Why you should be caramelising white chocolate and how to cook with it

(images: Katelyn Williams | iStock)

Sometimes delicious things are invented by accident (like brownies!) and it was in 2006 that a chef at Valhrona accidentally left some white chocolate in a water bath for several hours. When he came back it was golden brown and had amazing roasted shortbread notes. It was so good the chocolate company turned it into a product they call ‘blonde’ chocolate. But it’s so easy to make at home!

STEP 1: Start with 300g really good-quality white chocolate. I’ve tried this with baking chocolate and it works too, but obviously doesn’t taste the same. Try using a white chocolate with 30% cocoa butter. Place the chopped chocolate on a baking tray and drizzle with 1 Tbs vegetable oil.

STEP 2: Place the tray in an oven preheated to 150⁰C (or 130⁰C if you have a fan-forced oven) and roast it for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until it’s a deep caramel colour.

Don’t worry if it starts to look grainy and lumpy, just keep spreading it out and it will come together at the end.

STEP 3: If the chocolate is still lumpy at the end of roasting it, place it in a blender or add another tablespoon of oil to bring it back together. Add a pinch of sea salt. Pour it into a jar or onto a baking sheet and allow it set. Break it into pieces and keep it in an airtight container.

If you haven’t already eaten everything you just made, here are some ideas on how to use the caramelised white chocolate:

1. Sandwich cookies together (like these double chocolate Milo cookies).

2. Spread on top of a simple sponge cake to give it that wow factor.

3. Use it instead of white chocolate – like in these blondies.

4. Spread it on slices of freshly baked banana bread.

5. Drizzle it over ice cream.

6. Blend it into a milkshake (for summer) or an epic hot chocolate (in winter).

Or you could just eat it with a spoon – that works, too!

Katelyn Williams is the brains and talent behind one of SA’s most successful baking blogs, The Kate Tin. Follow her sugary, sweet journey on Instagram!

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