Removing milk from milk chocolate is not simply subtracting an ingredient. Milk powder performs several functions in the product's structure, and each has to be replaced separately.
What does milk powder do in chocolate?
It has four functions.
The first is taste. Lactose and milk proteins soften the bitterness of the cocoa and bring a milky note.
The second is texture. Particles of milk powder form the solid phase of the chocolate alongside the cocoa solids.
The size of those particles determines the smoothness on the palate.
The third is flow. Milk powder affects the viscosity of melted chocolate.
The fourth is colour. Milk solids pull the chocolate toward a lighter brown.
All four functions have to be covered in vegan production; simply removing the milk leaves a product that neither flows nor feels smooth.
Which alternative powders are used?
Five groups get used.
The first is rice powder. The most neutral; it contributes almost no flavour.
It gives the result closest to milk powder in texture.
The second is coconut powder. High in fat and bringing a pronounced aroma.
The third is almond powder. It adds a nutty note and works well in texture.
The fourth is oat powder. It gives a lightly sweet note but has to be certified gluten-free.
The fifth is soya powder. High in protein and providing the profile closest to milk powder, though it brings a pronounced taste.
| Alternative | Flavour | Texture | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice powder | Neutral | Very good | Low |
| Coconut powder | Pronounced | Good | High |
| Almond powder | Nutty | Good | High |
| Oat powder | Lightly sweet | Moderate | Low |
| Soya powder | Pronounced | Good | Moderate |
| Chickpea powder | A pulse note | Moderate | Low |
How is the fat balanced?
Milk powder contains milk fat too.
Full-fat milk powder runs 26 to 28 percent fat.
Removing that fat leaves a gap in the formula.
The gap gets filled with cocoa butter.
The quantity of cocoa butter rises enough to replace the milk fat.
But cocoa butter is expensive; that raises the cost of vegan chocolate.
Some producers use coconut oil.
Its melting behaviour comes close to cocoa butter but it brings aroma.
Total fat stays between 30 and 38 percent; that range is necessary for both flow and melting in the mouth.
Why is an emulsifier necessary?
Chocolate is a system of solid particles dispersed in fat.
Those particles have to distribute evenly and the flow has to hold.
An emulsifier does that job.
Soya lecithin is the most widespread, used at 0.3 to 0.5 percent.
Sunflower lecithin is an alternative suited to people with a soya allergy.
Without an emulsifier the chocolate becomes too viscous to pour into moulds.
Too much emulsifier creates a problem too; the product turns too fluid and coats thinly, so the proportion needs careful setting.
How is the sweetness set?
Lactose is a natural sweetness milk powder brings.
A hundred grams of milk powder contains around 50 grams of lactose.
That sweetness makes up a significant share of the total in milk chocolate.
Removing the milk powder removes that sweetness too.
The sugar rises to compensate, but that makes the product more calorific.
Date powder or coconut sugar serve as alternatives.
Those products bring aroma alongside sweetness.
Some producers keep the sweetness low and bring the product closer to the character of dark chocolate; that is a widespread approach in vegan products.
How does tempering change?
Vegan chocolate tempers differently from milk chocolate.
Milk fat slows the crystallisation of cocoa butter.
Without that fat, crystallisation happens faster.
The tempering temperatures move closer to dark chocolate.
Melting at 45 to 48 degrees.
Cooling to 27 or 28.
Reheating to 31 or 32.
Those figures shift in formulas using vegetable fats; products containing coconut oil have a lower melting point and can stay soft at room temperature.
Which texture problems arise?
Three problems are common.
The first is grittiness. Alternative powders can be ground more coarsely than milk powder.
They leave a grainy sensation on the palate.
The solution extends the conching time; that process reduces the particle size.
The second is insufficient flow. Where fat or emulsifier is lacking the chocolate stays thick.
The third concerns the melting point. Vegetable fats behave differently from cocoa butter.
That leads to the product melting in the hand or melting late in the mouth; formulas weighted toward cocoa butter minimise that problem.
What should be checked on a vegan chocolate label?
Three things get checked when buying vegan chocolate.
The first is the declaration that it contains no milk.
Most dark chocolates already contain none, though some carry traces.
A "may contain milk" warning indicates a risk of cross-contamination.
The second is the source of fat. Products weighted toward cocoa butter are of higher quality.
Palm oil and other vegetable fats lower the cost but texture and taste get lost.
The third is the cocoa content; a high proportion is positive for both taste and nutrition, and vegan products generally keep it above 55 percent.
How is vegan chocolate stored?
Chocolate without milk powder keeps longer.
Rancidity in milk fat is the most widespread cause of deterioration; without that component the shelf life extends.
It keeps twelve to eighteen months in sealed packaging.
The storage temperature is 15 to 18 degrees at below 50 percent humidity.
A fridge should be avoided; humidity and borrowed odours both cause trouble.
It should be protected from light.
A white layer can appear at the surface; that is fat bloom caused by temperature fluctuation, and while the taste is unchanged the appearance suffers and the product can be used melted.
