What is white chocolate?

During the chocolate making process, cocoa butter becomes a by-product of the cocoa bean.  To create white chocolate, the cocoa butter is combined with milk, sugar, and other flavoring ingredients, but none of the cocoa bean is included.  Some would consider white chocolate not chocolate because none of the cocoa solid is part of the end product.

However, if you were to smell cocoa beans and raw cocoa butter, it is the cocoa butter that would have the distinct chocolate smell.  The cocoa bean doesn’t smell sweet at all.  And cocoa butter did come from the cocoa bean.

  

 In 2004, the FDA established a “Standard of Identity” for white chocolate.  

Why did FDA establish a standard of identity for white chocolate?

FDA established a standard of identity for white chocolate in response to petitions filed separately by the Hershey Foods Corporation and by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association of the United States of America. Both entities wanted to stop manufacturers from making imposter white chocolate using only vegetable oil or other cheaper fats instead of cocoa butter.

The FDA said to be called white chocolate, the candy must have at least 20% cocoa butter, 14% milk solids, and 3.5% milk fat — and no more than 55% sugar or other sweeteners. Vanilla is added for flavor, and a fatty substance called lecithin is in there as an emulsifier.

Because it contains no cocoa solids, white chocolate contains only trace amounts of the stimulants theobromine and caffeine. If prime pressed cocoa butter is used, it has natural anti-oxidant (vitamin E), but if deodorized it has none, as the deodorizing is a steam stripping step, often at 180 °C (356 °F). Deodorizing is a process of “whitening” the chocolate.  High quality white chocolate is not white, it is ivory, pale yellow or a light tan. A good white chocolate may even contain small particles of the vanilla bean used to flavor the chocolate.  

The quality can be determined visually due to the high cocoa butter content, which should allow for a shiny and smooth appearance. The flavor of white chocolate is delicate and buttery.  The mouthfeel should be absent of any granular texture.

Chocolatada

Chocolatada is a party or gathering at which one drinks chocolate.

Chocolatadas, the social custom of drinking chocolate in the community, had made their first appearance in Spain sometime in the 17th or 18th century. Chocolate was so popular in the mid-1800's that noble women began to drink it at church.  After, the bishops banned chocolate drinking during mass, chocolatadas began to be held at the end of the service.

Today the chocolatada can be found in parts of Spain and Peru. It is traditionally held as a charitable event during the Christmas season.  Often the events are organized churches, businesses or shops.

American Truffle

"American truffle" is a half-egg shaped chocolate-coated truffle, a mixture of dark or milk chocolates with butterfat and, in some cases, hardened coconut oil. Joseph Schmidt, a San Francisco chocolatier, and founder of Joseph Schmidt Confections, is credited with its creation in the mid-1980s. According to the San Francisco Chronical his big break came when the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog included his chocolates.

After a buyout by the Hershey’s Company, the original Joseph Schmidt Confections factory was closed due to the high cost of producing the artful chocolates.  Various resources had stated the iconic San Francisco truffles would continue to be produced by Hershey’s at an alternate facility.  However, I have been unable to locate a source of distribution for these chocolates.

Chocophylls like myself will only have the legend of the “American Truffle”

A bit about Truffles

A chocolate truffle is a type of chocolate confectionery, traditionally made with a chocolate ganache centre coated in chocolate, cocoa powder or chopped toasted nuts (typically hazelnuts, almonds or coconut), usually in a spherical, conical, or curved shape.

The chocolate truffle  name is derived from their traditional shape, which resembles the truffle, an edible part of the tuber fungus. Truffles are a fungus that grows in the earth in forested areas; Usually in the shade near trees. They can be found most dominantly in Europe and the Middle East. They are especially famous in France and Italy. They are VERY expensive!!

Chocolate truffles are aptly named “truffles” because of their resemblance to a real truffle. These delicious chunks of chocolate mimic the shape and size of a truffle in addition to having dusted coco powder on them to symbolizes the dirt. 

Essentially, truffles are a chocolate treat that can be easily recognized for their small round shapes. The interior of these candies always contains some form of the ingredient ganache, though at times these centers can be combined additional fillings as well. These chocolate truffle filling combinations may include ganache mixed with caramel, nuts, fruit, and liqueur to name a few. The exterior part of the truffle can vary from a simple dark, cocoa powder to a more extravagant coating of dark, milk or white confection enrobing. At times the exterior is topped additionally with nuts, chocolate sprinkles, and more.

What does infuse mean?
A synonym for infuse is steep, to mingle something dry with something wet with the idea of extracting the flavor of the dry ingredient. You do this when you pour boiling water over tea leaves. The same concept holds true when you infuse/steep an ingredient into cream. It is then mixed with the chocolate to make the soft ganache. 

What is an emulsion?
An emulsion is a liquid or semi-solid in which globules of fat are evenly distributed throughout. An example is ganache or mayonnaise, butter etc. 


What are fresh cream truffles?
The ganache centers are made with fresh cream instead of oils or other preservatives. 

What is ganache?
It is an emulsion of chocolate and cream. 

There are some main types of chocolate truffles: European, Swiss, French and Belgian:

The "French truffle" is made with fresh cream and chocolate and then rolled into cocoa or nut powder.

The "Belgian truffle" or praline is made with dark or milk chocolate filled with ganache, buttercream or nut pastes.

The "Swiss truffle" is made by combining melted chocolate into a boiling mixture of dairy cream and butter, which is poured into molds to set before sprinkling with cocoa powder. Like the French truffles, these have a very short shelf-life and must be consumed within a few days of making.
The "European truffle" is made with syrup and a base made up of cocoa powder, milk powder, fats, and other such ingredients to create an oil-in-water type emulsion.