What is it?

Technically not chocolate at all, white chocolate consists of cocoa butter mixed with sugar, milk solids, and flavorings. It doesn’t have the intense, deep flavors of real chocolate, but its mellow sweetness and pale color give it an important place in the sweet kitchen, especially when used together with another type of chocolate. To be sold as white chocolate, it must contain at least 20 percent cocoa butter.

Look-alikes are sold under names like “white chips” or “white baking bar.” These are made with vegetable oils in place of some or all of the cocoa butter. They may also contain more sugar and off-tasting artificial flavorings.

Two of our favorite white chocolate brands are Green & Black’s and Lindt.

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Recipes

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  Chocolate Raspberry Charlotte Royale

  Deep chocolate cake and ganache with a creamy raspberry interior and a stunning presentation make this showstopper the perfect end to any celebratory meal. See the article for step-by-step photos.…

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  Hazelnut White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

  These sophisticated cookies combine the flavors of earthy hazelnuts and sweet white chocolate. Depending on your craving, you can finish these bars with either bittersweet chocolate ganache or sour cream…

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  白巧克力Bark with Pistachios, Raspberries and Candied Violets

  This colorful bark explodes with tart, toasty flavors.

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  Eggnog-White Chocolate Mousse

  The delicate sweetness of white chocolate perfectly complements the traditional eggnog flavors of this dreamy, cloud-like mousse.

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  Poached Pear & Pistachio Tart

  This recipe adds an exotic note to the classic poached pear tart, with pistachios in the crust and topping and cardamom in the filling. For best results, chill the filled…

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  Red Wine-Poached Pear & Almond Tart

  Poaching pears in red wine gives them a gorgeous ruby hue for topping this ultimate fall tart. For best results, chill the filled tart before topping it with the fruit;…

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  White Forest Cake

  This impressive spin on a Black Forest cake uses sweet white chocolate instead of dark chocolate. The cake and cherries can be prepared ahead, but the white chocolate mousse has…

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  白巧克力Coconut Cake

  Coconut cake makes me think of Christmas. The white-flocked cake looks so magnificent at the center of a holiday table that I can’t help but save this recipe for December…

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  白巧克力and Sour Cherry Semifreddo

  Tart-sweet sour cherry jam beautifully offsets the creamy white chocolate in this dessert. For the best flavor, search out white chocolate made from cocoa butter, not vegetable fat as is…