“Paladar” blindly tested 12 samples for their appearance, aroma, texture and flavour; check the ranking
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Now that there is no doubt that white chocolate is, yes, chocolate, nothing could be fairer than redeeming ourselves with a sort of historical reparation: organizing a great trial, along the lines of Taste – What that style enthusiasts have always asked for, but we, out of sheer prejudice, have refused to make it happen.
To organize the blind tasting we collect white chocolate bars from markets, specialized shops and chocolate factories. from bean to bar. We have chosen 12 samples, all of pure white chocolate, without additions such as fruit, nuts, rice flakes. The recipe could include, at most, some vanilla for flavoring, as industrialized options use and abuse this artificial flavor.
The tasting took place in the courtyard of Preto Cozinha, in Pinheiros, last Monday afternoon. The selected jury was composed of the chocolatier Caio Corrêa, the journalist Diego Ortiz, the sommelière Lena Mattar, the chef of AE Cozinha Walkyria Fagundes and Rhaiza Zanetti, sous chef of Tuju.
The bars were evaluated for their visual appearance, aroma, texture and flavor. And the result is categorical: less is more. The fewer artificial flavors, vegetable fats (other than cocoa butter), and emulsifiers, the better. Chocolates made only with sugar, powdered milk and cocoa butter have left behind their fellows loaded with (unnecessary) additives.
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Alternative vegetable fats are used to make the product cheaper. “Cocoa butter is a noble and expensive ingredient,” says Zelia Frangioni, certified chocolate taster and author of Chocólatras Online. According to the rules of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), white chocolate “must consist of at least 20% of the total solid part of cocoa butter” – which is very little. chocolate signs from bean to bar use 35 to 40% cocoa butter (quality) in their recipes.
Since it is not deodorized (as in the version used in large industries), the natural cocoa butter gives the chocolate the flavors and aromas of cocoa, making it unnecessary to add flavorings to the recipe. “As we get used to consuming flavored chocolates, it is normal to find chocolate without them strange. But this is real chocolate.
The best white chocolate bars
- 1. Louise Abraham
- 2. Mestizo
- 3. Thanks
The 12 brands evaluated in alphabetical order
Cocoa show – LaCreme Branco
The artificial vanilla flavor and lingering fatness in the mouth made the judges realize that this was an industrialized sample. Even so, they liked what they tasted. “Compared to its peers, it is a good product,” agreed the judges (R$15.90; 100g)
Casa Lasevicius – Vanilla pod
The champion almost won a place on the podium. She was satisfied with the texture – soft, creamy and easy to melt -, with the aroma of cocoa and the balanced sweetness. She only lost points for the excessive vanilla flavor which, despite being of good quality, made the bar a bit cloying (R $16; 40g)
Danke: pure white
The balanced flavour, with hints of milk and cocoa butter and the right amount of sugar, earned the champion third place on the podium. The judges also praised its melt-in-your-mouth goodness. “It can be seen that it is a less industrialized chocolate”, ventured a judge (R$ 16.90; 90g)
Lad
The chocolate had flaws such as sandy texture and low melt in the mouth. It has an artificial aroma typical of industrialized samples, as well as an excess of fat that persists in the mouth. A bitter aftertaste, as highlighted by some judges, dropped the sample several positions in the ranking (R$ 7.31; 80g)
Hershey’s
The excess sugar in the recipe also manifested itself in the texture of the chocolate, full of crystals. Despite the good melting in the mouth, the sample lost even more points for the taste, “very artificial”, and for the residual fat (R$ 5.41; 82g)
Copenhagen – White Tablet
Despite the rough texture and artificial aroma, it’s a chocolate that definitely has its audience. It tastes like powdered milk (the most famous one, you know?!), the judges agreed (R$27.90; 100g)
Lacta – Laka
Where’s the cocoa butter? Where’s the milk? According to the jury, the chocolate had a very artificial aroma and taste, as well as excessive sweetness. “It tastes like nothing, just sugar,” summed up one of the judges (R$7.21; 80g)
Luisa Abram – Extra Creamy White
The chocolate truly lives up to its name: “very creamy,” the judges unanimously praised. The texture is soft, with good meltability. While the excellent aroma of cocoa stands out on the nose, milky notes reign in the mouth, as well as the right amount of sugar (R$ 25.50; 80g)
Manah – White 35% cocoa
The chocolate, which the judges perceived as ‘handmade’, had great potential. Soft and creamy texture, with good meltability, cocoa aroma and balanced sugar. It just slipped in flavor, which boils down to cocoa butter, as well as leaving a slightly bitter aftertaste. (BRL 18; 42g)
Mestizo – White 35% cocoa
The product surprises before reaching the mouth, with the intense (and delicious) aroma of cocoa. It has a mild flavor of cocoa butter and milk, is just right and melts well, leaving no greasy residue in your mouth. “It’s easy to see that this is a quality product” (22 BRL; 60 g)
Milka
“Too artificial, too fat, too sweet, too mean,” summed up one of the judges. The bar had the flaws expected of industrialized options, but the “strange” taste, which was not that of milk or cocoa, displeased the jury and eliminated any possibility of the chocolate exceeding the average. (BRL 15.90; 100g)
Nestle – Galak
“Not funny,” the judges called. In addition to the pale color, the judges complained about the chocolate’s lack of flavor and too much sugar. The sandy consistency caused the champion to lose even more points, dropping him in the standings (R$ 7.31; 80g)
meet the jury
Caius Correa
Pastry chef and chocolatier, in 2014, he was champion in the Easter egg tasting of the taste with your crispy egg. As a pastry teacher, you have worked at Le Cordon Bleu and at the Chocolate Academy. Today he works as a consultant in his sector.
Diego Ortiz
Journalist and sneakerhead, he declares himself a great connoisseur of the white chocolate brands available on the market. In the tasting he showed what he had arrived at when he added: “this is the Laka, I’m sure of it”. Nailed it.
Lena Mattar
Advertiser, sommelier and author of the recipe newsletter that bears her name, she prefers white chocolate to dark chocolate. “When I want to eat chocolate, I wear white.”
Rhaiza Zanetti
Sous chef of the Tuju restaurant – which by the way is about to reopen its doors – has already sweetened the lives of many people with his refined bonbons.
Walkyria Fagundes
Chef of AE Cozinha, he designs the restaurant’s exquisite desserts.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
