Indulge in the luxurious world of dairy-free chocolate. Childhood memories of mass-marketed milk chocolate may have misled us, but true chocolate has no dairy. Discover the richness of dark chocolate, perfect for purists, or explore the whimsical world of dairy-free chocolate options. In this comprehensive guide, we unveil the secrets of dairy-free chocolate.
Chocolate Unleashed
We're all familiar with three types of chocolate – dark, milk, and white (which some argue isn't technically chocolate). Milk and white chocolate do contain dairy, but dark chocolate is a different story. According to the Oxford Dictionary, dark chocolate is "slightly bitter chocolate, deep brown in color, without added milk." That settles it.
What Makes Dark Chocolate Tick?
Pure, delectable dark chocolate only contains two ingredients – cacao beans and sugar. However, most dark chocolate you'll find (excluding small-batch artisanal chocolates) includes a stabilizer and flavoring. Soy lecithin and vanilla are common dairy-free stabilizers and flavorings. You might also come across cocoa butter in your favorite bar – despite its name, it's dairy-free. Cocoa butter is a fat derived solely from the cacao bean, used to create a smooth consistency by suspending sugar crystals in the chocolate. Some manufacturers combine chocolate liquor and cocoa butter for their products, both of which are natural extracts from the cacao bean. Rest assured, there's nothing artificial or dairy-derived in these ingredients.
Does Chocolate Percentage Matter?
Most chocolate bars, especially dark varieties, indicate a percentage on the wrapper. This percentage represents the ratio of cacao beans to sugar. Higher percentages mean more cacao content and a stronger chocolate taste. They are less sweet due to reduced sugar. While dark chocolate can have as low as 15 percent cacao (43 percent in Europe) by US standards, chocolate enthusiasts prefer bars with 70 percent cacao or higher for maximum flavour and health benefits.
Other than Dark Chocolate, what makes White & Milk Chocolate Dairy Free?
First, let's take a closer look at the dairy-free white chocolate bar. Unlike traditional white chocolate, which typically contains milk solids, Pure Heavenly's white chocolate bar in-particular is entirely dairy-free. By Combining cocoa butter, sugar, and a hint of natural vanilla, the rice powder creates a smooth, luxurious texture that melts in your mouth. And because the White Chocolate bar is made with all-natural ingredients and no artificial flavors or preservatives, you can indulge with peace of mind.
Moving on to the silk (milk) chocolate bar, Pure Heavenly uses a unique blend of cocoa butter, rice powder, and chicory fibres to create a silky-smooth texture that's rich in flavour but not overly sweet. The chicory rfibres acts as a natural sweetener, adding a touch of caramel-like sweetness to the chocolate. Additionally, the rice powder not only gives the chocolate its smooth texture but also makes it less dense and more easily digestible.
But what really sets Pure Heavenly apart from other dairy-free chocolate brands is our commitment to using all-natural, plant-based ingredients. Our products are free from soy, palm oil, and other artificial additives that you may find in other dairy-free chocolate brands. Instead we use ingredients like organic cocoa butter and rice powder, both of which have numerous health benefits such as promoting heart health and improving digestion.
So there you have it. Whilst Dark Chocolate (or at least most chocolate bars of this variety) offer a naturally dairy free option, there are a selection of other milk and white chocolate alternatives that offer a superb choice to those who suffer from a dairy intolerance or allergy.