Fondue Fundamentals

Fondue, Texas style

Fountain fundamentals

Chocolate fountains are the embodiment of childhood fantasies. Chocolate rivers run throughout childrens culture from The Big Rock Candy Mountain to the Candyland Board Game. It seems that flowing chocolate has eclipsed dancing sugarplums as the dreamy confection of choice for American kids. There are a few things to keep in mind before setting up a chocolate fountain and living the dream.

Chocolate that has a high cocoa butter content, couverture chocolate, is recommended to ensure the constant flow of your chocolate fountain. By using this type of chocolate you will avoid the need for viscosity increasing additives such as cooking oil.

Chocolate fountains are meant only to keep chocolate melted and flowing, not for the primary melt. Be sure that when planning to use a chocolate fountain that there are facilities for initially melting the chocolate.

Chop bar chocolate into chunks that are no larger than 1 square inch.

A double boiler is the ideal, although it may not be a practical choice. An alternative is to use a zip shut freezer bag in the microwave. Cutting a hole at its corner is the best way to empty the bag. Waste is kept to a minimum by rolling it towards the spout like you would with a tube of toothpaste.

You will want to preheat your fountain for three to five minutes. The fountain operates at about 125 degrees.

What to dip in chocolate fountain

Chocolate fondue fountains have as many if not more dipping options as their cheesy counterparts. Many things taste better coated in chocolate but some are often overlooked in favor of more conventional choices. Chocolate as a complement to salty snack items are often a big a hit, even if they seem to be a bit more exotic than fruits and other confections.

One of the tastiest items to dip into a chocolate fountain is a salted nut. Cashews, peanuts, pecans, or walnuts are all incredibly delicious. They can also be a nice way to segue into less familiar savory items.

Take a cue from the Texas state fair and offer cookies like Oreos and chocolate chip. Cookies provide nice texture juxtaposition.

Graham Crackers are a tasty item to put out for guests.

Another cracker that can be used is a Matzo. These are quite popular at Bat and Bar Mitzvahs.

Fortune cookies can be used as a fun and tasty conversation starter.

As crazy as it may sound, the absolute best item to dunk is pretzels. The texture of the course salt and the crusty pretzel is quite nice when coupled with the smooth refined sweetness of the couverture chocolate.

Strawberries and bananas are traditional favorites but don't forget other fruits that are sometimes overlooked. Mangos add a sweet and complex flavor that mixes extremely well with the chocolate.

More information on fondue sets