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In-Store Pick Up - Shipping Across Canada - special orders 613 435 7722
The big debate…is white chocolate really chocolate? For those who prefer their chocolate super dark, many would say no, white chocolate doesn’t belong in the same category. And for those who chose to enjoy white chocolate, they don’t really care if it’s considered real chocolate - they just like it!
This conversation often comes up in our store and for the most part, if the customer I’m speaking with doesn’t like white chocolate then it gets brushed to the side with a comment something like “well, that’s not really chocolate is it?” Rhetorical question really.
When the conversation continues what I learn is for many who dismiss the idea that white chocolate belongs in the chocolate family, they are referring to what they know to be white chocolate. Mass produced stuff with way too much sugar, fillers like vegetable or palm oil (instead of the expensive alternative, cocoa butter) and just a little bit of cocoa butter…so essentially candy, not chocolate.
However I usually come to the defence of white chocolate. Because if it’s made with the right ingredients and the chocolate maker pays attention to flavour, I consider it real chocolate. If not, then it’s candy. But so is milk and dark chocolate if not made with enough cocoa solids. And that’s another topic for later.
So, let’s talk about the cocoa bean. It’s made up of 2 ingredients - about 50% of each - cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Both are used to make milk and dark chocolate. For white chocolate cocoa butter is a main, if not the main, ingredient in a white chocolate bar. So the starting point is the same for all chocolate.
Sugar is the other ingredient and found in all chocolate bars, with the exception of those made with 100% cocoa. And milk powder is the other ingredient for both milk and white bars.
My conclusion is if the ingredients are all the same but the proportions are different, then isn’t it all chocolate?
Here are some of the white chocolate bars we have in the store (please note that not all are available at all times, please call 613 435 7722 to confirm).
Chocolate Maker: Zotters of Austria
Ingredients: cocoa butter, raw cane sugar, full cream milk powder, skimmed milk powder, caramelized milk powder, vanilla, soy lecithin
Tasting Notes: Vanilla pudding and sweet whipped cream
2 x 35g bar
Made in Austria
Chocolate Maker: AMEDEI Tuscany
Ingredients: cane sugar, 29% cocoa butter, whole milk powder
Tasting Notes: Honey, vanilla and fresh milk
50g bar
Made in Italy
Chocolate Maker: Olivia Chocolat
Ingredients: unrefined organic cane sugar, ethically sourced organic cocoa butter, organic
unsweetened coconut, tangerine (or pineapple), non-GMO sunflower lecithin.
Tasting Notes: Coconut and tangerine
50g bar
Made in Canada
Chocolate Maker: SOMA Chocolatemaker
Ingredients: sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, natural vanilla, soy lecithin
Tasting Notes: campfire marshmallows
65g bar
Made in Canada
Chocolate Maker: Sirene Chocolate
Ingredients: organic cocoa butter, whole milk, organic cane sugar
Tasting Notes: roasted caramel
70g bar
Made in Canada
