Trend Report: Craft White Chocolate Bars

We have got some news for you: 35% Cacao Butter is The New 75% Chocolate.

Some chocolate experts say white chocolate is not chocolate at all, just a confectionery aimed at kids. But that’s not true.

Cacao fruit is the source of both cacao mass (you have probably learned to appreciate 75% of your bar being made of that) and also, cacao butter.

White chocolate bars are usually 35% pure cacao butter (in nice white chocolate bars it should be listed as the first of the ingredients), and have no cacao mass at all – which is why they are so pale a shade.

The other ingredients for making white chocolate are: Milk or cream powder, sugar, emulsifier (usually Soy Lecithin), and vanilla or other spices.

White chocolate would contain not less than 20% by weight of cacao fat, a minimum of 3.5% percent by weight of milk fat, and at least 14% by weight of total milk solids, and it may contain quite a bit of sugar – up to 55%.

Valrhona, the high-quality supplier for chocolate makers, provides a relatively low-sugar version of white chocolate. They accurately describe their Ivoire white chocolate “[it] reveals aromas of warm milk enhanced by delicate vanilla notes.” Their 40% cacao butter product claims to have “distinctive flavor, both mild and chocolate-y, unveils notes of caramel and vanilla enhanced with a touch of malt.”

A recent trend in artisanal chocolate is hand-crafted white chocolate bars with exciting additions like berries, coffee nibs, spices, pistachios and other nuts.

The inclusions add texture and flavours that make the experience of eating white chocolate much more interesting and pleasurable.

Mini white chocolate bar with coffee nibs, by IKA

Already in last October, The Chocolate Journalist AKA Sharon Terenzi has visited The London Chocolate Show, UK’s largest event dedicated to chocolate, and reported about the artisanal redemption of white chocolate:

“…white chocolate is slowly but steadily transitioning from a cheap candy to a fine food to be savored just like dark chocolate… it can be turned into an intriguing delicacy with the addition of crunchiness (nuts, cocoa nibs) and flavors (spices, teas).”

White chocolate is quite sweet, which is why snobs sneer, but we find it hard to see a problem here… are Financiers, Mille-Feuille, Macarons not sweet? Indulgence can be luxurious, too.

Speaking of patisserie pleasures, we take this opportunity to share Ika’s recipe for
White Chocolate & Strawberry Sablé Fingers.

This recipe was published also in cooperation with Pascale Perez- Rubin, one of Israel’s leading recipe book authors and food writers, who also styled and photographed this sumptuous picture.