I would use the Ghiradelli, it's a higher quality chocolate. You could use the Hershey Special Dark Chips, I'm pretty sure they are the same as bittersweet. I think it's all in the merchandising and they have just changed the name to make them more appealing.

Nancy

They are the same. Hershey's Special Dark comes in bars, chips and even kisses. I love bittersweet chocolate so those are the only Hershey's type stuff I buy for myself.

Thank you both. Good to know that the Special Dark is in the Bittersweet category. Why don't they put that on the label? Since it came out so good with the Ghiradelli brand when I first made it I may just go with that brand again.

In Canada, there seems to be no such thing as bittersweet widely available - but I recall reading some time ago, that semi-sweet is the same thing - so that's what I buy.
Jane

Semi-sweet is NOT the same as bittersweet, at least in the West Coast where artisanal chocolatiers hold sway with chocolates that go upwards of $85/lb. Bittersweet is becoming the "gourmet chocolate of choice" in America but not elsewhere, where sweet dark and extra dark mostly rule.

The reason chocolate sweetness varies all over the place is that the US government's FDA standard mandates the cacao content and milk/fat percentages for different chocolate types, but NOT the sugar amount. So, if Hershey's wanted to label their semi-sweet chips as bittersweet chips, they are breaking no laws because the entire category of "Bittersweet" covers anything that isn't Unsweetened, Sweet, Milk Chocolate, or White Chocolate.

The reason one needs to be careful is that the Bittersweet category has the widest range of cacao solids allowed: anything from 35% to 99% cacao solids by weight. Obviously, baking with a chocolate that has 40% cacao solids is going to be very different than using one that has 80% or 90% cacao solids. Chocolate is "heavy" in texture and the more you use, the harder it is to get the texture of your dish to "lift up" and become light/fluffy rather than fudgy/solid.

So in reality, most semi-sweet runs about 50% sugar. Most bittersweet runs about 35% sugar. Gourmet bittersweet can be much, much less sweet than that. The vanilla in almost all commercial chocolates, BTW, heavily masks cacao "terroir" flavor, with lecithin and sometimes paraffin used to give lesser quality chocolates the 'smoothness' of the expensive conching process.

Info above was taken from the Ghirardelli website, linked below:

Here is a link that might be useful: What goes into which chocolate type

I didn't think we were talking about artisanal chocolatiers.
I was just quoting some knowing people here.
Jane

Here is a link that might be useful: sub for bittersweet

All, I went back to the market after work today and saw they had the Ghirardelli Semisweet in chip form versus the bars and they were on sale so I grabbed a few of those. I can use the 12 ounces required for my cake and any leftover I can put in my cheese grater and use for topping off my Tiramisu for Christmas Eve. It's a win win! I am sure I could have gone with the Hershey's Special Dark "Mildly Sweet" chips but why tempt fate. It came out spectacular when I first made it with the Ghirardelli.

Thanks all!!

Sorry, perhaps my post was confusing, so I apologize. What I was saying was that per FDA regulations, semi-sweet CAN be the same as bittersweet, because the former falls officially under the category of Bittersweet.

But because the cacao content can vary so widely, and the sugar content is not regulated at all, if you sub one for the other, the sweetness of your dish is going to vary from the original instructions. And too much variation in cacao content will affect the texture of the dish as well.

That's why you'll encounter newer recipes for chocolate desserts posted by pastry chefs that actually specify not just the type of chocolate but also cacao percentage.

Like switching out chocolate for cocoa or vice versa, it can be done, but you need to make some adjustments because the two are not the same thing. Within the legally defined Bittersweet category, exists a virtual Grand Canyon of different types of chocolates.

It's all good.
Speaking of tiramasu (and going slightly off topic) I am making this Eggnog Tiramasu Trifle for dessert on Christmas (because we will all need a heavy, rich dessert after nibbling all day and consuming a turkey dinner!) LOL
Instead of the chocolate leaves, I am going to do what one reviewer did and pipe Christmas trees on parchment and stand them up on top.
Jane

Here is a link that might be useful: Epicurious Eggnog Trifle

Just a quick follow up to my original question. The cake came out PERFECT using the Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chips. Next up on my repertoire is to try that Eggnog Tiramisu Trifle!!

Thanks!

The eggnog Tiramisu Trifle was very well received. Very rich, but it was enjoyed by all. It looked lovely in the trifle bowl, but no so nice on the plate...
Jane

For future reference, when making chocolate desserts, my favorite is Trader Joe's Pound Plus Belgian Chocolate, 72% dark. It makes simply phenomenal desserts. I've used it with great success on my molten chocolate baby cakes. And it's reasonably priced.

Excellent info. I have a TJ store nearby.