The brand Baker's Semisweet Chocolate is 54% cacao, BTW. That one is not sugar-free.

For the record, here's one useful formula:

5 ounces of semisweet chocolate are equal to

3 oz. baking chocolate + 4 tablespoons sugar

OR

9 tablespoons cocoa + 3 tablespoons shortening + 4 tablespoons sugar.


So, I was in Star Market (not exactly cheap) and, just my luck, in the discount section, I found four broken 3-oz. semisweet bars of some sugar-free, gluten-free brand (it said it has 50% cacao). I bought all of them for $2 - that's $2.66 per pound, less than a third of the usual price!

I wonder, though, about whether the taste (or formula) will be any different when I use them in baking. Does anyone know? My guess is that only a professional might detect the difference in taste.


Lenona.

On Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 6:07:37 PM UTC-6, wrote:
> The brand Baker's Semisweet Chocolate is 54% cacao, BTW. That one is not sugar-free.
>
> For the record, here's one useful formula:
>
> 5 ounces of semisweet chocolate are equal to
>
> 3 oz. baking chocolate + 4 tablespoons sugar
>
> OR
>
> 9 tablespoons cocoa + 3 tablespoons shortening + 4 tablespoons sugar.
>
>
> So, I was in Star Market (not exactly cheap) and, just my luck, in the discount section, I found four broken 3-oz. semisweet bars of some sugar-free, gluten-free brand (it said it has 50% cacao). I bought all of them for $2 - that's $2.66 per pound, less than a third of the usual price!
>
> I wonder, though, about whether the taste (or formula) will be any different when I use them in baking. Does anyone know? My guess is that only a professional might detect the difference in taste.
>
>
> Lenona.

That's cheap for real chocolate. It might be old.

John Kuthe...

On Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 8:47:01 PM UTC-4, John Kuthe wrote:

>
> That's cheap for real chocolate. It might be old.


Um, it was discounted because the bars were BROKEN.

> wrote in message
...
The brand Baker's Semisweet Chocolate is 54% cacao, BTW. That one is not
sugar-free.

For the record, here's one useful formula:

5 ounces of semisweet chocolate are equal to

3 oz. baking chocolate + 4 tablespoons sugar

OR

9 tablespoons cocoa + 3 tablespoons shortening + 4 tablespoons sugar.


So, I was in Star Market (not exactly cheap) and, just my luck, in the
discount section, I found four broken 3-oz. semisweet bars of some
sugar-free, gluten-free brand (it said it has 50% cacao). I bought all of
them for $2 - that's $2.66 per pound, less than a third of the usual price!

I wonder, though, about whether the taste (or formula) will be any different
when I use them in baking. Does anyone know? My guess is that only a
professional might detect the difference in taste.


Lenona.

---

What else is in there? Artificial sweetener?

On Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 6:52:38 PM UTC-6, wrote:
> On Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 8:47:01 PM UTC-4, John Kuthe wrote:
>
> >
> > That's cheap for real chocolate. It might be old.
>
>
> Um, it was discounted because the bars were BROKEN.

Aha! :-)

John Kuthe...

On Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 12:23:55 AM UTC-4, Julie Bove wrote:

>
> What else is in there? Artificial sweetener?

The brand is Simply Lite. Top ingredients: Maltitol, cocoa, and cocoa butter.

Some cautionary words on the first ingredient:

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.co...-be-deceptive/


Lenona.

On Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 8:07:37 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> The brand Baker's Semisweet Chocolate is 54% cacao, BTW. That one is not sugar-free.
>
> For the record, here's one useful formula:
>
> 5 ounces of semisweet chocolate are equal to
>
> 3 oz. baking chocolate + 4 tablespoons sugar
>
> OR
>
> 9 tablespoons cocoa + 3 tablespoons shortening + 4 tablespoons sugar.


And, as it happens, 5 oz. of semisweet (at more than $9 per pound, regular price) would cost maybe just under $2.90, BUT...the cocoa, shortening and sugar would cost almost exactly 80 cents, in my neighborhood!

I got that from my chart, which I posted in the thread "Baked goods: Calculating your cost."

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!to...ng/x7HiM7zLKmU

However, since I paid $2 for 12 ounces of semisweet, that would come to 83 cents for five ounces anyway.


Lenona.

On Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 8:39:44 AM UTC-6, wrote:
> On Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 12:23:55 AM UTC-4, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> >
> > What else is in there? Artificial sweetener?
>
> The brand is Simply Lite. Top ingredients: Maltitol, cocoa, and cocoa butter.
>
> Some cautionary words on the first ingredient:
>
> http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.co...-be-deceptive/
>
>
> Lenona.

Yuck! Run away!! Someone screwed up perfectly good (we hope!) cocoa and cocoa butter!! :-(

John Kuthe...

> wrote in message
...
> On Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 12:23:55 AM UTC-4, Julie Bove wrote:
>
>>
>> What else is in there? Artificial sweetener?
>
> The brand is Simply Lite. Top ingredients: Maltitol, cocoa, and cocoa
> butter.
>
> Some cautionary words on the first ingredient:
>
> http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.co...-be-deceptive/

Ack. Beware. Maltitol is a laxative for many. And it has a weird mouth
feel. I'll bet you won't like it.

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 7:18:56 AM UTC-4, Julie Bove wrote:

>
> Ack. Beware. Maltitol is a laxative for many. And it has a weird mouth
> feel. I'll bet you won't like it.


Tasted fine to me - not that I'm that fond of semisweet - and I ate only one ounce.

I tried searching just now on "sugar-free chocolate" "pros" "cons":

https://www.google.com/search?sclien...msg=NCSR&noj=1


Then I added the word "baking." Not much luck, really.


Lenona.

Another tip I found:

If you can buy Hershey's Semisweet Kisses on sale after a holiday, I found that 25 kisses are equal to four ounces!

Of course, there's the work of unwrapping them, but the savings can be amazing, whether the recipe calls for baking chocolate or semisweet. (See the formulae I already listed for using semisweet when the recipe calls for baking chocolate.)


Lenona.