Sugar Savvy

As I am now back in Australia, it seems fitting that I choose an Australian-made piece of confectionary to review instead of one of the many US-bought chocolate bars I brought back with me in my suitcase. Sweet William is a company that makes chocolates free from dairy, gluten, lactose, sugar, cholesterol, peanuts, trans fats, and artificial ingredients. They are certified Halal, Kosher, and vegan, and since February 2008, all of their products are made in a dedicated nut-free facility. I come from a family where allergies and food intolerances abound, so the day I discovered this line of goodies was a happy one. I have tried almost every Sweet William product, and those I have not yet tasted are either sitting unopened in my room - awaiting their moment in the spotlight - or are not yet available in my local supermarkets.

Of the 50g bars, I prefer the plain milk chocolate, while my mother tends towards the roasted almond and rice crackle varieties (I assume the roasted almond bar will not be around for much longer, seeing as the products are now nut free). I am currently on the lookout for the new Carob Deluxe variety, as carob is something I am entirely unfamiliar with. I also have the Not Nuts bar and the chocolate spread ready at hand, the former of which uses soybeans for crunch and the latter of which I’m hoping will make a nice substitue for peanut butter in my oatmeal.

However, I must admit that while each of these chocolates items have been in my room for a week now, I have been so excited by another of the new Sweet William chocolates, the White Delight, that I ate two in a row without trying the Not Nuts or the spread. I know, I know, that contravenes the unspoken moral code of the chocolate reviewer who should be constantly on the hunt for the new and untasted, but what can I say? Dairy-free white chocolate? For your sake, readers, I had to double-check that it was really a viable treat.

I am well aware that the jury is still out as to whether white chocolate is, technically, “chocolate,” and it seems that Sweet William has skirted this issue by calling its product White Delight and describing it as a white chocolate product. Personally, I am so impressed by the ingredient list that I feel quite happy calling it white chocolate; the first ingredient is cane sugar, the second is cocoa butter (at 29%), and these are followed by rice flour, soy flour, inulin, emulsifiers, and natural flavors. That’s all. No partially-hydrogenated oils, no PGPR, in fact, no vegetable oils of any kind, which is more than can be said for many of the “chocolate” candy bars on the market today.

Taste-wise, the White Delight is very sweet, but this is to be expected of white chocolate. It’s very smooth, seems to have a coconut-like aroma, and is just perfect for when I want something rich and decadent at night without having to worry about the effects of caffeine. The Sweet William line does lack dark chocolate varieties but, as most good quality dark chocolate is dairy-free and vegan friendly, I do not see this as a strike against the company. Instead, Sweet William offers milk and white chocolates suitable for a wide range of dietary needs and, most importantly, ensures that despite all the “free froms” on the packaging, the chocolate inside remains very tasty.

Photo courtesy of www.sweetwilliam.com.au