Chocolate chips!

I haven't been able to find a big bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips anywhere! All I could get are tiny bags of dark or milk chocolate. I was well-known for my chocolate chip cookies back in the States so this is distressing to me. Anyone know where I can find some?

Costco?

Failing that I find that breaking up bars of chocolate works quite well - added bonus it's how the cookies were originally made anyway.

I get big plastic tubs of Belgian chocolate chips at Costco.  Costs less than £5 and is plenty for 3 batches of cookies (I use the Nestle Tollhouse recipe).

Alternatively find a chocolate bar you like and break it up.  Makes nice chunky cookies.  I like the big bars of Galaxy or Dairy Milk, but if you prefer darker chocolate then maybe one of the Green & Blacks might be more to your taste.

I second breaking up chocolate bars, whack it with a rolling pin and you get deliciously melted chocolate, which I think is actually nicer than pre-made chocolate chips.

I haven't been able to find a big bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips anywhere! All I could get are tiny bags of dark or milk chocolate.

Huh? Semi-Sweet isn't just another name the US manufacturers made for Dark Chocolate?!!?  I've been baking cookies here all wrong!! 

Still taste good to me

Huh? Semi-Sweet isn't just another name the US manufacturers made for Dark Chocolate?!!?  I've been baking cookies here all wrong!! 

Still taste good to me

Yep. They are definitely different. Semi sweet is somewhere between milk and dark. At least they taste different to me. Plus you can buy all three varieties in the US.

I buy bars of baking chocolate and break that up for baking. :-)

Also, if you want chocolate similar to semi-sweet, try Sainsbury's basic brand of dark chocolate, which is basically between milk and dark chocolate.

Yep. They are definitely different. Semi sweet is somewhere between milk and dark. At least they taste different to me. Plus you can buy all three varieties in the US.

Ah, I see.  Maybe my lack of knowledge comes down to the fact that I never actually baked in the US. Ever.

Only in the past 6 months have I started baking-- I failed absolutely miserably at macarons, but kept trying, and have managed to make a mean meringue, scrumptious scones, chewy chocolate chip cookies, a fantastically rich dark chocolate torte.  This weekend I'm planning on a strawberry rhubarb pie with crisp topping like my Mom used to make -- wish me luck!  If only I could find some tapioca pearls...

Ah, I see.  Maybe my lack of knowledge comes down to the fact that I never actually baked in the US. Ever.

Only in the past 6 months have I started baking-- I failed absolutely miserably at macarons, but kept trying, and have managed to make a mean meringue, scrumptious scones, chewy chocolate chip cookies, a fantastically rich dark chocolate torte.  This weekend I'm planning on a strawberry rhubarb pie with crisp topping like my Mom used to make -- wish me luck!  If only I could find some tapioca pearls...

That sounds delicious. I love baking. Particularly heavily and intricately decorated sugar cookies. But I'll bake pretty much anything, in spite of the fact that I can't eat any of it due to celiacs disease. But I'll gladly help fatten up anyone who's willing to eat all the stuff I make. Haha. I do occasionally do gluten free versions of my favorites like pumpkin pie with a GF crust.

That sounds delicious. I love baking. Particularly heavily and intricately decorated sugar cookies. But I'll bake pretty much anything, in spite of the fact that I can't eat any of it due to celiacs disease. But I'll gladly help fatten up anyone who's willing to eat all the stuff I make. Haha. I do occasionally do gluten free versions of my favorites like pumpkin pie with a GF crust.

For Christmas I make GF cake for my father-in-law, you should try this recipe, it's delicious! http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/clementine-cake-2559

There's also a great chocolate olive oil cake on the site that I also make for Christmas.

Oh....this is the thread for me.....I LOVE <3 to bake.....love love love.  How much will I have to adjust to cooking changes when I get there? I love to make cakes, cookies, bars, crumbles, cobblers.....you name it.....
I have about 4 best school friends and every Christmas I would invite them over for what we called "Christmas in the Cottage"as I live in a round rock cottage that my grandfather built when my mom was little. After they passed away, the cottage went to my parents but as they already had their own home, this became mine when I finished university. So I started the Christmas tradition and was known for baking wayyyy more than we needed but loved every minute. I will miss those small get togethers when I come there. I am a bit of an introvert (not anti social, but more comfortable in a small group of friends) and just the relaxed and fun time with the girls hanging out eating desserts and drinking a glass of wine (or for my non alcohol drinking friends, sparkling grape juice). Fun times......

Will also miss the traditional Christmas cookie swap.....where it wasn't just cookies but also bars, cake, sausage balls, who knows what else.

You will have to adapt your baking here. You can't get Crisco in the stores…you can get it online from importers but it's expensive. Costco is going to be the best place to find things. I love using Pam and the don't sell that here. I buy the big Costco brand cans and it last me a long time. I use the Tollhouse recipe for cookies but they never turn out like they used to in the US.

For Christmas I make GF cake for my father-in-law, you should try this recipe, it's delicious! http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/clementine-cake-2559

There's also a great chocolate olive oil cake on the site that I also make for Christmas.

Oh my that looks fantastic.

You will have to adapt your baking here. You can't get Crisco in the stores…you can get it online from importers but it's expensive. Costco is going to be the best place to find things. I love using Pam and the don't sell that here. I buy the big Costco brand cans and it last me a long time. I use the Tollhouse recipe for cookies but they never turn out like they used to in the US.

I second the adjustment thing. One of my "specialties" is pecan pralines, and I can't get dark Karo corn syrup over there. I found the light kind in an import shop but not the dark stuff. I ended up using a mix of golden syrup and treacle  instead. They worked out but didn't quite have the same flavor. I also got totally bamboozled by gas marks on an oven instead of temperatures when I first visited my boyfriend. I'll be glad if our next flat has temperature settings.  Cake mixes are also star angry unavailable and crazy expensive in the UK. I'd rather make mine from scratch, but it's strange not to have that convenience readily available.