Is white chocolate really chocolate? Truth must be told I also asked myself this question long ago. And after some research I learned that white chocolate is not really chocolate, if you know what I mean. But before that, let us discuss more about chocolates.
Chocolates are known all over the world. For me, it’s the number one stress reliever. One bite and you know it’s magic. How can something so delicious and luscious exist on this planet? These are one of the few things that make me think that life is indeed good. Now, wouldn’t it be appropriate to learn more about it?
Chocolate is actually made up from natural stuff;it’s from the cacao bean which is taken from a cacao tree.
To create chocolate, you need to first extract cocoa from the cacao bean. This is done by harvesting cocoa pods. After harvesting them, you need to crush them and extract the pulp. When the pulp is extracted it is then taken to undergo fermentation. Natural fermentation would take about six days and it could either be executed through the use of boxes or just lay they all down in open heaps. Artificial fermentation does exist but the natural method is much favored because it brings about the best tasting chocolates. After fermentation, the beans are categorized by grades and it is roasted. The roasting itself varies depending on the size and the kind of cocoa beans present. The roasting has a lot to do with the taste of the chocolate afterwards. Some manufacturers add the nibs to enhance flavor which is disapproved by some purists. These nibs contain high – fat content or what we also call the cocoa butter.
Now, to create white chocolate, manufactures uses only the cocoa butter in making it. The process is pretty much similar with dark chocolates the U.S> Food and Drug Administration considers it not chocolate because it doesn’t use chocolate liquor in creating it. Calling it white chocolate is the best way to address it however, it is still not chocolate. To make white chocolate, makers would only use the butter and add up some milk solids, sugar, vanilla and lecithin to complete this recipe.
However, you should also be aware that there are manufacturers who use substitutes for the real thing. Like for example, instead of using the natural cocoa butter, they use vegetable oil. Mind you, it’s not the same. Using substitutes would definitely change the taste. Genuine white chocolate are usually ivory in color. When you eat it you would instantly taste vanilla and cream which is irreplaceable. You will know it if the white chocolate is made up from vegetable fat. The taste is different.
So basically, to answer the question, white chocolate is not chocolate in a sense, but also chocolate if you really look at it at a certain perspective. It’s different but it is made up of the same cocoa seed.
