Ping Alex Rast, Again
 

Dear Alex, Once again, I would like to ask you what you can tell me
about the "new" (?) Hershey's Extra Dark 60% Chocolate bars. The ones
I saw and bought come attractively packaged in purple and black bags
and probably contain several mini chocolate bars. I did not open the
packages, because I need them as part of small Christmas baskets or
boxes. I paid $1.99 for each 5.1 oz bag, reduced from $2.99 as part
of the pre Christmas sale at RiteAid.

I have used the Hershey's Special Dark chocolate for baking and found
it pretty good, once I realized I have to reduce the sugar in the
recipe and/or add some unsweetened cocoa powder.

I also ate some, but found it too sweet for my taste as an eating
chocolate. I hope that the new 60% is better. :o)

Thank you, Margaret

Ping Alex Rast, Again
 

at Mon, 05 Dec 2005 18:13:45 GMT in >,
lid (Margaret Suran) wrote :

>Dear Alex, Once again, I would like to ask you what you can tell me
>about the "new" (?) Hershey's Extra Dark 60% Chocolate bars. The ones
>I saw and bought come attractively packaged in purple and black bags
>and probably contain several mini chocolate bars. I did not open the
>packages, because I need them as part of small Christmas baskets or
>boxes. I paid $1.99 for each 5.1 oz bag, reduced from $2.99 as part
>of the pre Christmas sale at RiteAid.

Haven't seen it yet locally, but you can be sure that when it arrives I
will pick it up, although honestly I have quite a big backlogue of
chocolates to try (Christmas season always does this).

>I have used the Hershey's Special Dark chocolate for baking and found
>it pretty good, once I realized I have to reduce the sugar in the
>recipe and/or add some unsweetened cocoa powder.

Well, relative to using Baker's Brand, it will seem good, because literally
*anything* next to Baker's brand would seem good, probably even pure dirt.
However, IMHO Special Dark relative to most dark chocolates isn't
particularly good. In the USA, virtually any supermarket will have at least
Ghirardelli, which is a quantum leap above Special Dark.

>I also ate some, but found it too sweet for my taste as an eating
>chocolate. I hope that the new 60% is better. :o)

Yeah, that's the problem with it. It tastes a lot like marshmallows. Pretty
overroasted as well, but then again, that's probably necessary if they're
using bulk beans. The 60% is surely stronger, because Special Dark is below
50%, but stronger could be worse if they're using really bottom-of-the-
barrel beans. OTOH, if they take some time to source beans that are at
least halfway decent, it could be OK. I wouldn't expect any miracles, but a
pleasant surprise would be great.


--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

Ping Alex Rast, Again
 

the special dark chocolates have been available for years I think u just saw
new packaging, for munching they r good not sure they really compare to
high quality, I did once buy large bar for my once a year chocolate chip
cookies and they were tasty. - Should find that recipe on google from a few
years ago if u want it fyi.

Laura - special dark muncher for 5+ years.

"Alex Rast" > wrote in message
...
> at Mon, 05 Dec 2005 18:13:45 GMT in >,
> lid (Margaret Suran) wrote :
>
>>Dear Alex, Once again, I would like to ask you what you can tell me
>>about the "new" (?) Hershey's Extra Dark 60% Chocolate bars. The ones
>>I saw and bought come attractively packaged in purple and black bags
>>and probably contain several mini chocolate bars. I did not open the
>>packages, because I need them as part of small Christmas baskets or
>>boxes. I paid $1.99 for each 5.1 oz bag, reduced from $2.99 as part
>>of the pre Christmas sale at RiteAid.
>
> Haven't seen it yet locally, but you can be sure that when it arrives I
> will pick it up, although honestly I have quite a big backlogue of
> chocolates to try (Christmas season always does this).
>
>>I have used the Hershey's Special Dark chocolate for baking and found
>>it pretty good, once I realized I have to reduce the sugar in the
>>recipe and/or add some unsweetened cocoa powder.
>
> Well, relative to using Baker's Brand, it will seem good, because
> literally
> *anything* next to Baker's brand would seem good, probably even pure dirt.
> However, IMHO Special Dark relative to most dark chocolates isn't
> particularly good. In the USA, virtually any supermarket will have at
> least
> Ghirardelli, which is a quantum leap above Special Dark.
>
>>I also ate some, but found it too sweet for my taste as an eating
>>chocolate. I hope that the new 60% is better. :o)
>
> Yeah, that's the problem with it. It tastes a lot like marshmallows.
> Pretty
> overroasted as well, but then again, that's probably necessary if they're
> using bulk beans. The 60% is surely stronger, because Special Dark is
> below
> 50%, but stronger could be worse if they're using really bottom-of-the-
> barrel beans. OTOH, if they take some time to source beans that are at
> least halfway decent, it could be OK. I wouldn't expect any miracles, but
> a
> pleasant surprise would be great.
>
>
> --
> Alex Rast
>
> (remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)