Sprinkles, Jimmies, Decoratifs or Vermicelli –  whatever you call them these little chocolate decorations can make or break a cupcake or cake!

When I first started in business there was no internet and very little help for someone who was not a trained baker.  I had to learn everything on my own and very quickly.  One of the things that took me a while to find was the real chocolate sprinkles.

Basically there are two different kinds of chocolate sprinkles.  The jimmies are made with cocoa and shortening,  can be dull and rather fat in comparison to those made with real chocolate.The Decoratifs by Guittard and Vermicelli by Cocoa Barry are made with real chocolate, are delicate and shiny.  They can add an elegant touch when it comes to finishing.  Looks-wise, they appear to be made by the same company and just packaged differently.I was happy to see they are both available on line and I have included several sources for each.  I used Guittard Chocolate products at the bakery and was really excited when I finally found the Decoratifs.  They are far and away the best priced between the two real chocolate sprinkles.  If you use a lot, the 25 pound box can be found for about $2.58 per pound or $70.00 for the case.  They can also be purchased in 4 ounce or 1 pound containers.  They last indefinitely stored at room temperature and products refrigerated or frozen with them, thaw perfectly with no damage to the chocolate sprinkles when thawed.

The Cocoa Barry Vermicelli, another good product, doesn’t seem to be available in anything but 2.2 pound boxes, which by the Guittard pricing is very expensive.  They can also be refrigerated or frozen and thawed with no harm.

If you use chocolate sprinkles, I encourage you to use the real chocolate ones as they add so much in looks and taste to your finished item and isn’t any more expensive than the grocery store variety.  If fact, they can cost considerably less.

Decoratifs can be found at:
http://www.bakerscandc.com/guittard-chocolate-company/index14.htm
https://www.chocosphere.com/default/catalogsearch/result/?q=Guittard+decoratifs
This is the site that has the 25 pounds for $70.00.  It also has packages from 4 ounces to 1 pound.  http://spunsugar.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6_18&products_id=195&zenid=e88863ac0c1cfb6181537c43e0f6be37

Vermicelli can be found at:
http://www.pastrychef.com/CHOCOLATE-SPRINKLES-VERMICELLI_p_712.html
http://www.culinarydistrict.com/1459.html”>http://www.culinarydistrict.com/1459.html
https://www.chocosphere.com/default/brand/a-c/cacao-barry/dark-chocolate-vermicelli-1kg-2-2-lbs.html