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White chocolate is a white confection that is used extensively in candy and dessert making. It contains cocoa butter, the fat portion of the chocolate bean, but not the cacao nibs. The fat from the cacao is mixed with other ingredients to create a smooth, white confection with a texture very similar to chocolate but a very different flavor. This flavor and texture can be simulated, however, without the use of cocoa butter (cacao fat), and much of the white chocolate sold in grocery stores is therefore a simulated confection made without any cacao ingredients. Read on the learn how to tell the difference and the advantages and disadvantages of both real and fake white chocolate.
See Also: When Was the First Use of Chocolate?
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If you are looking for real white chocolate, the first thing you need to know is that white chocolate is not actually chocolate. Chocolate is always a brown-to-black color. White chocolate cannot be considered chocolate because it does not contain any chocolate liqueur. Just as white chocolate is not actually chocolate, much of the “white chocolate” sold is not actually white chocolate.
The first white chocolate candy bar to be sold in America was the Nestlé Alpine White, introduced in 1987, and now discontinued. It is generally accepted that Nestlé was the first to develop white chocolate for a commercial market, beginning in 1937.
Real chocolate contains both the bitter cocoa solids (cacao nibs) and the cocoa butter from chocolate. It is the cocoa solids that are responsible for the principal flavor of chocolate. But when the fat from cacao is mixed with other ingredients, it can be used to form a solid white confection with a sweet and buttery taste and a smooth texture similar to chocolate, but without the bitterness. While chocolate is essentially a sweetened fat mixed with dairy ingredients and solidified. But why should we be concerned with whether white chocolate is real if it is not really chocolate?
Most White Chocolate Products Contain No Cocoa Butter
The truth is that most products that resemble white chocolate either contain very little cocoa butter or none at all. For example, the familiar Nestlé brand of white ‘chocolate’ products does not contain cocoa butter but instead uses other fats such as fractionated palm kernel oil. This is ironic since the company often sues smaller companies over the use of the word “milk.”
If you look closely at the label of many products that seem to be white chocolate, you’ll notice they are not called white chocolate, but ‘white morsels’ or ‘white baking bars.’ Be aware that most candy bars with “white chocolate” use these types of white coatings.
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Real White Chocolate is Slightly Yellow, Not Bright White
Since the color of white chocolate comes mostly from the cocoa butter, you can sometimes tell real from fake by the color. Real white chocolate will have a slightly yellow color. It can also be normal to see a few tiny brown specks, which are cacao solids that remain in the fat. If the product is very white, it is more likely fake, or the cocoa butter has been bleached.
FDA White Chocolate Standard of Identity
It took many years for the FDA to establish a standard of identity for white chocolate, but in 2004, in response to petitions filed by The Hershey Company and the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, that identity was established.
According to the FDA white chocolate is the “solid or semi-plastic food prepared by intimately mixing and grinding cacao fat (cocoa butter) with one or more optional dairy ingredients, and one or more optional sweeteners.” Spices, nuts, and other ingredients can also be added.
White chocolate must contain not less than 20 percent by weight of cocoa butter, not less the 3.5 percent by weight of milkfat, not less than 14 percent by weight of total milk solids, not more than 55 percent by weight of sweetener, and not more than 1.5 percent by weight of emulsifier.
Allowed dairy products for white chocolate include:
- Cream, milkfat, butter
- Milk, dry whole milk, concentrated milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk
- Skim milk, concentrated skim milk, evaporated skim milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, nonfat dry milk
- Concentrated buttermilk, dried buttermilk
- Malted milk
It can also contain antioxidants (for preservation) and whey or whey products.
Let’s look at the ingredients in the Nestlé products I mentioned.
Nestle Toll House Premier White Morsels contain sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, milk, nonfat milk, hydrogenated palm oil, soy lecithin, and natural flavor.
Nestle Toll House Premier White Baking Bar contains sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, milk, nonfat milk, hydrogenated palm oil, soy lecithin, and natural flavor.
Since neither of these products contains cocoa butter, they cannot be labeled white chocolate.
Real Is Not Always the Best Choice
Despite this, however, these may work just as well for baking and cooking as some products labeled white chocolate that do contain cocoa butter.
Those products containing more cocoa butter can be more difficult to work with when melting than products containing refined fats. When reading the labels of white chocolate, look for those containing the fewest ingredients. As well, the fact that a product contains cocoa butter is not a guarantee of quality.
Key Points Summary for “Difference Between Real and Fake White Chocolate”
- Since it does not contain any chocolate liqueur, white chocolate is not actually chocolate. It contains only cocoa butter, the fat portion of chocolate, but not the cacao nibs, or the solid part of chocolate.
- Many products that resemble white chocolate do not contain cocoa butter or contain very little of it.
- Instead, these imitation products use other fats like fractionated palm kernel oil. These are often labeled as “white morsels” or “white baking bars” rather than white chocolate.
- According to the FDA, white chocolate must contain at least 20% cocoa butter, 3.5% milk fat, 14% total milk solids, and no more than 55% sweetener and 1.5% emulsifier.
- Real white chocolate will have a slightly yellow color and may contain a few tiny brown specks.
- However, some “fake” white chocolate products may work better for baking and cooking than real white chocolate, as the cocoa butter can be more difficult to work with when melting.
- Cooks Illustrated rated a “fake” white chocolate as the best for making white chocolate mousse.
- For cookies, cakes and most baking purposes, the difference between real and fake white chocolate is unlikely to be detectable.
