The Chocolate Brand Ina Garten Can't Stop Using

When you get ready to put together a mouthwatering German chocolate pie, what brand of chocolate do you usually add to your mixing bowl? You may tend to use a sweet-to-eat household name like Hershey's to help you accomplish your more chocoholic baking goals. Or perhaps you prefer throwing gourmet chocolatier Ghirardelli's bars into your favorite chocolate-filled recipes. However, while these baking sweets may work for you, neither of these brands find themselves in the hands or treats of renowned chef and "Barefoot Contessa" star Ina Garten.

While the woman behind hit cookbooks like Modern Comfort Food and Cooking for Jeffrey uses her favorite cocoa powder, the Italian-imported Pernigotti Coca, now known as ChefShop Cocoa Powder, per She Knows, the chocolate that Garten uses for her bittersweet chocolate cake is a brand that you've more than likely gifted someone for Valentine's Day. Garten told Insider that after trying other types of chocolate bars, there's one with a bittersweet flavor that is triumphant above all.

When Garten shared with Insider what brands she deems are her kitchen-must haves, she revealed that Lindt is, hands down, her favorite baking chocolate. In particular, Garten explained that she's always sure to have Lindt's larger-than-life Surfin bittersweet chocolate bars on hand for any baking emergencies.

And Garten's interview with Insider is not the first time she has shared her passion for Lindt's chocolate. The Food Network star also reported to She Knows that she has been in such a love affair with the premium dessert company that anytime a recipe calls for chocolate, she instantly reaches for a Lindt bar. In fact, in recipes like her chocolate truffles and chocolate pecan scones, Garten is always prompting at-home bakers to take a crack at using Lindt chocolate for themselves. But while you may be ready to follow Garten's lead and buy a bulk supply of Lindt's bittersweet bars to use to make perfect chocolate rounds, you also still may be wondering why Garten always chooses Lindt for her chocolate treats.

Garten has admitted that, due to using the company's bars for so many years, she initially feared she was turning to Lindt out of habit. However, after taste-testing eight other chocolate brands, it became obvious to Garten why she was so fond of the gourmet chocolate producer's products. Lindt's taste simply stood out against the rest, per Insider. And if we take a closer look at Lindt's baker-approved Surfin bittersweet bar, we can uncover why its flavor leaves such an impression.

According to Lindt, its bitter-sweet bars are 49% cocoa. This means it beats out competitor Hershey's semi-sweet baking bars' cocoa content by 7%, per Stop and Shop. And aside from having a high cocoa count, Lindt reports its products' great flavor is also thanks to the company's dedication to painstakingly choosing the best cocoa beans for its sweets. In fact, the brand prides itself on being a gourmet chocolate maker that produces its sweets from "bean to bar." And Statista reports Lindt's efforts have earned it a place in the top ten best-selling chocolate brands — not to mention, a claim to fame as Ina Garten's secret ingredient for baking the best chocolate cookies.