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Message: [QUOTE="Norcalbaker59, post: 44358, member: 2340"] Your sense of taste is good. American chocolate is off. European chocolate is far superior to American chocolate because European laws are more stringent in the levels of cocoa solids and cocoa butter in their chocolate than american chocolate. Cheap American milk chocolate also has the emulsifier polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) which is not used in Europe. Many people believe it is the reason american milk chocolate has an offensive taste. Even as a child, I always choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate. All my favorite childhood candy bars were dark chocolate. Milk chocolate just never tasted like what I expect my chocolate to taste like. In the past 10 yrs a lot of artisan chocolatier have brought artisan american chocolate quality up to European standards. One american company, Guittard, was founded years ago by a Frenchman, so their chocolate has always been pretty decent. I use their chocolate for dipping. But when I want good chocolate for baking, I usually reach for European brands. I don’t use top artisan chocolate in baking because I feel it is a waste of really fine chocolate. IMO fine chocolate should be eaten, not baked and ruined by 325° (160°C) + temperatures. [/QUOTE]