What's the best chocolate (candy) you can buy in the U.S.?

[BrainGlutton]

I've heard that Brits and Euros scorn the Nestle and Hershey's "chocolate" bars you can buy in an American gas station, even the "dark" chocolate bars, because they use a lot of fillers instead of cocoa, and corn syrup instead of cane sugar. Is that true? If so, what can you get here that is better and/or that compares with what they're used to over there? If I buy a Cadbury's chocolate bar at the same gas station, is that the real thing, or is it still somehow cheapened-down for American tastes or something?

[Rhiannon8404]

I think Sharffen Berger is some of the best chocolate I've every ever had. It's out of Berkeley, CA. and is a subsidiary of Hershey. It's better than any Cadbury chocolate I've ever had either here or in the UK.

[Jas09]

I think things like Valrhona are considerably "better" than Hersey's/Nestle. Scharffen Berger is another brand I've heard of. I haven't consumed either of these, so it's entirely hearsay.

[Nunzio Tavulari]

I had genuine Cadburys in the 1960s before they were sold in the US and I don't think the American variety is nearly as good. I haven't had the opportunity to compare both side-by-side. I expect that the modern British Cadbury doesn't compare well to the earlier one either.

To me, there is nothing better than a plain Hershey bar (except maybe with almonds). Some, more expensive, brands have flavors and textures that I like, but they're just different, not better. I have never liked for Nestle at all (they're Swiss aren't they?).

[Fear Itself]

Trader Joe's Pound Plus Dark Belgian chocolate is pretty good.

[california jobcase]

Dove Dark is better than Hershey's or Nestle's.

[Sattua]

I have been a chocolate aficionado and have tried many, many different bars from many countries. My current favorite is the Mosen Roth 85% bar from ALDI. It is, in my opinion, the best chocolate I've ever had--low acid, nice snap, with a very special buttery finish. Happily, it costs a quarter of what my previous favorites did.

[Pine Fresh Scent]

Don't know if it's the best, but for widely available chocolate in the US, I go through a bag of Hershey's Nuggets a month. The almond-toffee ones are my favorite, but I haven't tried the dark chocolate ones. I love Cadbury and Ritter Sport bars, but don't find them as often as the Hershey products here in Florida gas stations and grocery stores.

Does anyone know if there's truth to the rumor that US chocolate has additives (wax?) to keep the melting point higher than European/UK chocolate? Not for cooking, but for keeping them less melted in transit and on store shelves?

[Telemark]

Chocolate tastes vary considerably around the world. The palate for chocolate seems to be defined early on in life, so if you're used to Hershey's for instance, European formulations won't appeal as much and vice versa.

But there are lots of boutique chocolateers in the US making excellent, exotic, and interesting flavors. Check out some examples in Whole Foods, or any high end retailers. If you like spicy, try Taza, especially the chili flavored bars.

[needscoffee]

Originally Posted by Pine Fresh Scent

Does anyone know if there's truth to the rumor that US chocolate has additives (wax?) to keep the melting point higher than European/UK chocolate? Not for cooking, but for keeping them less melted in transit and on store shelves?

Have you tried reading the ingredient labels?

[Nawth Chucka]

I used to be partial to KinderSurprise but it was for the choking hazard/toy. I've had Russian chocolates a few times, not nearly as sweet as American chocolates. For my 'medicine' I stock 86% from Ghirardelli or Lindt, whichever's cheaper that month.

[Pine Fresh Scent]

Aside from the ingredients I recognize like sugar, milk and cocoa butter, both Cadbury and Hershey's chocolate contained these three ingredients that I had to look up:

Soy Lecithin possesses emulsification properties. This means it can keep a candy bar “together” by making sure that the cocoa and the cocoa butter don’t separate.

Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), an emulsifier usually made from castor bean oils, reduces the viscosity of chocolate and similar coatings and compounds. It works by decreasing the friction between the particles of cacao, sugar, milk, etc. present so they can flow more easily when melted.

Emulsifier: When water and oil are mixed together and vigorously shaken, a dispersion of oil droplets in water - and vice versa - is formed. When shaking stops, the phases start to separate. However, when an emulsifier is added to the system, the droplets remain dispersed, and a stable emulsion is obtained.

It doesn't look like there's a missing ingredient between UK and US chocolate, but maybe the amounts of these stabilizing compounds differs, leading one to have a more "waxy" taste/texture. I think I need to conduct field research tomorrow after lunch.

[pulykamell]

Hershey's has a very peculiar flavor to it, because of the soured milk that is used in its formulation (at least in the milk chocolate). I happen to enjoy Hershey's, but I did notice one day after eating it, that something about the aftertaste reminded me very clearly of vomit. Sure enough, I Googled it, and I found out I was not the only person. (And when I say "vomit," I don't mean that it tasted so gross that it reminded me of vomit. I mean that the aftertaste literally had that kind of bile-like flavor to it.)
Cadbury's does not have that flavor. When people say Hershey's is gross, I think they are very much reacting to this strange flavor.

[dwyr]

Originally Posted by Pine Fresh Scent

...

Does anyone know if there's truth to the rumor that US chocolate has additives (wax?) to keep the melting point higher than European/UK chocolate? Not for cooking, but for keeping them less melted in transit and on store shelves?

Some manufacturers have gone to vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter in chocolate because it's cheaper. Cocoa butter has a lower melting point and gives chocolate that great mouth feel, unlike other vegetable fats. I think that's where the waxiness idea comes from.

[Robot Arm]

Originally Posted by BrainGlutton

I've heard that Brits and Euros scorn the Nestle and Hershey's "chocolate" bars you can buy in an American gas station, even the "dark" chocolate bars,...

When I was a kid, chocolate was chocolate; but I read something similar many years ago and decided to try different types and see if I really could tell a difference. Turns out I can. I'll still eat Hershey's on occasion. (And the almond-toffee Nuggets are pretty damn good.) Cadbury's has kind of a gritty texture to me. Didn't care too much for Valrhona. Sharfen-Berger has kind of an astringent quality to me; something I feel more than taste.

I still prefer milk chocolate. Best I've ever had is Callebaut. It was originally Belgian but got bought out by a Swiss company in the '90s. I don't know where it's made these days. I kind of ration myself on it. I only find it in one-pound blocks at Whole Foods, which are themselves broken from big ten-pound slabs.

[njtt]

Originally Posted by Robot Arm

I'll still eat Hershey's on occasion. (And the almond-toffee Nuggets are pretty damn good.) Cadbury's has kind of a gritty texture to me.

Thats weird, because that is a large partof my objection to Hershey's. It's gritty. American Cadburys (actually made by Hershey) is not the same as British Cadbury's but it is not too bad. Actually, I think some other higher end Hershey chocolate products, such as Symphony, are fine, as is Dove. Ghiradelli is good too, but not as good as they would like you to believe. It is just the basic stuff found in Hershey Bars and Kisses that is nasty. To this Brit, it is cooking chocolate, not eating chocolate. Nestle (and some of the other cheaper brands) don't have this grittiness, but they are too sweet and not very chocolatey.

I don't know if American manufacturers put wax in chocolate, but I think they do do something to manipulate the melting point, at least in the warmer states. Imported British chocolate does not stand up well to the southern California summer, I can tell you from experience.

As for the best American chocolate, I have no idea. There are all sorts of purportedly gourmet chocolates available (although some may be imported). I (like most people, I am sure) have only sampled a few, and they can get expensive. But, IMHO, by paying just slightly more than minimum for something like Hershey Symphony, or Dove, or American Cadbury's, you can get something perfectly acceptable.

[grude]

Dove in both milk and dark flavors is probably the best mass market chocolate in the USA, excluding harder to find products and pricey gourmet stuff.

[Jeff Lichtman]

Originally Posted by Rhiannon8404

I think Sharffen Berger is some of the best chocolate I've every ever had. It's out of Berkeley, CA. . .

Scharffen Berger hasn't been made in Berkeley since 2009, which is too bad for me since I live only a few miles from where the factory was. At least I got to take the factory tour before it closed. It smelled amazing.

I like Scharffen Berger, but some people find it harsh. It doesn't have the smooth, rounded flavor of, say, Lindt.

[MrDibble]

I'm generally a Lindt/Green&Blacks/Handmade Belgian kind of guy, and most US chocs are not to my taste, but I can tolerate See's. I can tolerate it like a motherf...

[Athena]

There's TONS of good chocolate available in the US, including a whole lot of European brands that are often the ones the people who like to compare European chocolate to Hershey's are comparing it to (Cadbury/Lindt/etc).

You can also get higher-end brands, American and otherwise, at a lot of places. It's not hard for me to find Vosges, Ghirardelli, and a handful of others I'm not remembering in various stores in my small town. And these aren't fancy stores - I'm talking grocery stores, liquor stores, etc.

If I go mail-order, the sky's the limit. Some of the best chocolate I've ever had is from La Maison Du Chocolat, and I can overnight that here if I want.

Another thing popping up are local boutique chocolate makers. I'm seeing some from Wisconsin show up here, and there's at least on local person making stuff that is amazing.

Chocolate is everywhere, you just have to look.

[grude]

Originally Posted by Athena

You can also get higher-end brands, American and otherwise, at a lot of places. It's not hard for me to find Vosges, Ghirardelli, and a handful of others I'm not remembering in various stores in my small town. And these aren't fancy stores - I'm talking grocery stores, liquor stores, etc.

.

I gotta disagree here, there are large parts of the southern USA where you are lucky to have one supermarket available. Not that many years ago the only place to shop in the town my sister lived in at the time was a decrepit looking decades old Wal-mart that closed at 8pm!(I didn't even know they still existed, all were 24 hour in Houston).

Now in Houston there are a wealth of places to not only get good chocolate, but actual imported chocolates from Europe and elsewhere. But that is the big city.

[Athena]

Originally Posted by grude

I gotta disagree here, there are large parts of the southern USA where you are lucky to have one supermarket available. Not that many years ago the only place to shop in the town my sister lived in at the time was a decrepit looking decades old Wal-mart that closed at 8pm!(I didn't even know they still existed, all were 24 hour in Houston).

Obviously I haven't been to EVERY small town in the US, but according to the WalMart website, they carry Lindt and Ghirardelli, both excellent chocolates. Target has those and others. Maybe not at every location, but I still stand behind my assertion that it's not that hard to find decent chocolate in most of the US.

[njtt]

Originally Posted by Athena

There's TONS of good chocolate available in the US, including a whole lot of European brands that are often the ones the people who like to compare European chocolate to Hershey's are comparing it to (Cadbury/Lindt/etc).

But Cadbury's is not a high-end brand in Britain, it is the standard, with Cadbury's Dairy Milk occupying essentially the niche the Hereshy bar does in America.* The difference is that the basic, cheap British Cadbury bar is way better than a regular Hershey bar. You are right, of course, that there is plenty of excellent American made chocolate for those who want to pay for it: the top end of the market, and even the middle, is as good as or better than anywhere else, but the bottom end is distinctly worse.

*Actually I think British Galaxy chocolate, which is also a major brand, is a bit cheaper than Cadbury's, and, I think, distinctly inferior. It is still way better than a Hershey Bat, though.

[amaguri]

Originally Posted by MrDibble

I'm generally a Lindt/Green&Blacks/Handmade Belgian kind of guy, and most US chocs are not to my taste, but I can tolerate See's. I can tolerate it like a motherf...

See's is a favorite of mine, but I think their chocolate is actually sourced from Guittard

[gaffa]

Originally Posted by Sattua

I have been a chocolate aficionado and have tried many, many different bars from many countries. My current favorite is the Mosen Roth 85% bar from ALDI. It is, in my opinion, the best chocolate I've ever had--low acid, nice snap, with a very special buttery finish. Happily, it costs a quarter of what my previous favorites did.

Indeed! Excellent and cheap, one of the hidden gems of Aldi.

[Drain Bead]

My favorite is Vosges. The Mo's Bacon Bar is phenomenal, as is the Barcelona Bar.

[DrDeth]

See’s is likely the best value for your chocolate dollar. Super-fresh.

[KarlGauss]

Originally Posted by Robot Arm

I still prefer milk chocolate. Best I've ever had is Callebaut. It was originally Belgian but got bought out by a Swiss company in the '90s. I don't know where it's made these days.

Callebaut milk chocloate is outstanding.

Believe it or not, I think its production is now centred in Canada. That would certainly explain why I can find it here so readily.

[Elendil's Heir]

Originally Posted by grude

Dove in both milk and dark flavors is probably the best mass market chocolate in the USA, excluding harder to find products and pricey gourmet stuff.

Seconded. And for an outstanding local chocolatier, may I recommend Mitchell's:
http://www.mitchellschocolates.com/

[Roderick Femm]

I'm not a connoisseur, but I do like Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate (71%). It is both tasty and convenient to find, as well as very reasonably priced. I also like the mold they use, that makes it easy to break into pieces.

In earlier days I have been known to snack on baker's chocolate, if that was all that was in the house. Bitter, yes, but if you let a small piece soften in your mouth it's just mega-strong chocolate flavor.


Roddy

[terentii]

Ritter Sport is delicious---so many different varieties!

I love Cadbury Fruit and Nut bars. The ones in Canada are like those I had in Britain, in my experience.

Godiva is excellent, though pricey.

I love Hershey bars, too---at least the way they used to taste. I haven't had one in a long time.

Belgian and Swiss chocolates are to die for!

Here is an interesting article on one über-expensive US/Canadian brand. It's quite long, but well worth the read; it's always nice to know exactly what you're paying for!

http://dallasfood.org/2006/12/noka-chocolate-part-1/

[Khadaji]

I came in to say Dove. Even their sugar-free stuff is darn good!

[Fear Itself]

Any body remember "Ice Cubes" chocolates? They always had a super-smooth texture.

[TheTerribleTako]

For people that find Scharffenberger too astringent, try their milk chocolate variety (the one with the orange/peach wrapper). I find that one has a great creaminess without any of the acidic undertones of their darker chocolates.

Theo Chocolate, in Seattle, has a pretty good line-up as well. I'm partial to their dark orange chocolate bar and the hazelnut crunch. They also have a fun tour as well, although it requires a small fee.

[Lynn Bodoni]

I like Dove and Godiva, and I prefer dark chocolate from both makers. Dove is quite easy to find, but I think that Godiva tastes better.

[beowulff]

These guys: http://www.fineeuropeanchocolate.com/

But, for walk-down-to-the-store chocolate, Dove is pretty good.

[The Second Stone]

double post

[The Second Stone]

Originally Posted by amaguri

See's is a favorite of mine, but I think their chocolate is actually sourced from Guittard

That is correct. I came in to say See's. Guittard has started putting out line of candy bars, but See's is still better. Available at least on the West Coast. I'm eating some now.

[QuarkChild]

I like Taza stone-ground chocolate. Nothing else even compares. Unfortunately I can't find it in stores in my current state (VA). I used to be able to get it when I lived in Santa Cruz.

http://www.amazon.com/Taza-Chocolate...ound+chocolate

[Telemark]

Originally Posted by QuarkChild

I like Taza stone-ground chocolate. Nothing else even compares. Unfortunately I can't find it in stores in my current state (VA).

It's nice living next door to the factory.

[Hazle Weatherfield]

In St. Louis: Bissinger's, Kakao, Merbs and Crown Candy Kitchen.

[DrDeth]

Originally Posted by The Second Stone

That is correct. I came in to say See's. Guittard has started putting out line of candy bars, but See's is still better. Available at least on the West Coast. I'm eating some now.

Right. Their actual chocolate comes from Guittard, but it is custom ground to See's specs.

What makes See's special is their devotion to freshness. Knowing people who have worked both stores, Godiva keeps their chocolate on the shelves for a LOT longer (about 2-3X) than See's does. I admit, that if fresh, Godiva conches it's chocolate a little longer, so it has a slightly better mouth feel. But when you are a caramel or marshmallow filed dude like myself, then freshness rules. I have had Godiva I had to spit out.

[sachertorte]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lichtman

Scharffen Berger hasn't been made in Berkeley since 2009, which is too bad for me since I live only a few miles from where the factory was. At least I got to take the factory tour before it closed. It smelled amazing.

I like Scharffen Berger, but some people find it harsh. It doesn't have the smooth, rounded flavor of, say, Lindt.

This makes me super sad. I love Scharffenberger. We visited Berkeley years ago specifically to go to the chocolate factory.

[amaguri]

Originally Posted by DrDeth

I admit, that if fresh, Godiva conches it's chocolate a little longer, so it has a slightly better mouth feel. But when you are a caramel or marshmallow filed dude like myself, then freshness rules. I have had Godiva I had to spit out.

I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at Godiva if offered, but I generally think it's vastly overrated and hugely overpriced.

Something that's quite pricey but amazingly delicious:
Artisan Collection by Norman Love

[Loach]

I know it will probably get me thrown off the Dope but I happen to love Hersey chocolate. My go to chocolate bar is Hersey with almonds. I also love most of the others mentioned above.

[sachertorte]

Originally Posted by Athena

Chocolate is everywhere, you just have to look.

I agree with this. My local-ish chocolatier (Burdick's) is very yummy, but I'm sure there are better chocolates (aforementioned La Maison du Chocolat) out there somewhere. I like having a local chocolatier.

For chocolate candy, I agree with looking local.
For chocolate bars, I like Scharffenberger and Lindt. Whole Foods has a nice selection of chocolate bars, and sometimes they are on SALE! I bought a dozen bars when Scharffenberger was on sale.

Chocolate is a relatively cheap luxury. OP, try all bars that look interesting to you and pick your favorite.

Weird side idea: Would anyone be interested in trying new chocolate bars as a group and posting our thoughts here? Something like a wine tasting, but over the internet. We could choose a new bar each week and post our thoughts about it. (Kind of a hijack, but not really as it would work towards answering the OP)

[CookingWithGas]

Originally Posted by Pine Fresh Scent

Does anyone know if there's truth to the rumor that US chocolate has additives (wax?) to keep the melting point higher than European/UK chocolate? Not for cooking, but for keeping them less melted in transit and on store shelves?

Chocolate sometimes contains paraffin, a type of edible wax, for the reason you mention. I cannot name a particular product that might include it but you'll see it on the label if it's used. It can also be found in home recipes for various chocolate confections and candy.

[CalMeacham]

At the risk of being thought nyekulturny, I have to defend Hershey's. I am amazed at how people insist on putting them down, and go out of their way to suggest unsavory practices.


Hershey's is, for the record, the chocolate I grew up with. Milton Hershey developed his own formulation, coming up with some combination of what he liked and what sold well. To say that he didn't make it "right" is BS. There is no "right", no holy Platonic ideal of Milk Chocolate enshrined in the heavens. People come up with recipes that satisfy, and Hershey's chocolate satisfied many people, and continues to.



I've never seen evidence that Hershey's even adds wax or similar adulterants to their chocolate, A few years ago in a thread someone accused them of adding some huge proportion of wax to it, whereupon I replied that if it had that much wax, I could use it on my skis. You might not like the consistency of Hershey's, but it's cocoa butter mainly that makes kit that way. (There is something called the "Hershey's Tropical Bar" that does have a very different formulation to keep it from turning into a semiliquid mass in tropical heat, but that's not what we're discussing here.)

[Bass Chick]

Ghirardelli chocolate squares are pretty tasty and they have a nice satisfying snap. When I want really intense flavor though, I buy Godiva's dark chocolate and coffee truffles. For a silky mouth feel, I go for Lindt semi-sweet Lindor truffles.

[kushiel]

I'm not a chocolate connoisseur or anything, and I prefer lighter, milkier chocolates, but the first time I ever had Lindt was like an epiphany. Before then it was just regular candy bars from the checkout stand!

Originally Posted by Fear Itself

Any body remember "Ice Cubes" chocolates? They always had a super-smooth texture.

They're still easy to get in Canada. I remember them being a Christmas chocolate, probably because they melt so easily. We'd put them in the freezer for a little while too, just enough to make sure they don't melt the second you touch them!