Trader Joe's will have the best quality for the best price on chocolate.

I have good luck with Baker's. Boring but true.

I can't help, agmss, because I've only ever made white chocolate bark, but I'm wondering if the suggestions are baking bars, melts or regular chocolate bars. And what do you all use for ganache? I used a good quality chocolate bar and it failed. I've read to use chocolate chips.

Baker's is baking chocolate (though, IIRC, it's named for a Mr. Baker), currently offered in bar form. It used to be a chunk. One does melt it to put in recipes, but it's not what's usually called melting chocolate. It's ordinary but decent quality, and works very well in American recipes, like brownies, because it has been standard for so long, I have to adjust the recipe if I use my favorite Valrhona, which only comes in pastilles and maybe wands, from high end and specialty stores, which don't keep well and reqire weighing and breaking (whereas a great many American, especially classic, recipes, call for the 4oz. that a Baker's bar is), though I use the cocoa powder a lot, and adjust or plan for extra fudgy. Same with Drostë, my other favorite which might be in a supermarket.

I'd use Valrhona pastilles (discs) for ganache—knowing it would be intense. It's been years since I've made ganache. Other fine chocolate works. Chips might work. You need the right meltability, and a gentle hand. Like any sauce, ganache can break if you let the fat and water fight. Low and slow, stirring over steam (double boiler) is key.

Do you have an Aldi nearby? their Specially Select Belgian chocolate chunks are very good!

I buy organic chocolate morsels - they're always good.

I use a dark chocolate I’d be happy to eat as chocolate.

baker's chocolate originally came in 1 oz squares; now it's 4 squares to an ounce ...

For whatever reason, baking chocolate like Baker's has been unattainable to me for the past few years. I was thrilled when I was able to buy some recently!

The Belgian chunks from Aldi come in dark and semi-sweet! I love both. The cute little uniform chunks look great in a cookie. :) Package says 62% cocoa. plllog, you know these numbers so tell me how that rates with all you know about chocolates. :)

btw, re Baker's chocolate actually belonging to a Mr. Baker, the wiki story continues to say that Baker's baking chocolate was created/introduced by employee Samuel German. A woman then came up with a recipe for 'German Chocolate Cake'. So the cake is named for using German's chocolate, not because it came from Bavaria, or something. sigh.

LOL! PM, not off the top of my head. They do make semi-sweet and German's, but unsweetened is the norm for baking. Here's what it says in the supermarket listing:

“Baker's Unsweetened Baking Chocolate Bar with 100% Cacao brings the decadent taste of smooth unsweetened chocolate to your favorite recipes. This unsweetened chocolate is made with premium cacao. Featuring no added ingredients, it delivers a deep cocoa flavor that's sure to delight the chocolate lovers in your family. Simply break off a few squares from this chocolate bar, and melt them into your cheesecakes, brownies and cakes for a burst of chocolate flavor. The new scored bar snaps cleanly into 1/4 ounce pieces, so you can make small batches with the same precision as large recipes. Each 4 ounce bar comes in a paper wrapper keeping the unused portions contained inside the box until your next baking session.

• One 4 oz bar of Baker's Unsweetened Baking Chocolate Bar with 100% Cacao
• Count on the quality of Baker's, America's favorite baking chocolate since 1780
• Unsweetened chocolate squares with no sugar added so you can sweeten recipes your way
• Made with 100% cacao with no added ingredients
• Decadent chocolate for baking
• Chocolate bar includes easy-break chocolate squares for your baking convenience
• Melt a few squares to infuse your desserts with chocolate flavor”

I think Lindt, usually available in the supermarket, is a nice chocolate for truffles. They usually offer a couple of different cacao percentages. I think the dark is 50% and the extra dark might be 60% or 70%, but it will say on the label.

plllog, I know unsweetened chocolate is mostly used for baking (I use it for pudding too). I'd never use unsweetened to make truffles and I thought the OP wants to buy a bag of chips to make them. I've always made my truffles with ordinary chocolate chips and they all got eaten with no problems. I just figure this Belgian 62% cocoa must be better than whatever else is generally sold in bags and should make a better truffle. kwim? But when in doubt, add cream or something creamy (like sour cream). Cream always makes chocolate better. That's where truffles come from. :)

Do you have a cake supply store near you? I used to get my candy-making supplies, including the bulk chocolate from those stores; I was lucky to have a couple near my house. The bulk chocolate blew the doors off anything in the grocery. They carried a couple different brands, but I can't remember what brand I used to use if my life depended on it. Anyway, try a speciality store if there's one in your area.

LOL, again. I like control, and if the chocolate is going to be melted there's no reason not to add your own sugar (easiest as invert, IMO). FWIW, I'd buy milk chocolate as such if required, but I'm not a fan, so never do. Similar blurb for semi-sweet:

”Product Details

Baker's Premium Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar is a great addition to your recipes, serving as America's favorite premium chocolate since 1780. This semi-sweet baking bar is made with 56% cacao for a decadent flavor and smooth texture that makes all your recipes a hit. Made with cocoa butter, this premium baking bar breaks apart easily into semi sweet chocolate squares for quick portioning to fit your favorite cake, cookie, fudge and frosting recipes. This semi sweet chocolate for baking melts smoothly and easily in the microwave, so it's also great for dips or candy making. To ensure freshness, store this baking cocoa in a cool, dry place. One baking bar contains 4 ounce of semi-sweet chocolate.

• One 4 oz box of Baker's Premium Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar
• Baker's Premium Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar is America's favorite premium chocolate since 1780
• Decadent semi-sweet cooking chocolate with a smooth finish
• Semi-sweet chocolate made with 56% cacao
• Convenient easy-break bar for portioning into semi-sweet chocolate squares
• Delicious chocolate used for baking, dipping or candy making
• Store in a cool, dry place”

Sally of the baking addiction, who wrote the truffle book, explains truffle making, why not to use chips, and the uses of unsweetened, milk and semi-sweet in truffle making far better than I could. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-chocolate-truffles/

For grocery store buys, I just use good old unsweetened Baker's for brownies, frosting, candy or whatever, because it keeps well in a cannister, is easy to use, and is reliable. It is also cost effective and available in most supermarkets. There are lots of finer chocolates, pricier, harder to get, though Amazon is always an option. I have sore of them. But I use more Baker's for the reasons above.

We don't have unsweetened chocolate in Australia. I have to get American friends to send it to me for my Christmas Chocolate Crinkles.

plllog, you like to ”LOL” at me a lot these days.

So I ended up buying bittersweet Ghirardelli bars for the truffles as well as chips for peanut butter cookies. No Aldi’s, Trader Joes or Whole Foods within a couple hours drive. I have easy access to several health food stores, a farmers market and grocery stores. Hannafords. I think the semi local Shaw’s was just bought by Krozier (spelling) - I am not sure if it will close or improve.

I will have to buy some unsweetened baker’s chocolate to try next time. Or just have on hand for inspiriation. I do like using ingredients that let me control the amount of sugar. I haven’t used it in years.

partymusic, thanks for sharing that bit of info about the german choclolate cake! Never knew that!

As to the chocolate, I buy Ghiradellies at the grocery store and have never had an issue with making ganache with it.

claudia, I didn't know either until several months ago! Learning that totally busted all my notions about the cake. lol!

PM, I didn't realize, but I'm sure it's all because you say things that strike me as funny. In this thread, at least, it's your wry tone. ;) First when you called for a download of percentages, which I do understand but don't have a mental outline ready to splat. i figured you were ribbing me as much or more than looking for info, given the verbiage that does splat regularly. Second one, after I'd said Baker's unsweetened you said you'd never use unsweetened. For making truffles, I'd usually choose Valrhona or similar, but Baker's would be fine—but I'd use unsweetened. The dichotomy made me laugh, as do the always/never use chips stances. It's gloriously amusing. Not just the usual many ways to an end, but strong polar opposites. Beyond being helpful and wishing Agmss a great outcome, there's no need to be earnest about truffles, and I have been giggling all along.