What are candymenlts are they the same thing as chocolate chips? I want to make chocolate buttercream but I have read it tastes better than with cocoa powder
Candy Melts are made by Wilton, and you would probably get the same results with the chocolate chips.
Chocolate chips are generally dark chocolate. I don't think they melt as smoothly as candy melts which come in all colors.
They sell at craft stores in the candy area where you find lollipop molds and stuff. They are about $2 per bag, 14 oz. I've seen them on sale for only $1.69 at AC Moore.
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E310A5F-475A-BAC0-513EBB4AAC195A7E&fid=3E32DFEA-475A-BAC0-51B68534387FF8B9
I'll use candy melts in a pinch, but for a really deep chocolate flavor, I use Ghirardelli's chips. They may cost a bit more, around 2.70 for 14 oz. in my neck of the woods, but they are so worth it. They melt really well in the microwave, also. For white chocolate, it's my favorite as well to use for icing.
Never Baker's chocolate. Though their one-bowl brownie recipe is pretty dang good without being doctored up.
I usually use the brand they sell at AC Moore. But Walmart sells almond bark for about $1.65 a package. This works well also.
I have used candy melts, chocolate chips and Baker's Sqaures in chocolate icing. They well all work well.
I think that candy melts are NOT the same thing as chocolate.
If you want a really yummy, chocolaty buttercream, than add 3-4 squares of unsweetened melted chocolate after you make a batch of buttercream (you could probably get away with less chocolate - I've never tried it cuz I'm a chocoholic, so more is better!). Then, once that is mixed in, add in some of Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder. This was not only give a yummy, fudgy, dark chocolate flavor but it also give it a great dark brown color. Adding just the melted chocolate only makes it a light brown shade. The cocoa will stiffen up your frosting a bit, so after it sits a while you might have to add some milk or cream to thin it up a bit.
Being a total chocoholic, I find the candy melts to generally be kinda gross and not that "chocolate-y". They don't contain as much cocoa solids as a nice Ghiradelli and other bittersweet bars do.
The candy melts do melt well, and if you need just a little bit at a time for accents and whatnot, they're perfect, but I don't prefer them as the main chocolate flavor.
Just my opinion, and I LOVE the bittersweet chocolates for eating by themselves. And I like how it balances out the sugar in BC rather than adding to it. Some people prefer milkier chocolates though.
Trader Joes sells the "Pound Plus" giant bars at a reasonable price. They have milk, dark and bittersweet. I thought they were pretty good and comprable to Ghiradelli.
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