You’ve turned me into you!

[Emilymcplugger]

Well congratulations, y’all!

When I started on this site I was a one-story guy, monogamous to each individual narrative. Determined not to stray until each story had reached its inevitable, inexplicable conclusion.

But now that’s changed. Now I find myself flirting from idea to idea, feeling frisky and exploring various stories as if I had no care in the world, using my time to fool around with other protagonists and story structures like a writing floosy.

You’ve turned me into you guys with my four stories that I’m flitting between, and it’s great!

 

[Voboy]

Good.

 

[Priscilla_June]

Well congratulations, y’all!

When I started on this site I was a one-story guy, monogamous to each individual narrative. Determined not to stray until each story had reached its inevitable, inexplicable conclusion.

But now that’s changed. Now I find myself flirting from idea to idea, feeling frisky and exploring various stories as if I had no care in the world, using my time to fool around with other protagonists and story structures like a writing floosy.

You’ve turned me into you guys with my four stories that I’m flitting between, and it’s great!

The words… the words beget more words! All the voices of those characters yet written cry out in a deluge of horrific pleas to be manifested by our prose.

Its truly the author’s curse.

 

[ElectricBlue]

But now that’s changed. Now I find myself flirting from idea to idea, feeling frisky and exploring various stories as if I had no care in the world, using my time to fool around with other protagonists and story structures like a writing floosy.

You’ve turned me into you guys with my four stories that I’m flitting between, and it’s great!

Excellent! Just make sure you finish some of these brilliant ideas though, otherwise you'll turn into @SimonDoom .

 

[MillieDynamite]

A to write, perchance to finish, but then comes the dread. The screen, the fucking screen, is blank and a pale shade of nothingness.

 

[RetroFan]

Similar experience for me.

RetroFan joins Literotica in 2014 and takes a look at the Incest Taboo section. "Well I won't be writing anything in that category."

RetroFan ten years later in 2024 - Has written many Incest Taboo stories and has more in coming weeks.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

A to write, perchance to finish, but then comes the dread. The screen, the fucking screen, is blank and a pale shade of nothingness.

Ah, she plays upon the great bard. Tis but my humble response...

Tis not nothingness that binds us,
but chaos that pulls us from our task,
blinding us to the story on our lips.
The eternal quarrel between duty
and the inspiration of our muse.
The n'erending conflict of ideas born
and those yet seen that plagues our weary mind.
To write or not to write, is not the question?
Surely, to choose not is as choosing death,
A death dolefully unbecoming our fate.
Creativity demands to be answered,
and should we fail to heed its call
our souls are once and surely lost,
as to that dream of death, or dread.
A candle snuffed, its light shared no more
leaving only that dream of a task undone,
a dream that makes cowards of us all.

 

[Euphony]

Good.

View attachment 2354762

​

​

You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. Yet I've never been offered so much as a measly Blondie!​

 

[Rob_Royale]

Now you're a writing slut like the rest of us. Welcome. Leave your inhibitions at the door.

 

[Erozetta]

​

​

You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. Yet I've never been offered so much as a measly Blondie!​

Darkside cookie options (choose carefully, you will be judged):

(Salted chocolate chip with caramel filling, quad chocolate cookies, chunky triple chocolate chip cookies)

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Darkside cookie options (choose carefully, you will be judged):

(Salted chocolate chip with caramel filling, quad chocolate cookies, chunky triple chocolate chip cookies)

Ooh, nice! I do like cookies (even though I reject them on all websites). Tempting…DAMMIT! It’s happening again!

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Now you're a writing slut like the rest of us. Welcome. Leave your inhibitions at the door.

Oh they’ve been door-bound for a long time now.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Ah, she plays upon the great bard. Tis but my humble response...

Tis not nothingness that binds us,
but chaos that pulls us from our task,
blinding us to the story on our lips.
The eternal quarrel between duty
and the inspiration of our muse.
The n'erending conflict of ideas born
and those yet seen that plagues our weary mind.
To write or not to write, is not the question?
Surely, to choose not is as choosing death,
A death dolefully unbecoming our fate.
Creativity demands to be answered,
and should we fail to heed its call
our souls are once and surely lost,
as to that dream of death, or dread.
A candle snuffed, its light shared no more
leaving only that dream of a task undone,
a dream that makes cowards of us all.

Ditto!

Ditto? Ditto, you provincial putz!

Sorry, Mr Lemarr.

(Apologies to Mel Brooks)

 

[Euphony]

Darkside cookie options (choose carefully, you will be judged):

(Salted chocolate chip with caramel filling, quad chocolate cookies, chunky triple chocolate chip cookies)

Salted Choc chip - the clubhouse leader. Usual concern is the caramel to choc chip cookie balance. Some can't help but give the caramel too much priority.

Quad choc - Degree of difficulty much higher than most assume. Different choc, different taste profiles which can clash. The Swiss judge will be ruthless. And plenty think "dump a bunch of choc in means the rest can be whatever." I find this lack of cookie base consideration... disturbing.

Chunky triple - the safest play if I'm unsure of the baker. Chonk just works more often than not. It's the slaughtering a bunch of younglings of the options.



My cookie curiosity has me eyeing the triple. A good triple is a rarer find. Plus, dark on dark on dark is thematically appropriate.

 

[SimonDoom]

Excellent! Just make sure you finish some of these brilliant ideas though, otherwise you'll turn into @SimonDoom .

Anything but that!

 

[Erozetta]

Salted Choc chip - the clubhouse leader. Usual concern is the caramel to choc chip cookie balance. Some can't help but give the caramel too much priority.

Quad choc - Degree of difficulty much higher than most assume. Different choc, different taste profiles which can clash. The Swiss judge will be ruthless. And plenty think "dump a bunch of choc in means the rest can be whatever." I find this lack of cookie base consideration... disturbing.

Chunky triple - the safest play if I'm unsure of the baker. Chonk just works more often than not. It's the slaughtering a bunch of younglings of the options.

View attachment 2354962

My cookie curiosity has me eyeing the triple. A good triple is a rarer find. Plus, dark on dark on dark is thematically appropriate.

Would it help to know the caramel is homemade and there's about 2 tsps of (frozen before being baked in the cookie to avoid it baking into the cookie) caramel filling to about 4 Tbsps of cookie dough.

Those are gigantic cookies with a soft gooey caramel center. And they are made with carefully browned butter for a richer flavor. Their taste profile has been tested by a fellow Lit author and his feedback was invaluable as he said, "It's like a flavor explosion in my mouth and each bite is different." Then tried to persuade me to make more and sell them for at least $7 each.

All three are made with Barry Callebaut chocolate and the quad chocolate is made with Bensdorp 22/24 cocoa powder. High quality, carefully weighed recipe to ensure proper ratios of flavor without any one element overwhelming another.

Caramel's Choco chips are: mini dark chips, semsi-sweet chunks, and milk chocolate wafers. It is also topped with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt while fresh from the oven and dough is still soft.

Quad gets a little reprieve from the darkness with a white chocolate chip, semsi-sweet chunks, and dark mini chips. Too much dark can overwhelm and the lighter white chocolate (which is: cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Not candy wafers or vanilla candy chips.) keeps the bitterness of an overly decadent dessert in check.

Triple chunk is basically the quad without the cocoa powder. It lacks a milk chocolate wafer and is the lightest option of the three.

You've chosen the cookie with the most lightness in it. True darkness is beyond your grasp.

 

[Voboy]

Would it help to know the caramel is homemade and there's about 2 tsps of (frozen before being baked in the cookie to avoid it baking into the cookie) caramel filling to about 4 Tbsps of cookie dough.

Those are gigantic cookies with a soft gooey caramel center. And they are made with carefully browned butter for a richer flavor. Their taste profile has been tested by a fellow Lit author and his feedback was invaluable as he said, "It's like a flavor explosion in my mouth and each bite is different." Then tried to persuade me to make more and sell them for at least $7 each.

All three are made with Barry Callebaut chocolate and the quad chocolate is made with Bensdorp 22/24 cocoa powder. High quality, carefully weighed recipe to ensure proper ratios of flavor without any one element overwhelming another.

Caramel's Choco chips are: mini dark chips, semsi-sweet chunks, and milk chocolate wafers. It is also topped with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt while fresh from the oven and dough is still soft.

Quad gets a little reprieve from the darkness with a white chocolate chip, semsi-sweet chunks, and dark mini chips. Too much dark can overwhelm and the lighter white chocolate (which is: cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Not candy wafers or vanilla candy chips.) keeps the bitterness of an overly decadent dessert in check.

Triple chunk is basically the quad without the cocoa powder. It lacks a milk chocolate wafer and is the lightest option of the three.

You've chosen the cookie with the most lightness in it. True darkness is beyond your grasp.

I'll take three of the salted caramel, please.

$21 inbound.

 

[Erozetta]

I'll take three of the salted caramel, please.

$21 inbound.

Shipping adds $30 until I can manage to find or invent a teleporter and get one in every home. Guaranteed two day delivery in a sleek, unmarked black box for the $30, though.

 

[Euphony]

Would it help to know the caramel is homemade and there's about 2 tsps of (frozen before being baked in the cookie to avoid it baking into the cookie) caramel filling to about 4 Tbsps of cookie dough.

Proper ratios clearly considered. Stonks up.

Those are gigantic cookies with a soft gooey caramel center. And they are made with carefully browned butter for a richer flavor.

I will go so far as straight up Ghee when it comes to cookiedom. (I like the hit of nuttiness while still being inclusive of those w/allergies) Naked melted butter is so basic. We ain't Toll House slumming it. (not for the calorie cost)

Their taste profile has been tested by a fellow Lit author and his feedback was invaluable as he said, "It's like a flavor explosion in my mouth and each bite is different." Then tried to persuade me to make more and sell them for at least $7 each.

Hersey. And so many are so loose with the purse these days. Your methodology shows you ain't fucking around and anyone pivoting on testimonials seems unworthy of your craft.

All three are made with Barry Callebaut chocolate and the quad chocolate is made with Bensdorp 22/24 cocoa powder. High quality, carefully weighed recipe to ensure proper ratios of flavor without any one element overwhelming another.

Meesa lika Callebaut (but the odd run of production issues lately on the solids has been offputting. Gotta double diligent all sourcing these days. Commercial Ghirardelli has surprised me in these trying times. In *this* application, I'd imagine it could hold its own, considering there are a bajillion other taste/fruit profiles commingling about.)

Again, methodology shining through. We've moved on from having my curiosity to now you have my attention.

Caramel's Choco chips are: mini dark chips, semsi-sweet chunks, and milk chocolate wafers. It is also topped with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt while fresh from the oven and dough is still soft.

I understand the why and the visuals but there's often more than needs to be in these chocolate orgies. Not a slight, just most don't have the choc pallet to make use of (likely) 3 different chocolate profiles.

Proper salting is the oft overlooked masterstroke and a sign of a baker that doesn't fuck around.

Morton's sea SMOKED is my king. There are better/more interesint textually (looking at you ya french coast froggy fucks) but Morton's just nails the flavor finish unlike any other I've found.

*edit* MALDON (g.d. google autocorrect) Sea Smoked.

To be 100...



Morton's is problematic on many levels. (it's a fine basic salt but finicky in application/above many home cooks paygrade)

Maldon's is G.O.A.T.ed

Quad gets a little reprieve from the darkness with a white chocolate chip, semsi-sweet chunks, and dark mini chips. Too much dark can overwhelm and the lighter white chocolate (which is: cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Not candy wafers or vanilla candy chips.) keeps the bitterness of an overly decadent dessert in check.

Obv we both know it's not 1:1 but I've always found odd the reinjection of cocoa fat solids (taken out to produce the finer choc we use) in some form (chunks, chips, etc.) so odd. Not a misstep, just odd to me.

I suppose there's a rebalance going on but my preference is to dial back elsewhere and across my ingredient spectrum than use white choc. Visually tho, I know it turns cranks but that's lower consideration for me most of the time. (give me butt ugly, broken ass Macarons cast offs. See if I slow up even a bit.)

Triple chunk is basically the quad without the cocoa powder. It lacks a milk chocolate wafer and is the lightest option of the three.

Triple chOnk is also the least likely for the average baker to screw up. I couldn't possibly know your bona fides (do now) and I am not one to risk the calories and diabeetus on grand, but ultimately failed, baker experiments. Clearly you fall on the right (but oh so wrong?) end of the baker spectrum.

You've chosen the cookie with the most lightness in it. True darkness is beyond your grasp.

Miss me with this. True darkness is not about hoovering up all the dark you can but concentrating quality sourcing into a single, visceral, inescapable force.

Some of the most chocolate looking cookies I've had were blah at best. I've had blonde looking sugar puffs that would make Joseph Conrad blush.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Proper ratios clearly considered. Stonks up.

I will go so far as straight up Ghee when it comes to cookiedom. (I like the hit of nuttiness while still being inclusive of those w/allergies) Naked melted butter is so basic. We ain't Toll House slumming it. (not for the calorie cost)

Hersey. And so many are so loose with the purse these days. Your methodology shows you ain't fucking around and anyone pivoting on testimonials seems unworthy of your craft.

Meesa lika Callebaut (but the odd run of production issues lately on the solids has been offputting. Gotta double diligent all sourcing these days. Commercial Ghirardelli has surprised me in these trying times. In *this* application, I'd imagine it could hold its own, considering there are a bajillion other taste/fruit profiles commingling about.)

Again, methodology shining through. We've moved on from having my curiosity to now you have my attention.

I understand the why and the visuals but there's often more than needs to be in these chocolate orgies. Not a slight, just most don't have the choc pallet to make use of (likely) 3 different chocolate profiles.

Proper salting is the oft overlooked masterstroke and a sign of a baker that doesn't fuck around.

Morton's sea SMOKED is my king. There are better/more interesint textually (looking at you ya french coast froggy fucks) but Morton's just nails the flavor finish unlike any other I've found.

Obv we both know it's not 1:1 but I've always found odd the reinjection of cocoa fat solids (taken out to produce the finer choc we use) in some form (chunks, chips, etc.) so odd. Not a misstep, just odd to me.

I suppose there's a rebalance going on but my preference is to dial back elsewhere and across my ingredient spectrum than use white choc. Visually tho, I know it turns cranks but that's lower consideration for me most of the time. (give me butt ugly, broken ass Macarons cast offs. See if I slow up even a bit.)

Triple chOnk is also the least likely for the average baker to screw up. I couldn't possibly know your bona fides (do now) and I am not one to risk the calories and diabeetus on grand, but ultimately failed, baker experiments. Clearly you fall on the right (but oh so wrong?) end of the baker spectrum.

Miss me with this. True darkness is not about hoovering up all the dark you can but concentrating quality sourcing into a single, visceral, inescapable force.

Some of the most chocolate looking cookies I've had were blah at best. I've had blonde looking sugar puffs that would make Joseph Conrad blush.

Do you get a hard-on with this stuff, or chocolate on the palms of your hands? I've not read or seen food being so sexy since Lori de Hoosier departed, or Nigella flirted with the camera then opened her fridge.

@Erozetta can you write me a vanilla slice? I'll be your slave forever!

 

[Euphony]

Do you get a hard-on with this stuff, or chocolate on the palms of your hands? I've not read or seen food being so sexy since Lori de Hoosier departed, or Nigella flirted with the camera then opened her fridge.

@Erozetta can you write me a vanilla slice? I'll be your slave forever!

For various family reasons, it was best I never took a shine to 'shine or the drink in general.

Stumbled onto chocolate being the coffee being the new new wine (terroir, tasting notes, etc.) and I found it fascinating. All the room for playing around like my vices, none of the downsides. All in.)

I pray to the alter of BraveTart.

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-chocolate-for-baking

Stella balances leveraging good ingredients, using technique only when there's a notable reason, and just generally being fussy but not overly fussy.

Her (healthier? Not enough you now have free reign. But definitely less chemical garbage filled) takes on American snack/pantry staple classics (think Wheat Thins, Hostess, Nabisco) are the bomb.



(making bespoke Oreos is amazebomb and a classy "Yeah, I dig ya THIS much.")

 

[Erozetta]

For various family reasons, it was best I never took a shine to 'shine or the drink in general.

Stumbled onto chocolate being the coffee being the new new wine (terroir, tasting notes, etc.) and I found it fascinating. All the room for playing around like my vices, none of the downsides. All in.)

I pray to the alter of BraveTart.

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-chocolate-for-baking

Stella balances leveraging good ingredients, using technique only when there's a notable reason, and just generally being fussy but not overly fussy.

Her (healthier? Not enough you now have free reign. But definitely less chemical garbage filled) takes on American snack/pantry staple classics (think Wheat Thins, Hostess, Nabisco) are the bomb.

View attachment 2355069

(making bespoke Oreos is amazebomb and a classy "Yeah, I dig ya THIS much.")

I will be using and adjusting that Oreo recipe soon... Her filling has me intrigued.

I've used ghee as well as clarified, and browned butter in icing recipes before (and used duck fat in pie crusts a few times to great success), but always in conjunction with maple or marshmallow, something that adds moisture when I don't want moisture.

I don't bake for a living or anything, just a hobby baker who enjoys making people drool over my creations. I put a lot of thought into them, though and definitely know the science of baking and ratios for ideal flavor profiles.

A few weeks ago I made some whoopie pies using Blommers jet black cocoa powder with a ghee marshmallow cream filling and coworkers are still talking about them.

The funny thing is I don't eat sweets myself except the occasional ice cream cone or shortbread and cherry or apricot jam cookies. They just aren't my thing. I do love to bake though.

The one thing I will never skimp on is vanilla. I have at least ten kinds of vanilla (and five types of cinnamon) in my cupboard at any one time. (Powdered beans, crushed beans, whole beans, Ugandan, Tahitian, just the seeds, extract with seeds, etc. the flavor of each one meshes differently with different recipes.)

For chocolate, I use Barry Callebaut, Ghirardelli, or Guittard, occasionally Valrhona. I buy blocks whenever I can because I prefer chopping the chocolate myself, only use chips when I can't get the blocks. But, Barry Callebaut white is the only white I'll use. Others are also made with cocoa butter, but I find them overly sweet and cloying. Callebaut has a smooth melt, toasty nutty flavor, and mild sweetness that pairs really well with Bensdorp cocoa powder.

Quality ingredients and measuring by weight makes all the difference in baking. But, I have to admit, sometimes I don't have time to pull out the kitchen scale and measure, so I guestimate and it tends to turn out perfect a majority of the time.

I just made a strawberry shortcake for a birthday about a week ago that people are begging me for the recipe for, but I don't have a recipe and people think I'm being selfish for not wanting to share because they don't believe I didn't follow a recipe for it. I just made it with visual measurements and watching consistency. Baking is probably the one skill I'm confident with my abilities in.

Decorating cakes less so, lol, but damn do people say they taste good even if they aren't the prettiest.

 

[Erozetta]

Proper ratios clearly considered. Stonks up.

I will go so far as straight up Ghee when it comes to cookiedom. (I like the hit of nuttiness while still being inclusive of those w/allergies) Naked melted butter is so basic. We ain't Toll House slumming it. (not for the calorie cost)

Hersey. And so many are so loose with the purse these days. Your methodology shows you ain't fucking around and anyone pivoting on testimonials seems unworthy of your craft.

Meesa lika Callebaut (but the odd run of production issues lately on the solids has been offputting. Gotta double diligent all sourcing these days. Commercial Ghirardelli has surprised me in these trying times. In *this* application, I'd imagine it could hold its own, considering there are a bajillion other taste/fruit profiles commingling about.)

Again, methodology shining through. We've moved on from having my curiosity to now you have my attention.

I understand the why and the visuals but there's often more than needs to be in these chocolate orgies. Not a slight, just most don't have the choc pallet to make use of (likely) 3 different chocolate profiles.

Proper salting is the oft overlooked masterstroke and a sign of a baker that doesn't fuck around.

Morton's sea SMOKED is my king. There are better/more interesint textually (looking at you ya french coast froggy fucks) but Morton's just nails the flavor finish unlike any other I've found.

*edit* MALDON (g.d. google autocorrect) Sea Smoked.

To be 100...

View attachment 2355066

Morton's is problematic on many levels. (it's a fine basic salt but finicky in application/above many home cooks paygrade)

Maldon's is G.O.A.T.ed


Obv we both know it's not 1:1 but I've always found odd the reinjection of cocoa fat solids (taken out to produce the finer choc we use) in some form (chunks, chips, etc.) so odd. Not a misstep, just odd to me.

I suppose there's a rebalance going on but my preference is to dial back elsewhere and across my ingredient spectrum than use white choc. Visually tho, I know it turns cranks but that's lower consideration for me most of the time. (give me butt ugly, broken ass Macarons cast offs. See if I slow up even a bit.)

Triple chOnk is also the least likely for the average baker to screw up. I couldn't possibly know your bona fides (do now) and I am not one to risk the calories and diabeetus on grand, but ultimately failed, baker experiments. Clearly you fall on the right (but oh so wrong?) end of the baker spectrum.

Miss me with this. True darkness is not about hoovering up all the dark you can but concentrating quality sourcing into a single, visceral, inescapable force.

Some of the most chocolate looking cookies I've had were blah at best. I've had blonde looking sugar puffs that would make Joseph Conrad blush.

I was gonna question the Morton's thing, lol. Maldon is what I use. There's this smoked jalapeno salt from a local spice shop I want to try on some dark chocolate cookies.

I've also done pink Hawaiian salt on white chocolate, pineapple, and macadamia cookies before, that was a huge hit.

I find smoked salt works best on cookies that could be cloying, like molasses or high brown sugar based doughs.

And the white chocolate was less rebalancing and more requested while looking nice on a plate with the color contrast.

 

[ElectricBlue]

@Erozetta @Euphony

I reckon you two should start up a Food Porn thread. This stuff redefines the eroticism of eating.

The best I can do is a cup-cake with a cherry on top!

 

[Euphony]

I will be using and adjusting that Oreo recipe soon... Her filling has me intrigued.

That's her big draw recipe and I respect the hell out of it but I'm even more enamoured with her less popular creations.

Her very best quality is she often goes on tangents on the "why." Not hard core like an Alton Brown but enough I get my "Ok, I get why we're doing more work than most here. I see your reasoning" fix without feeling I'm getting a full on science lesson. I'll very much admit I may just be very in sync with her wavelength so she works for me but I really do put her ahead of A LOT of other sources for my baking hobbying. (as killer as a French master may be, it doesn't matter if I'm bored to death/felt belittled so don't see the work through.)

I've used ghee as well as clarified, and browned butter in icing recipes before

Ghee is awesome stuff but (as I'm sure you do) must be kept in balance. This is why store bought ghee is only suitable for frying or heavy handed dishes. Even the better stuff has off flavors that can poke through if the cook is unaware.

(and used duck fat in pie crusts a few times to great success),

I never thought to try this. Of course I've done the old standards, frying, sauteing, etc. but pie crust construction pillar is fascinating.

but always in conjunction with maple or marshmallow,

I've experimented with all manner of Marshmallow but I can't imagine pushing past browned butter into ghee in the 'mallow. I like an ethereal taste in my homemades to offset the texture shock that people have to get over homemade versus store bought machined puffery. Too much/too many newnesses leads to fussiness I ain't about that when I've spent significant effort and resources to bring something someone might not have been fortunate enough to stumble onto so far.

I'm not dick about it but I stand up for my creations, knowledge, and effort.

something that adds moisture when I don't want moisture.

Sensical.

I don't bake for a living or anything, just a hobby baker who enjoys making people drool over my creations. I put a lot of thought into them, though and definitely know the science of baking and ratios for ideal flavor profiles.

Baking is where kitchen and science collide and you can't wing your way through (yes, you do but those cheats were paid for in knowledge building before)

Balance is where a lot fall short. I get it. Hell, I was guilty of it. But getting over the "more is better" mindset helps you move past good into great.

A few weeks ago I made some whoopie pies using Blommers jet black cocoa powder with a ghee marshmallow cream filling and coworkers are still talking about them.

Ghee and marshmallow still tripping my brain. I mean, I see how it can work. I can see how it can go very, very, wrong without care taken.

The funny thing is I don't eat sweets myself except the occasional ice cream cone or shortbread and cherry or apricot jam cookies. They just aren't my thing. I do love to bake though.

Cooking has science, emotional, process, and umpteen other elements to it (makes sense as a core human need.) We all come to our love for it in different ways. Follow your bliss, always.

The one thing I will never skimp on is vanilla. I have at least ten kinds of vanilla (and five types of cinnamon) in my cupboard at any one time. (Powdered beans, crushed beans, whole beans, Ugandan, Tahitian, just the seeds, extract with seeds, etc. the flavor of each one meshes differently with different recipes.)

I couldn't possibly go through it fast enough to justify the investment but I've wanted to play with vanillas for ages. Lottery win, I'm filling the tub.

For chocolate, I use Barry Callebaut, Ghirardelli, or Guittard, occasionally Valrhona. I buy blocks whenever I can because I prefer chopping the chocolate myself, only use chips when I can't get the blocks. But, Barry Callebaut white is the only white I'll use. Others are also made with cocoa butter, but I find them overly sweet and cloying. Callebaut has a smooth melt, toasty nutty flavor, and mild sweetness that pairs really well with Bensdorp cocoa powder.

These were the big workhorses of we of the "stay away from the grocery store" set. All usually fine choices but you may be surprised at just how much the landscape changed in the last 5 to 10 years. Profiles abound and humble little bars can do yeowman's effort if you are willing to manually do chop/shape work, as you clearly do. Ain't a "old money/new money" debate going on here, all are on equal footing enough it's been a bit of a snob saying this brand over that brand within this tier list.

Alls I'm saying is, tools in the tool kit. Maybe there's a note you've been trying to capture (to modest effect using other manipulations) but is built into bar and may see even better results.

Literal food for thought.

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-chocolate-for-baking

Quality ingredients and measuring by weight makes all the difference in baking. But, I have to admit, sometimes I don't have time to pull out the kitchen scale and measure, so I guestimate and it tends to turn out perfect a majority of the time.

I believe you and more power to you but I'm either not built that way or haven't the same level of experience to pull this off. I measure but then again, it may be in my nature as I measure blue box mac and cheese as well. (lol) Most overthink their gauging ability. Not implying you do, just I don't leave it to chance.

I just made a strawberry shortcake for a birthday about a week ago that people are begging me for the recipe for, but I don't have a recipe and people think I'm being selfish for not wanting to share because they don't believe I didn't follow a recipe for it. I just made it with visual measurements and watching consistency. Baking is probably the one skill I'm confident with my abilities in.

It always boggles when I hear people so dogmatic in their baking thinking that a recipe, followed to the gram, is the one true way to success and there aren't like a bajillion other factors involved (humidity, seasonality, ingredient difference, equipment (measure your stove temps people! In built dummy gauges lie.) and you can, and should, develop an eye for it.

You can't just wing it always but so too will following a recipe no matter what backfire on you as well.

Decorating cakes less so, lol, but damn do people say they taste good even if they aren't the prettiest.

Ah, my Waterloo. At first I didn't know why my decorating couldn't measure up, then I revolted against the idea of it. Now I'm in a weird spot, I've taken on the knowledge and understand the why and occasions where it makes a difference but I don't come across those occasions much and still can't be assed most of the time.

Props for a pristine sheet cake though. I find them rather uninteresting on the whole so someone crushing the finer touches gets my notice.