Chocolate fountains are increasingly used during the holidays to decorate and liven up the celebration. There are also large options in several sections - they are used in restaurants, summer cafes, at parties. A small model for home use is also available. It is not difficult to use the fountain, no special training is required. It is only important to choose the right chocolate.
To determine which chocolate is best for your chocolate fountain, read the instructions carefully. The best option is to choose products specifically designed for use in fountains. But for some cases, specially prepared mixtures are suitable that will not interfere with the operation of the device and taste good.
What types of chocolate are suitable for fountains
In a chocolate fountain, you can use the following chocolate:
1. Designed for filling fountains - it differs from a simple one by a low melting point, optimal viscosity, beautiful shine and the desired fluidity. Chocolate has earned a good reputation from manufacturers from England, but Belgium is still the recognized leader in this matter.
2. Confectionery chocolate in the form of galllets, which is diluted with odorless vegetable oil or cocoa butter. For a chocolate fountain and for use in desserts, it is preferable to choose the brands Cacao Barry, JM Posner, Callebaut and others like that. Butter should be added depending on the amount of chocolate - one tenth of the total weight.
3. Slab chocolate, melted and mixed with butter (cocoa or odorless vegetable). Tiles can be solid or porous, you need to choose those that do not contain fillers such as nuts or waffles, dried fruits. They can get caught in the fountain mechanism and damage it. It is very undesirable to buy cheap chocolate for the fountain - it contains many particles harmful to the mechanism, which can lead to damage to the device. Oil for dilution such chocolate requires more than a tenth, which is bad for its taste and quality.
4. Mass of chocolate for fountains - it is produced in a form prepared for loading and does not require mixing with any ingredients. But when buying it, you need to carefully study the composition. Most often, it does not contain cocoa butter, which makes the product inexpensive. But without oil, you cannot achieve sufficient viscosity and fluidity, so manufacturers add another, and they do not always indicate its name in the composition. Such chocolate usually does not have an ideal consistency, forms clots that, when launched, spoil the entire appearance of pouring chocolate.
Whichever chocolate is chosen for the fountain, it must be prepared before refueling.
Methods for preparing chocolate for a fountain
Before starting the fountain, you need to melt the chocolate. To do this, you can use the following methods:
- water bath;
- in the microwave using suitable utensils;
- in the microwave in its own product packaging;
- special devices for melting (it is advisable to use a professional fountain designed for a large number of people);
- melting in the lowest bowl of the fountain (suitable only for owners of small devices for home use, since a considerable load is created on the engine).
When using plain chocolate for the fountain, be sure to thin it with butter. Cocoa butter is best added to chocolate during melting, vegetable butter - after it. Before pouring the finished product into the fountain bowl, heat it up.
