Tag Archives: Guittard

September 13, 2010 · 8:15 AM

Things I Love, Volume 4: Guittard Extra-Dark Chocolate Chips

Get Yourself Some Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips - 'Nuff Said

Holy schmoley…this here’s some world-class chocolate! It would be criminal not to share this information with chocolate chip lovers everywhere. These really rocked my world. Bake them into cookies, mix them into brownies, or eat them straight out of the bag, but you have to try them. They are that good. I’m a dark chocolate gal, and these babies are right up my alley…not too sweet, but not bitter at all. I would rate them a 99.9 out of 100, five out of five stars, two giant thumbs up, and an enthusiastic “hell, yeah!” I’m not a fanatic chocoholic, but I am a huge fan of these chocolate chips. They’re just better than all the others. I swear on a stack of cookbooks. I would never joke about chocolate. Ever.

My favorite chocolate chips used to be the American standard – Nestle Toll House semi-sweets. It’s what I grew up on. It’s probably what most of us grew up on. Then I discovered Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips, and they became my new favorite for the past few years. This February, I stumbled onto a grocery store clearance rack and found Guittard extra-dark chocolate chips. They were marked down to 99 cents a bag (post-Christmas), which was more than I could resist. I grabbed 6 bags and for 99 cents each, I felt like I was stealing them. Now I wish I’d bought them all. I should have bought them all. I had no idea they would be life changing. Or that they would all be gone the next day. Or that I would dream of chocolate chip cookies (not usually my favorite). Or that I would struggle with the compulsion to eat them straight out of the bag. For me, that’s the mark of a great chocolate chip. If I can eat them plain right out of the palm of my hand and be completely satisfied, it’s a winner. I could put these in a bowl and eat them with a spoon (hypothetically, of course…wink, wink).

If you’re a chocolate lover, get to your store and pick up some Guittard chocolate chips as soon as you can. Run if you have to. If you don’t love them, I’ll be stunned. Then I’ll probably e-mail to ask if you have a cold and your taste buds are impaired. If your store doesn’t carry them, go straight to the manager and ask for them. Don’t take no for an answer. I’d throw around the idea of a hunger strike, but who on earth could pull that off in a grocery store? I’d be sneaking Bugles and Ding Dongs or green olives and Guittard chocolate chips after the lights went out. I’d make a terrible hunger striker. I have no will power, which explains my love for chocolate chips. Man, I could use a cookie right now.

Disclaimer: NanaBread is not an employee of Guittard or any other chocolate company, which she deeply laments. In fact, she’s not an employee of any company right now, which The Complete Package deeply laments (hi, honey). While she would make an excellent chocolate taste-tester, travel show host or personal shopper, she has never been approached by any company to promote any product known to man or beast. She is simply an opinionated Texan who feels compelled to share her innermost thoughts with her readers. End of story.

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August 11, 2010 · 8:25 PM

Great Gift Giving – Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar

Cookie Mix in a Jar

These cookie mix jars make a great holiday, house warming or wedding shower gifts. They’re easy to assemble and fun to give. I made a dozen of these for the girls at Hoegarden weekend. The resulting cookies are fabulous! I love to use Extra Dark Guittard chips, but you can use whatever you like. This cookie mix will keep for up to three months in the pantry.

Here’s what you’ll need to make each jar:
One wide-mouth quart size canning jar
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons kosher salt (or table salt)
1½ cups Extra-Dark 70% Cacao Guittard chocolate chips
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
One jumbo paper cupcake liner, for a lid cover
One piece of ribbon, for decoration
One piece of cute scrapbook paper, for the instruction card
One hole punch for attaching instruction card to the ribbon

This recipe makes one 1-quart gift jar. It’s important to tap each layer into place so everything settles into clearly defined, lovely layers.

In a mixing bowl, blend flour, baking soda and salt with a whisk until thoroughly combined. Spoon flour mixture into the jar, and gently tap the jar on a kitchen towel to settle the contents. Gently spoon in the chocolate chips, and again tap the jar lightly to settle the contents. If you have a flat-ended utensil that will fit into the jar (or something like a tall narrow jar of green olives), you can use it to gently press ingredients down into the jar. Next, spoon in the brown sugar, and use that olive jar to pack it down. Spoon in the granulated sugar, and tap it down. By now, the jar should be full. Wipe the rim of the jar to make sure it’s clean. Cap with a clean lid and make sure it’s tightly sealed.

To decorate the jar, top with one jumbo cupcake liner. Using your hands, press the top edge of the liner to make sure it conforms to the shape of the jar lid. Print the directions below onto your scrapbook paper, either by hand or on your computer printer. Cut out the instructions, hole punch the top corner, then run the ribbon through and tie it into a pretty bow around the neck of the jar.

Here’s what to print on the directions card:

To Use Your Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Jar Mix:
Preheat oven to 375° F. Beat 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) softened unsalted butter, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until blended. Add cookie mix and 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional); mix well, breaking up any clumps. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. (Makes about 2 dozen cookies; mix will keep for up to 3 months if stored in a cool, dry place.)

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