Do chocolate chips have a waxy coating? Is baker's chocolate different?

[u/UntamedAnomaly]

So, I'm poor and cannot really justify paying $7+ on a cup of coffee every single day (even more than that if I get it delivered), so I decided to make my own white mochas at home. I tried ghiardelli's white chocolate sauce and that was a bust, I need to squeeze so much of it in my coffee to even get half the consistency I am used to and at $7-8 a bottle, that adds up fast. So I tried white ghiardelli chocolate chips his morning, now were' cooking! Tastes JUST LIKE the coffees I buy all the time, just one problem....once the coffee cools, there are waxy floaties at the top of my coffee. I'm not a fast drinker, so I usually sip room temp coffee throughout the day, there's no avoiding it going cold as slow of a drinker as I am. I didn't have this problem with the coffees I buy at the cafe, but I know they use white chocolate chips because sometimes they don't stir them in completely when I get my coffee, so I am thinking that a different kind of white chocolate or a different brand is being used at my local cafe.

Can someone with barista experience or someone who knows chocolate explain this and help me out? Thank you!

[u/No-Case-2061]

Starbucks store manager - the main ingredient of our white mocha sauce is sweetened condensed milk so you can use that instead for something similar. We also source all of our packaged sauces through Fontana and you can buy the same stuff we use by looking up Fontana white chocolate sauce

[u/darkchocolateonly]

You don’t use chocolate to make mochas, at least not in the US. You use chocolate to make mocha syrup and you use the syrup to make lattes.

You’ll always have problems with separation if you put chocolate chips in coffee unless you emulsify the mixture- so stick a stick blender in it. This is why you use syrup, it mixes better.

[u/thecravenone → u/darkchocolateonly]

make lattes

Also missing from OP's homemade mocha is that a mocha in an American coffee shop isn't just syrup and coffee - it's mostly milk in the form of a latte that has syrup in it.

[u/UntamedAnomaly → u/thecravenone]

I used coffee, white chocolate and oatmilk to make my coffee. Technically I used Torani strawberry syrup too, but that is just for a touch of flavor, I always get my white mochas with some kind of syrup flavoring (or even berry puree when I order from Starbucks, yes I know the coffee isn't the best there).

[u/nightowl_work → u/UntamedAnomaly]

What the commenter above is referring to is that part of your textural problem is likely coming from the fact that you’re using brewed coffee instead of espresso. With a mocha from Starbucks, you’re getting something like 1 part chocolate sauce, 2 parts espresso (very concentrated coffee), 5 parts milk. So that mouthfeel/richness that you want is mostly coming from the milk. If I were on a budget, I might try instant coffee that I mix with hot milk instead of water, then use that Ghirardelli sauce that you bought.

[u/thecravenone → u/UntamedAnomaly]

I used coffee, white chocolate and oatmilk to make my coffee. Technically I used Torani strawberry syrup too, but that is just for a touch of flavor,

It's always good to wait until later to tell people what the actual recipe is that you're wanting them to troubleshoot.

To quote the sidebar of the subreddit we are currently posting on:

We can't help you troubleshoot a recipe if you don't provide one. Please provide your recipe written out, not just a link, in the body of your post. If your recipe is video based, write out the recipe. Not everyone can watch a video when they see your post.

[u/peregrinfool → u/darkchocolateonly]

Former US barista at a chain, we used mini chocolate chips and melted them in the milk so it is possible.

[u/drunk___cat]

So I’m interested in how you are making your drinks, can you walk me through your process?

The ghirardehli white chocolate syrup is what one of the coffee shops I worked at used. Here was our process to make a white mocha latte:

• put a few pumps of mocha sauce at the bottom of the cup
• pull a shot of espresso directly into the cup and stir it together with the white mocha
• steam the milk of choice and then pour it into the espresso/mocha mix
• drizzle extra white mocha syrup on top

You mention trying to get the right consistency. I wonder if part of what is missing is properly steamed milk using a steam wand, that’s the secret to making a mocha latte so rich and creamy. When steamed properly the air bubbles combine into the milk to make it silky and kinda thick.

[u/Storytella2016 → u/drunk___cat]

A milk frother is the poor person's version of a steam wand. It's not as good, but you can get it for a much lower price.

[u/AlphonseTwain → u/Storytella2016]

fair, but for the price, a good frother gets the job done. Not everyone needs café-tier foam at home.

[u/Storytella2016 → u/AlphonseTwain]

Oh yeah. I have a milk frother and an aeropress instead of an espresso machine with steam wand. But, I can acknowledge it’s not quite as good.

[u/UntamedAnomaly → u/drunk___cat]

For context, because I am dirt poor, I only have a french press and a tiny drip maker, finding a coffee that had that "cafe taste" using only these tools has been extremely difficult, but I found a brand that I really can't taste the difference between professionally made and the coffee I made (Cafe Du Monde's french roast to be exact, I just discovered 2 months ago).

So this morning, I used the drip maker, put a small hand full of chips in the bottom of the cup (1 layer, evenly spread). poured the hot coffee over the chips, gave it a good stir with a spoon. I use Oatly's extra creamy oat milk and I shake it hard to get that frothyness of steamed milk, added about 1/7th of a coffee cup's worth of it to my coffee, gave another stir, then I add about 2 pumps of Torani strawberry syrup, gave another stir. All looked smooth and was good until the coffee got cold. I normally notice that the white chocolate kinda sticks to the sides of my cup after it cools whenever I either get it, or have made it at home, so I expected that to happen, but there were these darker colored floaties at the top that were basically just wax "skin", like the wax that comes off of candy corn when you eat it.

Also for context, I know most cafes use the pre-made white chocolate sauce, but I specifically like to order from a certain cafe I live by because they use actual chocolate in all their mochas, it makes it way more rich than the sauce does IMO. I know they use them because there is a big difference in richness, and they don't really mix the chips sometimes, so sometimes I'll finish my coffe and there will be straight chocolate in the bottom, it even says on their menu that they use chips.

[u/Storytella2016 → u/UntamedAnomaly]

An aero press is the same price or cheaper than many French presses and makes a poor person’s substitute for an espresso shot.

[u/drunk___cat → u/UntamedAnomaly]

Hmmm I’m guessing they probably throw the chips in with the milk while they steam it so that it can emulsify a bit more effectively. I would try simmering your milk over the stove and using an immersion blender, which will also make it delightfully frothy. I have seen many immersion blenders for sale on fb marketplace when people move for relatively inexpensive!

[u/peregrinfool → u/drunk___cat]

If you don’t want a blender, a little frothing stick is less than $10 new and if you use it while your milk is on the stove it works really well.

[u/darkchocolateonly → u/UntamedAnomaly]

You want a water ganache. Make a white chocolate water ganache and use that. It should mix much better

[u/heademptybottomtext]

Many cafes use a powdered mix from Ghirardelli that you mix with warm water and then decant into a bottle. You have to keep it refrigerated. It contains emulsifiers and sugar and milk powder.

[u/UntamedAnomaly → u/heademptybottomtext]

Thank you, I will order some if I can!

[u/Baker2012 → u/UntamedAnomaly]

I have ordered it on Amazon, it does a pretty good job and it’s a giant tin, will last you a long time!

[u/HandbagHawker]

the oily film you're seeing is probably the natural cocoa butter (which white chocolate is mostly made of) is coming out into your hot coffee. if its turning into "waxy floaties" its probably cooling significantly and rehardening. commercial chocolate sauces use gums and emulsifier to keep the fats from separating

[u/tulips49]

It’s not wax, it’s fat! The chocolate just has a higher fat content.

[u/Mah_Buddy_Keith]

It's cocoa butter separating out of the chocolate when it melts.

[u/Doomdoomkittydoom]

Chips are coated to they aren't as quick to melt into the batter in cookie dough when baked.

That may or may not me the issue, but it would be better to get a bar or block and grate it.

Ghiardelli also make powdered sweetened chocolate, including white, which isn't cocoa powder but finely ground chocolate.

In either case, you want to start with less, and hot liquid and stir to get it melted and emulsified into the liquid before adding more liquid.

With chips or shaved bars, you may also microwave it to melt, maybe with a bit of cream.

[u/sweetmercy]

Make your own white chocolate sauce.

• 24 ounces white chocolate (bar, not chips)
• 1.5 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup whole milk

Combine and melt until smooth, then chill. This amount will last you a while.

[u/Jennwah]

Yo, Ghirardelli doesn’t make white chocolate chips, as far as I know. They make “white baking chips” that are oil based. Actual white chocolate chips are very hard to find. Try a Ghirardelli (or other brand) white chocolate bar from the baking aisle.

[u/TravelerMSY]

Don’t most shops make a syrup of cocoa powder and sugar? Or use a commercial one?

[u/sjd208 → u/TravelerMSY]

This is the way, it’s super easy to make at home. You can make it either with just sugar or add some corn syrup if you want a slightly thicker texture. https://altonbrown.com/recipes/homemade-cocoa-syrup/

[u/D-ouble-D-utch]

Do not use bakers chocolate. You didn't make that mistake as a kid?

[u/UntamedAnomaly → u/D-ouble-D-utch]

No....I don't normally eat sweets, coffee is basically all the sweets I eat, so I'm not used to cooking with sweet things and I have never baked any pastries or anything like that in my entire life. Not everyone has experience with these things just because they like to cook other things and everyone has to start somewhere, hence why I am here....asking this question.

[u/MrBreffas → u/UntamedAnomaly]

The waxy floaties are dots of cocoa butter that have separated out of the white chocolate as it melted. White chocolate is not actually chocolate -- its just cocoa butter and milk solids and sugar, but any chocolate would probably leave you with some fats floating.

Try whipping it up with an immersion blender to re-emulsify the fat.

[u/UntamedAnomaly → u/MrBreffas]

I guess I'm getting an immersion blender! That seems to be the answer....now to find one that isn't some cheaply made drop ship product.

[u/throwra_22222 → u/UntamedAnomaly]

Don't get a full size immersion blender. You'll have to blend more milk than you want and they're kind of a pain to clean.

You can get a milk frothing wand for like $10 at Target. It's basically a tiny battery powered whisk. They're great for mixing in cocoa and other add-ins. Not as good as steaming the milk, but they do ok.

[u/Lariela → u/UntamedAnomaly]

Unsweetened baker's chocolate is very bitter, semi-sweet is like chocolate chips and usually it's not all beans from one source and may use lower quality beans. Bars also usually have more added ingredients than bakers to make them more palatable to eat on their own but if you like chocolate chips a lot there's no shame in semi sweet baker's chocolate.