Fact Friday: White Chocolate

Did you know that white chocolate isn’t really ‘chocolate‘ at all?

In order for a product to be labelled as ‘chocolate‘ it must contain cocoa mass/solids (the brown stuff). The percentage of cocoa mass in a product also varies from country to country.

As a general rule American milk ‘chocolate‘ must contain at least 10% cocoa mass in order to be labelled as such. And in the UK milk ‘chocolate‘ must contain at least 20%, and in the EU it’s 25%.

There is no minimum or maximum percentage for dark chocolate products, but it is usually 55% or higher on average.

Globally, white chocolate contains no cocoa solids and is mostly composed of milk, sugar and cocoa butter which in turn gives it its white, creamy texture and colour.

No cocoa here!

Depending on where you’re eating this concoction, the term ‘white chocolate‘ also has a legal definition. In the UK ‘white chocolate‘ products must contain at least 20% cocoa butter. However, in the US products like this are often labelled as a ‘candy‘, and not ‘chocolate‘.

But don’t let the legal definitions and import laws affect what you like to eat! The various laws, rules and regulations of each country’s confectionery can be a puzzlesome one! Just because one nation doesn’t class something as chocolate, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the same for your home country. And what is defined as ‘cocoa mass‘ is also up for debate around the world! It is what it is. And so long as it’s tasty, does it matter?

If you like the waxy texture of Hershey’s milk chocolate (11%) over a decadent Lindt truffle (30%) then good for you…!

Wrapper Wednesday: ION Chocolate

We’re on a trip to Greece for this Wrapper Wednesday, with two chocolate bars made by the Greek brand ION.

ION milk and dark chocolate with almonds

Even though I did not enjoy the chocolate itself, I am rather taken by the beautiful image of almond blossom that features on both of these bars. Each one contains the nutty substance, with the pink wrapper made with milk chocolate, and the blue with dark (or ‘Devil’s arse’ chocolate – please see my Fact Friday on the Marquis de Sade for that reference!).

Founded in 1930 in the city of Athens, ION has been creating chocolate products for 90 years, taking their name from the ancient Greek for sweet violet, and also using the flower as a symbol for the company (unfortunately not featured on these wrappers).

Review: E. Wedel chocolate with cherries

I’ve never been disappointed when eating wafer bars from Poland, so with this delectable track record, I thought it high time to try some other Polish confections, starting with the country’s leading brand of chocolate – E. Wedel.

E. Wedel was established in 1851 in Warsaw by Karol Wedel, and is Poland’s oldest chocolate firm. His son Emil took control of the family business, including a brand shop, cafe and factory, in 1865. His chocolate proved so popular that each bar was eventually stamped with his signature in order to discourage copy-cat products – you can still see this stamp on their products today!

E. Wedel cherry and chocolate bar

This particular bar is composed of dark chocolate (50%) with a cream and cherry filling. Despite my enthusiasm, I’m not a great fan of chocolate and cherries, and this did effect my enjoyment of this bar, however, each of the individual components of this bar are very tasty! I love dark chocolate, and the chocolate used here is rich, but not bitter and is very enjoyable. Inside the semi-soft cream and cherry puree are a wonderful pairing – any tartness from the fruit is softened by the fondant and the cherry taste is rather fresh and unmistakable!

Layers of chocolate, cherry and cream – note the E. Wedel signature on the bar

For me, the bar’s three components individually are very palatable, but together, cherries and chocolates is just not for me. I do recommend you give it a try though, or any of their other fruity and inventive flavours as it’s quality stuff, and I’ll definitely be trying more of E. Wedel chocolate in the future!

Wrapper Wednesday: Chocolate Kiwifruit

Today’s Wrapper Wednesday features a box of dark chocolate coated kiwifruit chunks, by small-scale manufacturer Waikato Valley Chocolates, New Zealand.

‘New Zealand’s own little chocolate factory’ has been operating now for around a quarter of a century and are specialists in producing chocolate coated fruit, nuts and other goodies. Since the name ‘kiwi’ is synonymous with ‘New Zealand’, this was one of the first confections my aunt and uncle sent back to me when they emigrated there.

Now here’s an interesting fact to see you through to Fact Friday! New Zealanders are actually called ‘kiwis’ in reference to their iconic and truly unique bird of residence – the small flightless kiwi. There are five known species of the plucky nocturnal avian on the islands and they became a mascot-like figure to the country, and then its people, around the turn of the 20th century.

It wasn’t until 1959 that the ‘Chinese gooseberry’ was later renamed to ‘kiwifruit’ by US importers, so called because of the fruit’s resemblance to the fuzzy brown feathers adorned by some of the kiwi (bird) species!

I remember these candies being rather tasty – little chewy, fresh and tangy nuggets of kiwifruit covered in dark chocolate – rather reminiscent of chocolate raisins but with a ‘kiwi’ twist!

Fact Friday: The Marquis de Sade

Did you know that the infamous Marquis de Sade, Donatien Alphonse François, loved chocolate so much, that he demanded that it be brought to him while serving time in prison for his explicit exploits?

Marquis de Sade 1740-1814

In May 1779, the French writer, philosopher , aristocrat and sexual deviant, wrote to his wife, Renée-Pelagie de Montreuil, that the rations she had previously sent to him were desperately lacking in chocolate; here he begins to list his frustrations, starting with the fact that…

“…the sponge cake is not at all what I asked for. 1st, I wanted it iced all over…2nd I wanted to have chocolate inside as black as the Devil’s arse is from smoke, and there isn’t even the least trace of chocolate. I beg you to have it sent to me at the first opportunity….”

As black as the Devil’s arse is from smoke – that’s how I’m going to refer to all dark chocolate from now on!

Is this demon’s arse chocolatey enough?

Sade was well known for his violent and ‘sadistic’ sexual practices, numerous affairs, violent temper and blasphemous attitude – it’s where we get the term ‘sadism’ today. He spent the last thirteen years of his life in an insane asylum…I wonder if he ever received the chocolate cake he wanted?