Kitchen Dictionary: white chocolate

In many countries, white chocolate is not classified as chocolate at all, as it contains no cocoa solids, which gives it the smooth ivory or beige color. White "chocolate" is the most fragile form of all chocolates and close attention must be paid to it while heating or melting as it will burn and seize very easily unless heated very slowly. White chocolate originates from the cocoa (cacao) plant but lacks "chocolate" flavor due to the absence of the chocolate liquor which is what gives dark and milk chocolate their intense, bitter flavor and color. White chocolate contains cocoa butter, milk solids, sugar, lecithin and flavorings (usually including vanilla). Cocoa butter is the fat from cocoa beans, extracted from the cocoa beans during the process of making chocolate and cocoa powder. Cocoa butter has very little "chocolate" flavor.

Ingredient

Season: available year-round

How to select: Look for a brand that contains cocoa butter. There are cheaper versions that don't contain any cocoa butter, and their flavor is inferior.

Matches well with: bananas, berries, cherries, coconut, hazelnuts, oranges, raspberries, rum