White Chocolate
White chocolate is a confection made from cocoa butter, milk solids, and sweeteners. Technically, white chocolate is not considered real chocolate because it has no chocolate liquor. Chocolate liquor is the thick liquid produced when cocoa beans are fermented, dried, shelled, and ground. Pressing chocolate liquor removes the fat, which is cocoa butter. The cocoa butter, which has a slight chocolate taste, is deodorized to remove any strong and unpleasant tastes, then vanilla is often added to improve its taste. The FDA allows the use of the word chocolate if the white chocolate cocoa content is at least 20 percent.
White chocolate can be used in any number of deliciously rich pastries such as white chocolate cakes, white chocolate cookies, and white chocolate cheesecake. It’s also an irresistible ingredient in many confections such as white chocolate candy and white chocolate truffles. By mixing white chocolate syrup, espresso, and milk, you can make a wonderful winter treat: white chocolate coffee.
Nestlé started to mass distribute white chocolate in the US with its Alpine White chocolate bar back in 1948. Hershey’s came out with Hugs, a milk white chocolate version of Kisses, in 1993 and has also produced white chocolate peanut butter Reese’s Cups and Twix. Most chocolate makers nowadays produce white chocolate bars in either plain or flavored varieties.
Nestlé claims that white chocolate was created as a way to use the excess cocoa butter left over in the production of regular chocolate. White chocolate is becoming more popular and in recent years has often been used in conjunction with other chocolates. The smooth flavor of white chocolate and its contrasting color make it an appealing addition to the various darker chocolates.
In order to meet the standards of the FDA and the European Union (which has adopted the US standards), milk chocolate must contain at least 20 percent cocoa butter, at least 14 percent milk solids, at least 3.5 percent milk fat, and no more than 55 percent sugar or other sweeteners. Buyers should be aware that white chocolate labeling is not standardized, so some products marketed as white chocolate don’t contain any cocoa butter. It is best to check the ingredients list to be sure.
White chocolate, having only trace amounts of cocoa solids, only has trace amounts of caffeine and theobromine, a substance that gives regular chocolate its characteristic brown color. For those who must avoid theobromine, white chocolate can be safe alternative to regular chocolate.
With it’s smooth flavor and intriguing taste, white chocolate is a tasty, popular treat.