Callebaut Milk Chocolate
My disdain for milk chocolate lies somewhere between lite butter and decaf espresso. If dark chocolate is the dapper epicure with a sharp jaw line, biting into his very rare steak au poivre, milk chocolate is his doddery uncle, gumming at mashed potatoes, with dusty old candies melting in his hands and pockets. No teeth, no style. The harsh sugar, a vague graininess, and that bizarre waxiness have historically steered me away. Nestle Smarties and Cadbury provided some rare bright spots, but overall the landscape remained dim.
Enter toffee season.
My aunt's toffee recipe requires a mix of milk and dark chocolate in a goldilocks attempt to prevent the jar of a bitter bite or tongue coating sugar, and instead achieve a "just right" balance. This year I carried the toffee torch and the shopping responsibilities with it. I bought the chocolate, not thinking much of it, and set out to make my toffee. As I stood there waiting for the butter and sugar to caramelize, I aimlessly reached out for some dark chocolate. My hand must have slipped because a burst of milk chocolate melted in my mouth and destroyed all of my previous prejudices. Silky, rich, smooth, and flavorful. I reached back for more. And more. And then I made everyone in my family taste what I had discovered: Callebaut Belgian milk chocolate. Otherwise known as milk chocolate crack. Creamy with an edge of butterscotch, it's impossibly addicting, especially when I'm trying to be good this holiday season. If you want to cook with it, it has a luscious liquidity, but I like shaving off pieces and snacking on them. Enjoy!
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