The White Stuff
Talk about irony. A few short years ago, you wouldn’t have been able to get me to touch a block of white chocolate with a 10-foot pole, and now? Now it’s become an incredible luxury, a culinary diamond in my eyes, and I’ve become completely enamored with its simple existence. Simple indeed, because as I’m sure anyone who’s been around the block with a hunk of chocolate knows that the white stuff has no actual cocoa solids, and thus remains pale as freshly fallen snow. Most manufacturers add dry milk powder and other undesirable elements to their white chips and chunks, to increase shelf stability and augment their supplies of pricey cocoa butter… Or cheap, trans-fatty hydrogenated oils, making for that cheap, waxy crap that turned me away in the first place. Insipid and unctuous at best, it’s no shock that most people would consider shelling out their hard earned cash for this pallid imitator when given a darker option.
Before you flip to the next interesting blog and pass this post over, let me venture a guess that you’ve never had real white chocolate. Made with cocoa butter, this stuff is like the nectar of the gods- Creamy, sweet, with some slightly floral notes in the background. It makes my heart flutter just thinking about it.
This isn’t to say that I’ve developed the end-all, be-all recipe for creating this confection; There’s still plenty of room for improvement, and I would love to hear what others find through their own trials. I would love to keep on experimenting for months, honing it to an exact and simple science… But the trouble with using real cocoa butter, as those money-savvy businesses discovered, is that it costs a small fortune. I’m not going to lie, as this stuff doesn’t come cheap, but for an occasional indulgence, I think you could find it a worthwhile investment.
Still with me? Oh good, thanks for your patience. The first critical step to making the white chocolate is: Finding good cocoa butter. I know, I can’t stop harping about this stuff but it’s really important to pick up high quality, food grade cocoa butter. As a popular ingredient in body lotions and lip balms, some of it comes with fillers and undesirable additives, so shop carefully if you search locally. Next, you’ll want to invest in a decent mold. It doesn’t have to be fancy, and it doesn’t even need to be bar-shaped, you just want somewhere to park your molten chocolate so that it can cool and solidify into a usable shape. Hell, even silicon ice cube trays could work!
After collecting all of the software and hardware, the procedure will seem far easier than that preliminary hunt, so don’t worry, it only gets easier from here.
White Chocolate
1/4 Cup Cocoa Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste (or Extract… I just like the way the flecks of real vanilla bean look)
1/3 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Soymilk Powder
Pinch Salt
Place your cocoa butter in a microwave-safe bowl and nuke it for just a minute or two, so that it liquefies. Be sure to keep an eye on it at all times, as it has a much lower melting point than a bar of finished chocolate. Once completely melted, quickly stir in the remaining ingredients, being thorough so as to break up any clumps of sugar and completely dissolve everything into the molten fat. Don’t worry if it looks rather yellow at this stage, just pour everything into your molds and it will be alright. Tap the molds on the counter lightly so as to remove any air bubbles, and don’t even think about touching them again for the next few hours while they set up. I highly recommend parking them in the fridge to speed up the process… Just don’t forget about them in there!
Congratulations, you have your very own white chocolate! Now what, you may ask? Well, I still wouldn’t recommend munching on it like you would a standard candy bar because it’s tooth-achingly sweet on it’s own, but add it into other recipes and it will shine.
Try making a good, tried and true chocolate cookie recipe and sub in white chocolate chunks for half of the standard chips.
Looking for something a bit more special? Well, why not try making a white chocolate mousse instead? Granted, it will up the cost a bit more, as whippable soy cream is still a pricey commodity, but think of how impressed your sweetie (or your own sweet tooth) will be.
White Chocolate Mousse
3 Ounces White Chocolate
1 10.14 Ounce Container Whippable Soy (or Oat) Cream (divided)
3/4 Teaspoon Agar Agar Powder
Melt your white chocolate with 2.5 ounces of the cream, stir vigorously to combine in a smooth liquid, and let cool for 10 minutes or so. In your stand mixer, whip the remaining cream for 3 - 4 minutes to form soft peaks, and slowly stream in melted chocolate mixture down the side. It will become some what liquid-y and appear to have gone awry, but try not to panic. Sprinkle the agar on top, whisk to fully combine, and place the whole bowl in your fridge for 30 minutes. Once thoroughly chilled, whip for 5 - 6 more minutes until fluffy but firm and serve. At this stage you could also pipe it into bowls and refrigerate for up to 6 more hours before serving.
This stuff is incredibly, deceptively rich- While it feels as light as a cloud on the tongue, it is also unbelievably luscious and creamy. I would suggest serving it with a good bowlful of berries to cut it, or a small dollop on top of hot chocolate would be a delicious addition as well. Top a cupcake with it and you’ll have one intensely satisfying, adult dessert, far too mature for the kids to partake in. The possibilities just go on… And wouldn’t you like to discover them for yourself?
Don’t think that I’ve slighted you for this Valentine’s Day either- White Day, celebrated primarily in Japan, is only a month later on March 14, where white chocolate is given back to any admirers who stopped by with some dark chocolate the previous holiday. So get to it, and try some real white chocolate!
ashmacaroon said,
February 18, 2008 at 9:11 am
omg, I am so trying this. I’m like you, I was never a fan of white chocolate but as of late I’ve been craving it. Where did you find your cocoa butter? I have a feeling it’s not going to be too easy to locate it near me.
vegan blog tracker said,
February 18, 2008 at 9:13 am
I’ve never been much of a white chocolate fan. I’ll touch it with a ten foot pole, sure, but it doesn’t excite me. However, your words are making me want to give it another shot. :-)
Celine said,
February 18, 2008 at 9:17 am
you are the queen, Hannah.
Ricki said,
February 18, 2008 at 9:30 am
Amazing, Hannah! I may have to forgo my no-sugar rule to try this one out!
Romina said,
February 18, 2008 at 10:11 am
I used to like really good white chocolate in my childhood (when I ate chocolate instead of candy). However, growing older I started to realize how disgusting most chocolate bars tasted because of the hydrogenated oils, and cheap fats.
Your chocolate looks absolutely gorgeous. And I’m so glad to hear you’ve found a recipe that suits you! You must have put so much effort into this, so give yourself a pat on the back. =)
Vegan_Noodle said,
February 18, 2008 at 10:28 am
Wow, that is so cool!! I always loved white chocolate….. bought a few of the vegan white chocolate chips from vegan essentials, but didn’t think they were that great (but okay in baked goods). These chocolate bars look so beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us!!
Oiyi said,
February 18, 2008 at 10:50 am
Gosh, everything looks delicious and I am not even a fan of white chocolate. My DH loves white chocolate.
Alisa said,
February 18, 2008 at 10:55 am
I love white chocolate! And have missed it so, much better than milk chocolate in my opinion anyday. I would also like to know where you got your food grade cocoa butter?
Hannahknits said,
February 18, 2008 at 11:08 am
O, it looks delicious!
I wonder were I could buy cocoa butter here in The Netherlands.
But when I do find it I think I will try to make this.
Bellini Valli said,
February 18, 2008 at 11:49 am
I love white chocolate :D I have been searching for a recipe for white chocolate mousse cake for years and haven’t come up with anything that can emulate the one I had yet…the search is still on :D I love your white chocolate mousse it looks devine :D
myste said,
February 18, 2008 at 12:17 pm
any suggestions for those of us who insist on cooking microwave-free? is there a substitution at that step of the process (such as a dutch oven) in case we would like to make it sans radiation?
Cakespy said,
February 18, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Swoon. I love white chocolate (when done right!). This is a beautiful celebration of the “white stuff” (all I can think of right now is the Weird Al song!)
Jan B said,
February 18, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Your creations always look so yummy! Thank you for sharing with us.
StarSpry said,
February 18, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Yum! Those recipes sound so good :)
Susie said,
February 18, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Hannah,
Do you know how to temper chocolate? Cocoa butter is polymorphic, and taking it through the right series or temperatures in order to isolate the “correct” crystal structures can make the difference between a chocolate bar with a crisp “snap” and smooth mouthfeel and a chocolate bar that never really hardens and that is kind of grainy/mushy.
I know that the recommended tempering temperatures are slightly different for (non-vegan) white chocolate as for dark chocolate… but I can’t remember what the justification for the different temperatures is. It might just be because snooty chocolateers don’t want to burn their precious milk solids, or perhaps the melting point of the fat IS affected because of the amount of solids being different… If I find any information, I will send it your way.
In any case, the flavor possibilities are endless here. European white chocolates, I beleive, use milk solids that are toasted I think? It might be fun to try getting some caramel flavor notes in this by cooking your soy powder with the sugar some how before making the emulsion. Have fun with it!
Suzie said,
February 18, 2008 at 1:51 pm
::gasp:: You have no idea how happy you’ve made me right now! Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am a white chocolate fiend! Pre-vegan days, I’d eat the cheap stuff and enjoy it but nothing beat the real fancy, expensive white chocolate. Upon becoming vegan, that was quite possibly the most difficult thing I had to give up. Yes- even more difficult than the almighty cheese!
I found a recipe and tried making it myself, but it came out all grainy and mushy, even after sitting in the fridge for 24 hours. SO! I am very, very, very excited to try this.
And the white chocolate mousse? MY FAVOURITE DESSERT!!!
You are a goddess of all things sweet. Thank you so much for posting! :)
Stephanie said,
February 18, 2008 at 2:04 pm
OMG!! that looks and sounds absoulety SCRUMPTIOUS!!!!!!!!!!
I’m coming to your house for “White day” for sure LOL!!!!!
You make it sound sooooo YUM, and my mouth is watering, and now I WANT SOME!! LOL!!!!!
But, for breastfeeding my reflux son reasons, I’m off chocolate (and caffeene) for now…..so I’ll have to save this recipe for next year sometime!!!
HUGS!!!
Gigi said,
February 18, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I can’t wait to make own white chocolate! Your white chocolate mousse looks and sounds amazing! :)
yogadiva said,
February 18, 2008 at 2:20 pm
chocolate and knitting in the same place? Must be Nirvana! The white Chocolate mousse looks dreamy.
Josefin said,
February 18, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Oh! It looks so yummy! And the mousse! I wish I had the time and ingredients (hope I spelled right) to make it! But some day in the future maybe. :)
Thanks for the recepie (spelled right?) anyway! :D
jessica~ said,
February 18, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Wow - I never liked white chocolate because it wasn’t really chocolate… but this…!! That mousse looks delicious Hannah!! I love your ice cube tray idea!
VeggieGirl said,
February 18, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I’m totally with you, girl - before my vegan days, I wouldn’t touch white chocolate since it’s not even chocolate! It’s fake! Ick! But vegan white chocolate?? I’m all over it :0D
Kevin said,
February 18, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Making your own chocolate! Great job!
Jess - The Domestic Vegan said,
February 18, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Wow, Hannah! You are so adventurous & creative. I, too, am no fan of white chocolate (can’t stand the stuff, actually), but I think you’ve pretty well convinced me that I’ve just never had “real” white chocolate… I really think I ought to try this! (For the experience if nothing else.) And in those chocolate cookies?! What a delicious combination.
I cannot believe how absolutely BEAUTIFUL that mousse is. Holy crap! What a perfect picture!
offthemeathook said,
February 18, 2008 at 8:43 pm
@myste: try it in a double boiler!
Lyra said,
February 18, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Holy crap! I have a huge block of cacao butter (raw) that I usually use for fudge, but I’m out of my other raw ingredients. I think I need to make this. Like now. O.O
The idea of using milkmilkmilk in white chocolate just never seemed right to me…
Thanks! <3
Nancy said,
February 18, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Hannah,
Your mom mentioned you’d worked with white chocolate, and I said “Oh. I prefer real chocolate.” Then she gave me some cookies.
I let her try one, but only because I hadn’t tasted them yet. Wow, they’re wonderful! The texture and flavor are perfect, but even better, the white chocolate didn’t have that nasty fake flavor I was expecting. It was rich and delicious, and smooth and creamy even though it had been baked into a cookie.
In the interest of your mother’s health, I think the next time she wants a cookie I’m going to suggest that she have an orange from my tree instead. Oranges are good for you, right?
Oh, by the way, I am thrilled that your book is finally here! Everything is great, from the photos and recipes (obviously) right down to the feel of the paper. There will be peanut brittle happening here very soon, and I can’t wait! And maybe some orangettes, after your mother eats some oranges…
Vegyogini said,
February 19, 2008 at 12:19 am
While I don’t envision myself making up a batch of white chocolate anytime soon, I truly appreciate the amount of work and dedication that went into your mastery of it. Your tutorial is so thorough and thoughtful enough to include links to exactly what products should go into the making of the white chocolate. Then, you even gave recipes with ways to use the white chocolate. You never cease to amaze me, Hannah!
Julie Hasson said,
February 19, 2008 at 2:02 am
Simply amazing Hannah! I’m going to buy the ingredients and make the white chocolate right away.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!
amey said,
February 19, 2008 at 2:34 am
fun stuff hannah!
I’ve actually always loved white chocolate… and I’ve been eyeing that white chocolate mousse from The Artful Vegan for a while… but I don’t know where to find cocoa butter. I’ll have to make a special trip to San Francisco someday and search there. Mmmm….
I really admire your spirit of creativity and perserverance. Thanks!
melisser said,
February 19, 2008 at 4:18 am
You’re so brilliant! I was never a fan of white chocolate, but maybe I would be these days?! Have you tried rice milk chocolate yet? I believe they make a white chocolate. Terra Nostra is the common brand I’ve seen.
Joanna in the kitchen said,
February 19, 2008 at 5:31 am
I absolutely love white chocolate, so this beautifully looking White Chocolate Mousse is now on my “to do” list. Beautiful photos. Both the chocolate bar and mousse look amazing.
Patricia Scarpin said,
February 19, 2008 at 8:45 am
Aren’t you multitasking or what? :)
Your white chocolate looks perfect, Hannah! And those cookies… I wish I could grab them! :)
Amanda said,
February 19, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I have a little daughter who only eats white food. She will even turn down chocolate if it isn’t white. She is going to LOVE you for this recipe.
Marie said,
February 19, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Good heavens, that white choc. mousse is positvely dreamy! I’ll be sure to honor White Day next month!
Suganya said,
February 19, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Hannah, If I had made something like this, my feet will not rest on the ground. This is a creation to be proud of. Hats off!
Emma said,
February 19, 2008 at 3:36 pm
This looks so absolutely amazing, I can’t wait to try it! I reckon the vegan blogging world will be flooded with attempts at recreating this! (I can’t wait to have a go, either!) I can’t believe you can come up with this stuff! I really admire your ability =)
Alice said,
February 19, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Hey Hannah, I just want to say that you are so inspiring. I just found out that you are young like me, and I know with all the rush of freshman year in college it hard enough to do all the work and that’s without writing a cookbook Anyways, knowing that alone makes me want to buy your new cookbook :-) Keep up the amazing work!!!
Alice
P.S. I have been searching for vegan white cholocate for months and you just made my day :-)
Cody said,
February 19, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Sounds yummy. I always liked white chocolate as an every-once-in-a-while treat.
I might have to try it in a raspberry/white chocolate chunk cookie recipe I’ve been wanting to try.
Jen O said,
February 19, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Holy crap.
That’s it, just holy crap!
jennithevegan said,
February 19, 2008 at 10:03 pm
wow!! a recipe for real vegan white chocolate ;op thank u thank u thank u!!!!
Sheltie Girl said,
February 20, 2008 at 10:14 am
Hannah - Your white chocolate looks simply divine. My son is really going to enjoy this recipe. Thank you so so much for sharing it with all of us. You rock!
Sheltie Girl @ Gluten A Go Go
Rachel (both) said,
February 20, 2008 at 3:54 pm
THAT LOOKS AMAZING. I am making that mousse as soon as I can get my hands on some Soyatoo.
FishRockette said,
February 20, 2008 at 6:30 pm
That looks awesome! We have a 20 pound bucket of cocoa butter around here somewhere, my mom got it really cheap I think through a co-op of sorts. One minor problem for me though, I’m pretty allergic to Soy…. So it’s harder for me to do veggie than other people! I have to stick to real milk. Could regular powdered milk be substituted for the soy milk you think?
Liz² said,
February 21, 2008 at 1:00 am
that is just flat-out amazing - if I ever taste anything that’s close to as good as you made those white chocolate mousses sound, I would consider myself the luckiest vegan alive. Seriously… you’re going to bring so much joy into this world, you have no idea. Maybe you do. But you will. :)
Angela said,
February 21, 2008 at 5:28 am
I’ve been craving vegan white chocolate for AGES!! I was on the hunt for cocoa butter with my sister today and she asked a lady a chocolate shop if she knew where we could purchase it. She said that it wasn’t available to the public. Um?
Unsatisfied, when we go home we searched on the ‘net for some food grade cocoa butter in Australia and we found some. We ordered some and it should hopefully arrive next week Monday or Tuesday. 35 AU$ for 500g (a little over a pound).
I can’t wait! Thank-you so much for this recipe. ;D
Tartelette said,
February 21, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Beautiful work! I love the specks of vanilla beans! I only made it a couple of times, not vegan but way better than what you can find at the store! The mousse would be perfect for a romantic dinner indeed!
Kayla said,
February 23, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Wow, now that is just lovely. I used to only eat white chocolate, before I realized that it wasn’t really chocolate at all and began to discover the wonders of dark chocolate. I have had a craving for it lately, though, and you have come to the resuce! I can’t wait to try it. And, I love the flecks of vanilla bean. It looks much less commercial that way.
Paaras Kaur said,
March 1, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Hi there,
Thanks for the recipe! I’m in the process of getting cocoa butter so I can try this great recipe out.
Quick question: Does Cocoa Butter have caffeine in it? I was always under the impression that the caffeine part went into the cocoa solids - i.e. cocoa powder. If anyone could clarify this for me that would be great!
Thanks.
textual bulldog said,
March 2, 2008 at 4:47 pm
This is completely brillz! Leave it to you to come up with such genius, Hannah. I have hated every white chocolate I’ve ever tried (tho haven’t tried any for years and years…), yet I’m completely confident that I would love yours. ;D
A Gluten-Free Day » Leek and chickpea soup and other stuff said,
March 5, 2008 at 12:00 pm
[...] imagine. Lastly a great post about making your own milk-free white chocolate from Hannah Kaminsky at BitterSweet [...]
linda said,
March 5, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Very cool! I love munching on the ‘real’ thing, curious about this one now…
olddani said,
March 5, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Oh stop. I swore off chocolate for a month yesterday and now I find this. I’m doomed.
naomi said,
March 8, 2008 at 6:19 am
on the no sugar wagon at the moment - but the minute I’m off, I will be ready with a mold, some coco butter and a wicked glint in my eye.
Great stuff.
x x x
Kiandra said,
March 19, 2008 at 4:55 pm
omg, you are my “shero” for this! i cannot wait to try and make these…i am sooo gonna love you forever! i thought i would never have white chocolate again…i will be in white chocolate heaven soon! thank you, thank you, thank you!
obrienbarbara said,
April 12, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Hannah, I’m putting together a webpage on white chocolate. I’m linking to this page as an example of best sites for white chocolate. Check back in a few days http://www.squidoo.com/whitechocolate
Barbara O.
You can see some comparable sites I have built at http://www.squidoo.com/yummyrecipes
http://www.squidoo.com/greatsoup
I love your blog.
Shannon said,
April 18, 2008 at 1:30 am
this is exactly what i’ve been looking for! delicious, vegan white chocolate. while im not a huge fan of the stuff i think i can use it in cake decorating very easily!
Love and Olive Oil » Blog Archive » ‘Disappearing’ White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies said,
May 2, 2008 at 9:07 am
[...] there, I wanted to make my own vegan white chocolate as well. Ever since I saw the recipe over at BitterSweet, I knew I had to try it. I bought some cocoa butter and soymilk powder, waited far too long for [...]