3. Ghirardelli
Also based in California, this brand can be found in just about any neighborhood supermarket at the reasonable price of about $3.00 for 4 ounces. Ghirardelli's products can be described as 'intensely chocolatey' which sounds redundant unless you've actually tasted some of their chocolate or even something made using this premium product. It has a uniquely assertive flavor that will assure any taster that they are eating pure chocolate.
2. Valrhona
Approximately $4.00 for 2.6 ounces, this is one of the pricier chocolates on this list but, like all of them, is worth every penny. Based in France, Valrhona produces the Manjari bar, my recommendation, a chocolate that is rich, balanced, creamy, and deep, with fruity and lightly floral undertones. The embodiment of all we search for in chocolate, use this bar in any recipe with the word 'bliss' in the title. This brand will most likely be found in gourmet stores.
1. Dagoba
In the past year or so, this Oregon based company developed a small line of organic baking chocolate products that can be purchased for about $7.00 for 6 ounces. While these products are excellent in quality and flavor and will certainly add richness to any recipe, you may want to take at their original product line of chocolate bars meant to be eaten 'raw.' They have a selection of 'standard' types, sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet, but the true gems are the artisan bars like lavender blueberry, lemon ginger, chai, and the 'roseberry' bar, made from raspberries and rosehips. At about $3.50 for 2 ounces, including Dagoba in your next dessert might be a bit costly, but the effect on your desserts is entirely worthwhile.
Much like the philosophy that states 'One should never cook with wine they wouldn't drink,' you should never, ever bake with chocolate you wouldn't eat. Whatever your preferences or expectations are, these brands will meet, if not exceed, them.