Nestlé invented white chocolate in 1936 Swiss labs just to use up surplus cacao butter from regular chocolate production.
White chocolate
Learn how to make vegan white chocolate at home in minutes with just 5 ingredients! Creamy, buttery, smooth and rich.
The Story
White chocolate itself is a Swiss accident—Nestlé invented it in 1936 Vevey to use up surplus milk powder from vitamin production, never intending it as confectionery royalty, but swap dairy milk powder for coconut milk powder and suddenly you've got a Southeast Asian twist that would make those stoic Swiss chocolatiers choke on their fondue in bewildered admiration.
Regional Twist
In Kerala's coastal kitchens, cooks swap the vegetable shortening for extra coconut oil and double the coconut milk powder, pushing this toward a tropical barfi-adjacent treat that leans harder into coconut's fat content than the original's more restrained American sweetness.
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
6
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 6🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1/2 cup coconut milk powder
- 4 ounces raw cacao butter (3/4 cup chopped small)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- tiny pinch of salt, optional (1/8th tsp)
📦Other(1)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
322
Protein
0g
Carbs
20g
Fat
27g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
If your cacao butter comes in large chunks, chop them a bit smaller so they will melt more quickly.
- 2
In a heat safe bowl, add the cacao butter and shortening. Place the bowl on top of a small-medium sized pot with a few inches of simmering water. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Let it melt, stirring frequently. This will take about 10 minutes, and it will look like oil.
- 3
Now add the powdered sugar, powdered coconut milk, vanilla and a tiny pinch of salt. Whisk until fairly smooth, about 2 minutes.
- 4
Carefully, using hot pads, transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Pour into chocolate molds. TIP! Place the molds on a flat surface like a baking sheet and move very carefully so they liquid chocolate doesn't spill out before it has a chance to harden.
- 5
Refrigerate until solid, about 30 minutes. You can also stick them in the freezer to speed this up. Enjoy! Store white chocolate in a covered container in the refrigerator or freezer.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Chop cacao butter into pieces no larger than 1/2 inch before melting to increase surface area and reduce melting time from 15 minutes to 8-10 minutes, since smaller pieces conduct heat more efficiently through their cross-section.technique≤1/2 inch pieces | 8-10 minutes vs 15 minutes
- ✓Maintain water bath temperature between 120-130°F (not boiling) because cacao butter has a melting point of 93-97°F; higher heat risks scorching and separating the cocoa solids from fat, causing grainy texture and blooming.equipment120-130°F water bath temperature
- ✓Add powdered ingredients (sugar, coconut milk) to melted fat at exactly 115°F before blending, not hotter, because temperatures above 120°F will cause powdered sugar to hydrate unevenly and create lumps that blenders cannot fully emulsify.timing115°F before blending | 2 minutes whisking
- ✓Refrigerate at 38-40°F for exactly 30 minutes rather than freezing, because slow crystallization at refrigerator temperature produces the snap and glossy finish; freezing below 0°F causes too-rapid crystal formation, resulting in dull, brittle chocolate.timing38-40°F for 30 minutes (not freezer)
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of cacao butter to vegetable shortening (4 oz each) because this 50% fat ratio reduces cacao butter's viscosity enough for smooth blending while maintaining cocoa flavor; less shortening creates graininess, more creates waxy mouthfeel.ingredient1:1 ratio | 50% fat content
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