All kinds of solid chocolate come in both bar form and chip form. However, both of them have slight differences.
To have the shape of the chocolate chips, they have less cocoa butter and comprise added stabilizers. However, baking chocolate has been created in such a way that it melts quickly and dissolves in any recipe smoothly.
If you’re a chocolate lover, you might want to experiment and try cocoa powder as it will bring out the elegance of the recipe.
Stay hooked to the article till the very end if you wish to gain an understanding of both chocolate chips and baking chocolate. We hope that you will be able to make your choice by the end of the article.
What Is Baking Chocolate?
Baking chocolate, also known as bitter or unsweetened chocolate, is a type of dark chocolate. It is cooking chocolate that is used as a key ingredient in baking and other purposes.
These days, baking chocolate is produced from chocolate liquor. This chocolate has a slightly lower quality compared to other types of chocolates. It also contains cocoa butter and fats which do not need tempering.
Hence, baking chocolate of this type is considered to be more manageable and easier to handle. Baking chocolates can be broadly divided into four categories, namely:
- Unsweetened
- Bittersweet
- Semisweet
- Sweet
And you can use any type of chocolate according to your preference and likeness.
What Are Chocolate Chips?
Chocolate chips or chocolate morsels are small pieces of sweetened chocolate, utilized as an ingredient in many desserts and sweet dishes.
They are commonly used in the famous breakfast dish, pancake. People love to use it and put it in pancakes as it enhances the elegance of the dish.
Chocolate chips are commonly available in different sizes ranging from 2-10 millimeters in diameter. They are produced as teardrop-shaped structures with circular flat bases.
Initially, chocolate chips were created of semi-sweet chocolates. However, nowadays many kinds of flavors are used to create them. Flavors like bittersweet, white chocolate, mint chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut butter, and butterscotch are used to make chocolate morsels.
Chocolate chips are widely used in the making of pancakes, cakes, cookies, muffins, waffles, pies, and many kinds of pastries.
Baking Chocolate Vs Chocolate Chips: Comparison Chart
Let’s compare the two products in detail.
Category | Baking chocolate | Chocolate chips |
Taste | Very bitter taste | Sweet in taste |
Purpose | Used to enhance the taste of a dish | Added to sweeten up the flavor of the dish |
Ingredients | Made up of ground cocoa nibs which consist of cocoa butter and cocoa solids. | Made up of sugar, chocolate, milk fat, cocoa butter, etc. |
Texture | Smooth and grainy | Small in size, have a flat base, and are circular |
Difference Between Baking Chocolate And Chocolate Chips
To understand the difference between baking chocolate and chocolate chips in a more detailed manner, we will focus on the four categories mentioned in the comparison table above.
Taste
There are some differences in the taste of baking chocolate and chocolate chips.
Since it has no sugar in it, baking chocolate tastes bitter. It is also hard and breaks easily. Chocolate chips, on the other hand, are sweet as they are made of semi-sweet chocolates.
Purpose
Both chocolate chips and baking chocolate serve different purposes because they are made of different types of ingredients and materials.
Baking chocolate is used in dishes to enhance the elegance and taste of a dish. It is easily breakable and melts quickly. Hence, it takes part in many dishes and retains its taste.
Chocolate chips serve to enhance the taste of a dish by sweetening it up. Due to the sweet taste of the chocolate chips, they sweeten up the dish.
Ingredients
Different types of ingredients are used for the making of chocolate chips and baking chocolate. Baking chocolate is usually bitter. It is also known as unsweetened chocolate. It consists of ground cocoa nibs. These nibs contain cocoa butter and cocoa solids.
Chocolate chips are sweet because they mainly consist of semi-sweet chocolate. Chocolate, sugar, milk fat, cocoa butter, and soy lecithin also take part in the making of chocolate chips.
Texture
The texture of both chocolate chips and baking chocolate are somewhat different.
Baking chocolate has a smooth and grainy texture. It breaks/snaps quickly. It melts fast and retains its flavor, which is why people prefer to use it in their dishes.
On the other hand, chocolate chips have a teardrop-shaped structure. They have a flat base and a circular structure. They are like chunks of chocolate.
Can Chocolate Chips Be Substituted For Baking Chocolate?
You can substitute chocolate chips for baking chocolate or vice versa. You just need to use one ounce of baking chocolate which is semi-sweet and one tablespoon of sugar.
However, melted chocolate chips cannot always replace baking chocolate because they do not melt easily and retain their shape.
What Is The Difference Between Chocolate Chips And Chocolate Baking Chips?
Chocolate chips contain less cocoa butter and consist of added stabilizers. Both chocolate chips and chocolate baking chips are almost similar.
However, they also have their differences. One should always try to experiment while preparing dishes that use chocolate baking chips or chocolate chips. One could also add cocoa powder to give the dish a good essence.
Is There A Difference Between Chocolate Chips And Chocolate?
Chocolate chips and chocolate have different content. For instance, they contain different types of fats/oils.
Chocolate chips do not melt and retain their shape after they have been added to the dish. Chocolates, on the other hand, melt easily so you can reshape them.
They are different in taste and texture. Hence, yes, there is a difference between chocolate chips and chocolate.
Can You Substitute Chocolate Chips For Chocolate Chunks?
You can use chocolate chips instead of chocolate chunks and vice versa.
You can use chocolate chips as a substitute. Both chocolate chunks and chocolate chips possess the same qualities. They have the same texture so you can use them interchangeably.
Can I Substitute Chocolate Chips For Baking Chocolate?
You can substitute chocolate chips for baking chocolate.
As they are almost the same in taste and flavor. However, melted chocolate chips are not always a good replacement for baking chocolate because they retain their shape. Meaning, they do not melt easily. Hence, they might not fulfill the purpose completely and efficiently.