Located in northern Argentina, Cerro Blanco is a caldera volcano whose past activity formed one of the most extreme megaripple fields on earth. Really, I just wanted a chance to say 'megaripple field.' The ripples were formed by wind whipping gravel, lava and salt into solid waves that go on for miles. Just thinking of crossing these makes me hungry. We of course paired this mountain with our white chocolate truffle (aka conito). I know what you're thinking when I say white chocolate. I've been a nonfan of the stuff for ages, but I decided to educate myself about this chocolate imposter. My love of conitos is just that strong.
Understanding White Chocolate
Ok, so it turns out, white chocolate really is chocolate - cocoa making up to 45% of its mass. Dark chocolate is a mix of cocoa nibs, sugar, emulsifiers, and flavorings suspended in cocoa butter. White chocolate switches out the cocoa nibs for milk solids, but it's still floating in cocoa butter. Cocoa being the operative word here. The result is smooth and satiny.
The Real Deal
And apparently I’ve been eating the bad kind (thanks America). Pure white chocolate should only contain sugar, cocoa butter, milk solids and, possibly, lecithin and vanilla. It should be slightly yellow or ivory, not bright white (which means it's been bleached and probably deodorized). And it should have a chocolate-y smell and taste. It goes without saying that we here at Wooden Table Baking Co. only use the good kind of white chocolate for our truffles. Andrés is after all on a mission to make the yummiest treats possible, and these white chocolate mountains filled with dulce de leche are honestly delectable!
