Dark and milk chocolate bars began to be sold as early as 1847, while white chocolate appeared on the market almost a century later. Popular legend says that the first white chocolate (Milkybar) was invented in 1936 by the Swiss Nestlé. This way, the company used the surplus milk powder, which was too large due to the overproduction of the product in the early 20th century. Soon other manufacturers introduced their own types of white chocolate and by the end of the century it was finally gaining popularity among buyers.
What is white chocolate made of
White chocolate is an ivory-colored chocolate product made from cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder, and flavorings such as vanilla. Unlike dark and milk chocolate, white chocolate does not contain cocoa particles, which give the characteristic taste and color of regular chocolate.
Because there is no brown cocoa powder in white chocolate, it has a pale cream color and a rich, buttery flavor due to the large amount of cocoa butter. The latter also determines the high fat content in white chocolate, unlike other types.
How to make white chocolate
Usually, the production of white chocolate takes place in 4 stages:
- The dark solids of the cocoa beans are separated from the fat to produce cocoa butter;
- The resulting cocoa butter is then melted in a large pot;
- Powdered milk, sugar, cream and other ingredients are added to it to create a homoeneous texture of the product;
- Finally, various flavors and spices such as ginger, cinnamon or vanilla are added to the mixture. They make the chocolate taste richer, by adding vanilla, floral or honey flavors to it.
Is white chocolate considered real chocolate
The basis of the production of any type of chocolate is the use of cocoa beans. In the dark and milk, they are present in the form of cocoa powder, which gives the product a rich taste and brown color, and in the white - in the form of cocoa butter, which causes a more buttery taste and creamy color of the product. Therefore, white chocolate can be considered real chocolate.
However, for white chocolate, as for other types of this delicacy, there are production standards. According to the regulations of the EU from 2000 and the USA from 2004, white chocolate is considered to be the only confectionery product that contains by weight at least 20% cocoa butter, 14% milk powder and 3.5% milk fat. Evaporated milk, condensed milk, skimmed milk, buttermilk are considered permissible milk ingredients. Also, real white chocolate should not contain artificial colors.
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