I have alway been a fan of chocolate: milk chocolate was my favorite when I was a kid, and I now prefer bittersweet. Though I would never say no to a piece of chocolate, no matter how dark or light, or even white. Yes, you read me right. White chocolate. I found white chocolate absolutely delicious. It’s smooth, delicate, it never overpowers other flavors in the recipe, and it goes well with almost anything.
White chocolate is made with a blend of sugar, cocoa butter, milk products, vanilla, and a fatty substance called lecithin. Technically, white chocolate is not a chocolate—and it doesn’t really taste like one—because it doesn’t contain chocolate solids. When cocoa beans are removed from their pods, fermented, dried, roasted, cracked open, and their shells discarded, what remains is a nib. Chocolate nibs are ground into a paste called chocolate liquor. Chocolate liquor can be separated into cocoa solids, which provide the flavor, and cocoa butter, which is the fat. Though white chocolate contains extracted cocoa butter, it lacks the component that defines real chocolate.
The history of white chocolate is largely unclear, but “the general consensus,” says Eagranie Yuh, author of “The Chocolate Tasting Kit” (Chronicle, 2014), “is that Nestlé was the first to develop white chocolate commercially in 1936 in Switzerland. The story is that it was a way to use up excess milk powder that had been produced for World War I and was no longer in demand.”
According to Yuh, there are still a few things to look for in white chocolate. First, check the ingredients list, says Yuh, “which should include only sugar, cocoa butter, milk solids or milk powder and, possibly, lecithin and vanilla. If you can, also check the color. If the bar is bright white, it’s been bleached and probably deodorized. High-quality white chocolate tends to be slightly yellow because cocoa butter is naturally yellow.” Yuh also recommends purchasing chocolates from a specialty grocer or dedicated craft chocolate shop. “Chances are, whoever is buying the dark and milk chocolate will be as discerning with quality when they choose white chocolate.”
When I can, I purchase Callebaut chocolate. The local Health Food Store sells it in pieces, but it can also be purchased in bulk – there is nothing more satisfying than a 5 kg block of chocolate. During this COVID shutdown, I have relied on Amazon more than usual and I was able to find Callebaut white chocolate callets. Also know that any regular brand would do it – no need to go out and buy chocolate if you already have it in the home.
I used to sell these Gluten-free White Chocolate Blondies at my bakery. The had quite a following, and it’s because of these former customers that I want to share this recipe. These pieces of pure heaven look rustic but have a delicate flavor, and they melt in your mouth.
ENJOY!
Gluten-free White Chocolate Blondies
Course: Cookies and Bars, RecipesDifficulty: Easy30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
480 gr 480 White chocolate, chopped – 2 3/4 cups and 1 Tablespoon
320 gr 320 Unsalted butter, melted – 1 1/4 cup and 2 Tablespoons
2 large 2 Eggs
250 gr 250 Granulated sugar – 1 1/4 cups
250 gr 250 Simona’s Flour Mix 1 2/3 cups
1 1/2 teaspoons 1 1/2 Vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and line a 9″ x 13″ pan.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Melt the butter on the stove paying attention not to brown it, then pour it onto the chocolate. Wait a couple of minutes then whisk until smooth. Let is cool.
- In the meanwhile whip the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, until light and doubled in volume.
- Add the melted chocolate and butter at a low speed until just incorporated. Add flour and vanilla stirring slowly.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake for another 20 minutes until slightly brown and still wiggly in the center.
- Place on a cooling rack and wait until completely cooled before unmolding.
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