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Chocolate can be the key ingredient that takes baking to the next level. But when making delicious cakes, biscuits, or puddings, do you use a cheap brand or opt for something a bit fancier to add a little pizzazz?

Former pastry chef Ivy Manning says there's only one brand she reaches for when she's in the kitchen - and it's one you've probably tasted. Writing , Ivy Manning said she abides by the rule "don't make a chocolate dessert with chocolate you wouldn't eat all by itself".

"That's why when I'm making a dessert that showcases chocolate like molten chocolate cake, mousse, or brownies, I skip the baking aisle and turn my cart towards the candy aisle, where better-tasting chocolate bars await," she said.

She added: "There's no reason to use mediocre baking bars. My go-to in the candy aisle for most of my chocolate desserts is Tony's Chocolonely 70 per cent dark chocolate.

"The Dutch brand makes a variety of specialty bars. I love the dark almond sea salt bar and the pretzel milk chocolate bar for snacking, but for baking, the 70 per cent cocoa solid bar delivers a deep (but never bitter) flavour and incredible melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes chocolate desserts sing."

Tony's Chocolonely was founded in 2005 by Dutch journalist Teun van de Keuken. Teun had seen first-hand the impact of inequalities in the cocoa industry, with forced and child labour in West Africa, and farmers forced to live in poverty.

The company uses only ethical suppliers, paying farmers a fair price, and products are packaged in recycled paper. The bars are notable for their uneven chunks, which Teun said is intended to shine a light on uneven practices within the industry.

The company has been wildly successful and , behind Galaxy, Lindt, and Cadbury.

Another of Ivy's handy tips for using chocolate in baking is to chop it by hand rather than relying on ready-made chips. She said "a sharp serrated knife and some patience" is the best way to do this effectively.

"Some recipes call for chocolate chips to save you the trouble of chopping chocolate," she said. "But chocolate chips contain stabalisers to help them keep their shape in cookies and bars.

"Plus, they don't melt as smoothly as bar chocolate. They also tend to be lower quality than gourmet bars like Tony's Chocolonely, so I reserve the chips for cookies and bars.

"Then again, I'm just as likely to stir a chopped chocolate bar into my cookies. It melts in satisfyingly irregular puddles of chocolate, and it tastes so much more like the food of the gods."