Bars of milk chocolate can be easily melted for use in a chocolate fondue fountain.
Ahhhhhhhh, chocolate! Yet to be named one of the essential food groups, this creamy, sugary substance many times cures what ails us. And what better way to honor this fabulous food than by watching it flow like a river down the tiers of a chocolate fondue fountain before we devour it on the end of a pretzel stick? There are different types of chocolates with different types of consistency for all types of personalities and tastes.
Store-bought Chocolate
Pricier chocolates contain more cocoa butter than less expensive brands, and are found at most grocery stores. They can be used in bar form that is easily melted. Less expensive brands can also be melted and used in your fountain, although they sometimes need oil additives to gain the desired consistency.
Custom Chocolates
Some chocolate lovers insist that to have the best chocolate for your fountain, you should purchase it by special order or go to a specialty store that carries "chocolate fountain chocolate." You can special order Belgian chocolates online that are rich in cocoa butter and are made specifically for fountains. These chocolates normally come in discs of white, semi-sweet and milk chocolate that are simply melted in a pan or the microwave.
Pairing Chocolates with Dippers
Most chocolates, whether store-bought or special ordered, come in semi-sweet (dark) chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate. Experts at Chocoley recommend semi-sweet chocolate for either higher sugar or natural sugar content items, including strawberries, bananas or other fruits, marshmallows, cookies or candies. Milk chocolate is best paired with less sweet items, such as pretzels, nuts, dried fruits and potato chips. White chocolate, Chocoley says, goes with just about anything -- use it for a different look. There is also Coverture Chocolate, which is made up of at least 32 percent cocoa butter, and is mainly used to create a shiny gloss on fruit and other dipping items and is used by many in fountains.
Chocolate Additions
Less expensive chocolates purchased at the store will require the addition of a tbsp. or two of oil until you get the consistency you desire. A little paraffin wax will give an extra shine to your chocolate, and is mostly used for fruits such as strawberries. Some websites offer oil-based chocolate colorings in blue, green and an array of colors to make your chocolate fountain a sight to be remembered.
Tags: cocoa butter, milk chocolate, chocolate fondue, chocolate fondue fountain, chocolate fountain