Chocolate fountains what kind of chocolate

When it comes to buying the perfect chocolate for your chocolate fountain there are several factors that you have to consider. Dipping chocolate has to have a certain percentage of fats to melt smoothly and with the best consistency. None of us want to be faced with the facts when it comes to the calorie content of chocolate, but the honest truth is that dipping chocolate comes with a higher concentration of fat for it to maintain that velvety consistency.

Before pouring into your chocolate fountain, you will have to preheat your chocolate mix first. You could try and reduce the amount of fat in your chocolate mix by melting ordinary chocolate and then adding your own oil and couvertures. However, this might take the skill and patience of a scientist and it might end up not reducing your fat content by that much! You can have any type of chocolate in your fountain, as long as it comes with the requisite fat content.

It will all depend on what dips you plan on having and which chocolate you feel will complement them. This will all depend on how many people you are thinking of entertaining. However, if the notion of vegetable oil in your chocolate makes you flinch, then you can substitute that for coconut or roasted almond oil, which will not only soften your melted chocolate but will also add some extra flavor to your fondue.

Most professional chocolate makers use couverture to achieve that buttery, creamy texture. The chocolate will certainly have to be melted before adding to your fountain, although the built-in heaters of the fountain will maintain the temperature of the chocolate to prevent it from solidifying.

This will be especially important if you are cooking at home. If your fountain as less fat content than required — which could be a possibility if you have added your own couverture — then the chances are that your fountain will have trouble pumping the chocolate through the mechanism, causing problems with the flow and consistency.

The chocolate applied directly to a fountain will be stodgy and lump and might even damage the fountain. Your chocolate will only take around 10 minutes to preheat before pouring into your chocolate fountain, stirring constantly until you get that nice, creamy texture. A general rule for maintaining that soft texture is one cup of oil for every 5 pounds of chocolate.

Chocolate from your fountain should be poured into a glass or plastic baking tray and left to cool on the counter for about half an hour.

Glass is a preferred substance to cool your chocolate in, as it will not transfer any strange odors or tastes into the chocolate as it cools. Once the chocolate has reached as close to a solid state as possible, you can place it in the fridge so that it hardens further.

When it has gone completely solid, you can then break it up and place it in a bag for ease of storage. An economical, resealable bag of pink, strawberry flavoured, Belgian chocolate chips. These pink chocolate chips are created for easy melting with a wide variety of uses in chocolate decoration.

An economical, resealable bag of orange flavoured natural chocolate chips. These Belgian chocolate chips are created for easy melting with a wide variety of uses in decoration and chocolate fountains. An economical resealable bag of white chocolate couverture cooking chocolate chips created for easy melting and a wide variety of uses including baking and chocolate fountains.

An economical resealable bag of milk chocolate chips created for easy melting and a wide variety of uses such as chocolate fountains, chocolate making, moulding and baking.

Remember the fountain has to remain full to ensure a consistent flow of chocolate so allow for this when calculating your requirement.

When using a chocolate fountain for a group of people the general rule of thumb is g of chocolate per person plus above. It is common practise in the hospitality trade to add vegetable oil to the chocolate fountain to create a glossy, fluid flow of chocolate but this is not essential and not to all tastes.

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We know you'll eat them in an instant anyway! A hard-working and palate-pleasing option, leftover ganache also works well for glazing cakes or to place in the center of a chocolate truffle. While almost everything pairs well with chocolate, consider a few important features of the melting process.

Try dipping sliced fruit such as strawberries, bananas, oranges, apples, pineapple, cherries, berries and pears into the flowing chocolate. Freeze fruit before dipping, so the chocolate will not only coat the fruit more quickly, but also prevent the fruit juices from dripping into the chocolate. Dried varieties of fruit also work well. Baked goods, ranging from cookies to cakes, are also good dipping items.

Beyond the obvious, such as chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal-raisin cookies, cheesecake bites, brownie bites and pound cake, try more creative options. Meringues, fortune cookies, doughnuts, popcorn, potato chips, waffles and ice cream sandwiches are all unusual option that will surprise and delight your guests. Consider allergies when choosing ingredients.

Sensitivity to nut allergies and gluten are important when serving a large group of people. Molly is a freelance journalist and social media consultant.