If you really love chocolate, then you have probably already tried white chocolate. But it is a bit of an acquired taste and most chocolate lovers don’t really like white chocolate.
This is because it’s usually a lot sweeter than both dark chocolate and milk chocolate.
Some people even doubt its legitimacy- and many people believe that it isn’t really chocolate! But on the other hand, some people absolutely love it! If you want to know more about this enigma of the chocolate world, then you have come to the right place.
If you want to know more about white chocolate, then read on to find out everything you need to know about it!
What Is White Chocolate?
White chocolate is pale white and incredibly sweet, even more so than milk chocolate. It is essentially milk chocolate that lacks cocoa solids and it is made up of a lot more sugar.
White chocolate was first introduced to the public in 1936 by Nestlé, and it really caused a stir in the chocolate world. Now, is used in chocolate bars, cookies, cakes, and lots of other desserts and you will find it in abundance in this day and age.
Originally, white chocolate was mass-produced during World War I in order to use up the leftover milk powder, and once it was used up, white chocolate became quite popular amongst the general population.
What Is White Chocolate Made Out Of?
At a base level, white chocolate is made up of three main ingredients- sugar, milk, and cocoa butter.
Just like dark chocolate and milk chocolate, white chocolate begins with cacao beans. When the beans are going through the refinement process, they are crushed, ground, and separated into cocoa butter and chocolate nibs.
Milk chocolate and dark chocolate are made from chocolate nibs, but white chocolate is instead made from cocoa butter. The sugar and the milk are then added to the chocolate to enhance and enrich the flavor.
White chocolate is known for being much higher in sugar content than both dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Lots of people already find milk chocolate too sweet, which is a big reason why lots of people aren’t fussed about white chocolate.
Is White Chocolate Real Chocolate?
Lots of people think that white chocolate isn’t even real chocolate, but let’s put those rumors to bed! White chocolate by definition and ingredients is real chocolate.
For white chocolate to be considered real chocolate, the FDA has said that it “must contain no less than 20% of cocoa butter”. The inclusion of this cocoa butter is one of the big factors that prove it is real.
You will of course come across some brands that do not contain 20% cocoa butter, and these brands are legally not allowed to call themselves chocolate. Always check the label before you buy some because the cocoa butter percentage should be on there.
Real white chocolate that does contain 20% or more cocoa butter is going to be much higher quality than the knockoff brands as well. It will taste better, and it won’t be as unhealthy.
Any chocolate that has less than 20% cocoa butter is going to be made with a lot more sugar!
Is White Chocolate Vegan?
When it comes to any chocolate, lots of people want to know if it’s vegan or not. Milk chocolate unfortunately isn’t vegan, whereas most dark chocolate is, so it’s only natural for you to be curious about white chocolate too.
The short answer to this is no- white chocolate is usually not vegan. However, there are a few brands out there that do make vegan-friendly white chocolate, but they can’t actually call it “white chocolate”.
This is because “real” white chocolate contains a certain percentage of dairy, and dairy is not vegan. Vegan white chocolate is usually made with a dairy substitute, so it doesn’t meet the legal requirements to be called white chocolate.
Is White Chocolate Bad For You?
You have probably guessed for yourself by now, but let’s just go over just how healthy or unhealthy white chocolate is. It definitely isn’t the greatest food for you, but as long as you have a balanced diet and you only eat real white chocolate, there are worse things for you.
When it comes to finding the best white chocolate, you need to make sure that the brand you are eating doesn’t contain any weird flavorings or oils. Ideally, you just want white chocolate that contains the three main ingredients- cocoa butter, sugar, and milk powder (sometimes soy lecithin).
There aren’t really many health benefits in white chocolate, and it isn’t really very nutritious, but as long as you just have it as a treat now and then, it shouldn’t impact your health too much.
What Does White Chocolate Taste Like?
Lots of people think that white chocolate doesn’t really taste like chocolate at all and in lots of ways it doesn’t. It is a lot sweeter than both milk chocolate and dark chocolate and it has absolutely no bitterness to it at all.
It’s usually incredibly creamy and even a bit buttery in taste, with subtle hints of vanilla and cream. It’s also very milky in taste, so if you do like milk chocolate, you may enjoy white chocolate.
White chocolate is a lot sweeter than its counterparts, so the sweetness might be a bit intense at first and it can get a lot more sickly eating lots of white chocolate in one sitting!
Conclusion
You either love or you hate white chocolate, but everyone can agree that it is definitely unique! White chocolate hasn’t been around as long as its milk and dark counterparts, but it’s almost as popular as both of them.
If you have never tried white chocolate before, just know that it is a lot sweeter than the other types of chocolate, and it can be quite an acquired taste! Some people really love white chocolate though, so try it and see what you think!
Have you ever made something so delicious that you wished you could savor it forever?
Only to find that the recipe has now mysteriously vanished from your phone and the entirety of the internet. Yep, there’s not much more painful than that.
Hi, my name is Mark Williams and I have been infatuated with cooking since I was young. I would beg my mother to pull a chair up to the counter so I could watch what she was doing.
