You say,
it's unfortunate that you have Scharffen
Berger, because it's not particularly good, relative to other chocolates in
its class. They underroast, resulting in an aggressively fruity taste. Do
you like *extreme* fruitiness in your chocolate flavour? If so, you're
buying the right chocolate. Otherwise, use this up and then switch to
another brand.
***

Yes, come to think of it, a "fruitiness" now that I think back on using
half of the 99%, is the taste that I was wondering about. I was thinking
it was just to bitter for me (even tho I prefer dark chocolate for eating),
but I believe that is probably what it was.


I am open to suggestions for what is considered a good brand of chocolate
that you might recommend. I know that I love Ghiradelli chocolate ice cream
AT THEIR FACTORY, and I really like the Ghiradelli cocoa, and have bought a
number of brands of chocolate and cocoa from King Arthur over the years,
but these have all been bought without recommendation and I haven't really
learned anything from it - perhaps my chocolate taste buds aren't
sophisticated enough -- yet.

My appreciation,
Dee


"Alex Rast" > wrote in message
...
> at Thu, 04 Dec 2003 01:54:29 GMT in >,
> (Dee Randall) wrote :
>
> >Thanks for your recipe. I think I may try it in a few days.
> >You are so knowledgeable about this, (after reading your information
> >below) that I feel I can ask you this question.
> >
> >You recommended 70% bittersweet chocolate. I have in my pantry 62%
> >Scharffen Berger bittersweet pure dark chocolate, a 70% Scharffen Berger
> >bittersweet pure dark chocolate. And a 99% Scharffen Berger
> >"unsweetened" (doesn't say "bittersweet") pure dark chocolate. I
> >should use as you recommended the 70%?
>
> Can't resist a comment. IMHO it's unfortunate that you have Scharffen
> Berger, because it's not particularly good, relative to other chocolates
in
> its class. They underroast, resulting in an aggressively fruity taste. Do
> you like *extreme* fruitiness in your chocolate flavour? If so, you're
> buying the right chocolate. Otherwise, use this up and then switch to
> another brand.
>
> As far as which to use of the 3, yes, the 70% would be the choice.
>
> >I notice that you do not say unsalted or salted butter. Would it make a
> >difference in this recipe? I have both on hand. My salted butter is
> >Amish, and my unsalted is just typical from Costco.
>
> A slight difference at most. If your salted butter is higher-quality, use
> that.
>
> >I'm curious as to the "baking powder" or "baking soda," as I'm not quite
> >sure, having not made many cakes in my life, does this recipe not need a
> >baking powder or soda, but most cakes do?
>
> It doesn't need it because of the egg whites, which add all the leavening.
> As I mentioned in my original reply, some recipes ask for chemical
> leavening, others don't. The ones that don't generally either use air
> leavening from egg whites, or remain very dense.
>
> >I am going to use all-purpose flour in this recipe, as I don't use cake
> >flour because it is all bleached. I take it that the flour called for
> >in this recipe is all-purpose? I hope so. I prefer it to cake flour.
>
> *I* use pastry flour, but all-purpose will be fine. It'll be slightly
> denser, but still within the acceptable range. Bread flour, however, will
> make it too dense (It's that close to the borderline)
>
>
> --
> Alex Rast
>
> (remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)