Chocolate fondue fountain
It is often said that every fad comes back into fashion with time. Much like flared jeans and platform shoes, the fondue pot has made a comeback. What once was the groovy cheese-filled, candle-powered culinary prerequisite for every happening party of the 1970s now is a thermostatically controlled electric fountain; spouting a river of rich chocolate sauce. These decadent dessert pieces are springing up everywhere from upscale restaurants to birthday parties. Surrounded by piles of finger foods that are perfect for dipping, a chocolate fondue fountain is a sure way delight you guests and liven any occasion.
Chocolate Fondue
The foundation of a fondue fountain is the chocolate sauce that flows from it. To make a basic chocolate fondue, finely chop 1 pound of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Set the chopped chocolate aside, and pour 1 cup of whipping cream into a medium sized saucepan. Heat the cream over medium-low until it begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to low and add the chocolate. Keep the pan over the heat until the chocolate begins to melt, then remove, cover and let stand until the chocolate has softened. Whisk in 1 tbsp. of brandy, cognac, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, Irish cream or creme de menthe, and beat until smooth. Transfer the mixture to the fondue pot and use immediately. For white chocolate fondue, substitute white chocolate chips for the chopped semisweet chocolate. To color coordinate your fountain with your other party decorations, add a bit of food coloring paste to a white chocolate fondue and stir until well blended.
Foods to Dip
You'll want to offer your guests a variety of items to dip into the smooth chocolate sauce. When choosing these foods, try to focus on items that will not crumble or deteriorate with handling. Set out small dishes of sweets such as marshmallows, caramels, and Rice Krispie treats; and fruits such as strawberries, apples, pears, cherries, mangos and oranges. Cut these soft foods into bite-sized pieces and be sure to have handfuls of long skewers nearby to ease the dipping process. For those who would rather skip the spearing, offer goodies that can be easily and neatly held in the fingers, such as pretzel sticks, cookies, graham crackers, crystallized ginger, dried pineapple slices and brazil nuts.
Hints
Choose the highest quality of chocolate you can afford. Cheap chocolate creates a fondue that is not as flavorful and may have an unpleasant, grainy texture. Once you get the hang of using your fondue fountain, feel free to experiment. Try different dippers or select a sauce other than chocolate. For example, try melting butterscotch chips or make a caramel-apple dip fountain; you can even revert to the old standard and use it to serve a cheese sauce.
Tags: chocolate sauce, white chocolate, chocolate fondue, fondue fountain, fondue fountain, semisweet chocolate, until chocolate