendum

[pam]

  On 5/20/2024 at 10:40 PM, Carborendum said:

Ok, weirdo. .

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But I LOVE hot chocolate.  It's mainly chocolate candy that I rarely eat.

p.s. I said call me weird not a weirdo.    

[Carborendum]

  On 5/21/2024 at 12:38 PM, pam said:

But I LOVE hot chocolate.  It's mainly chocolate candy that I rarely eat.

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That's still weird.  

[Carborendum]

  On 5/15/2024 at 3:59 AM, Just_A_Guy said:

Just_A_Girl and I toured the Cailler chocolate factory in Switzerland last year.  Apparently, when evaluating hoity-toity chocolate, one of the criteria is supposed to be the sound it makes when it breaks.

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What sound is it supposed to make?

[Jamie123]

 

[Vort]

  On 5/22/2024 at 7:32 PM, Carborendum said:

What sound is it supposed to make?

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"Hey big boy, you should experience my smooth mouth feel."

[Carborendum]

  On 5/23/2024 at 6:28 AM, Vort said:

"Hey big boy, you should experience my smooth mouth feel."

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That's what SHE said.