Schokinag Chocolate...

[aidensnd2]

Anyone familiar with Schokinag Chocolate? Thoughts, opinions?

We currently have their bittersweet 6438 and white at work and I'm trying to convince the exec chef to switch to Valrhona, Callebaut or Guittard for the new restaurant. The bittersweet isn't too bad but the white isn't very impressive at all.

This is the first time I've worked with it and was just wondering what other think of it.

Thanks

[CompassRose]

I'm not a pro, and I haven't tried Schokinag (they have it, at the Fancy Deli, and just looking at the price tag makes me hyperventilate a little bit. It is more expensive than either Callebaut OR Valrhona, same place.)

However, one thing about the Callebaut-- which may not be the case, of course, for pros, who may get a different product-- their white block chocolate, while disastrously delicious straight off the chunk, behaves very oddly. I thought I was repeatedly screwing up, then performed a few small-scale side-by-side experiments with that, Lindt and Valrhona -- Callebaut white ganaches and things never seem to set, the ratios are all crazy.

[duckduck]

I asked Chef Ivy at our local Whole Foods to put together a chocolate tasting which she did for Valentine's Day and out of everything we sampled, the Schokinag was the one that stuck out as my favorite. I have some at home in white, semi-sweet and their cocoa powder that I've yet to play with. As for the price, I think it's partly just where you buy it from. I've seen one place selling for twice the price of another place in town. I'd shop around for it.

[stscam]

I'm not much of a fan of Schokinag chocolate. There's a kind of raw tobacco flavor to their bittersweets that are not attractive. I prefer fruitier couvertures, like Valrhona.

As for Callebaut, I've never gotten it to work successfully for me in my ganaches or molded chocolates. It's way too viscuous, a characteristic chef friends have noticed too. I tried working with the 58.5% and their standard milk, even adding cocoa butter to try to thin it, but threw my hands up in disgust and moved over to Cacao Berry, which, for an every day chocolate, suits my needs every well.

Cheers,

[Carbo]

FYI - Schokinag wholesales for about half of what Callebaut does, so it might be cost thing. I believe that Schokinag is produced in only one plant - whereas many companies produce the same items in different plants - batches can vary a bit.

[artisanbaker]

it's usually a bargain for the quality. i prefer cocao barry or valrhona but i am spoiled.

[chromedome]

We use it at one of my workplaces for some applications. I find it to be an in-betweener...better than the cheapie "coating chocolate," but not as good as the big names. Worth buying for everyday use, if the price is right, but for anything extra-special you'll still want to shell out for the good stuff.

[skrattypants]

schokinag works well in things that take advantage of its earthiness (like stscam says, it isn't particularly fruity, but that isn't always a demerit). i like it dishes with caramel.

and i've also had trouble working with callebaut--glad it isn't just me, as friends always refer to it as an industry standard.

as for white, i prefer el rey, but it isn't always easy to come by in food service or even home baking sizes.

[bripastryguy]

I use their semi-sweet alot, it has a good everyday taste and works well in most applications, I go through about 44-66# a week and the price is great. Not a fan of their other chocolates. We all have our favorites, but we all can't afford $7 (and up) a pound for Valrohna

Edited September 12, 2004 by bripastryguy (log)

[Wendy DeBord]

I can't recall tasting Schokinag but I can respond to other products.

I've switched to buying E. Guittard's line of chocolates. BUT I have to add that I won't be staying with their white or milk. Their semi (as noted by Steve Klc) in many previous threads is their best chocolate and a really good value but the white and milk are stictly average to poor. I wouldn't want to reccomend to my boss changing to them for white or milk-you'll regret that.

If I could, I'd buy Valrona (although I've never worked with it, only tasted it). I can reccomend Flechlins high end chocolates are all very good and great to work with.