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Food Science Factoids!
Milk chocolate!
You might already know that there is a legal definition of chocolate. I've written a previous newsletter on the different alkalized grades of cocoa.
What I did not know were the details of Milk Chocolate (the more delicious version, in-my-opinion, but less healthy than dark chocolate: which has less than 12% milk solids)...
Milk chocolate must have (1) "Milk solids": at least 12% , and (2) "Milk fat" must be at least 3.39%
The origins of milk chocolate date back to 1875, when Daniel Peter first used his neighbor's condensed milk (and later dried milk) by none other than the original Nestle: Henri Nestle, who had ventured into drying milk for the first infant formula.
Chocolate makers will adjust the ratios or composition of milk solids, such as using nonfat milk powder, skim milk powder, but always the total dry milk must add up to at least 12%, with 3.39% being milk fat. There can be more than this amount, and even dark chocolate can have milk, which I did not know. Often, milk fat will added separately, because in the whole dried milk form, the fats tends to oxidize and have off flavors. In addition, the exact melt, flavor, and mouthfeel can be achieved, depending on the application, by adjusting the milk solids ratios.
Below is a table summarizing all the different legal grades of chocolate:
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