Fondue is an exquisite and atmospheric dessert that has won the hearts of many people worldwide. A romantic date, a friendly get-together, or a family celebration — it fits perfectly everywhere. And a chocolate fountain can easily become the centerpiece of a high-status festive event. It seems that preparing fondue is easy, fast, and beautiful. And it is, the main thing is to choose the right chocolate.
There is an opinion that any chocolate can be used. This is true in the sense that dark, milk, and white chocolate will all work. But pay close attention to its quality. For example, professional pastry chefs do not recognize aerated chocolate, completely avoiding its use. If you plan to buy mass-market brand bars, carefully read the ingredients. There should be no foreign fats present — only cocoa butter. Otherwise, you won't be able to melt it to the right consistency.
What should fondue chocolate be like?
Good chocolate melts quickly, has a uniform consistency, and high fluidity when melted. This is important because it must remain liquid for a long time. Under no circumstances should there be foreign inclusions in the chocolate. Take only a pure product, without fillings, raisins, nuts, etc. You must be especially careful when choosing chocolate for a chocolate fountain. Main criteria: pleasant taste, attractive appearance, and safety for the equipment.
The difference between high-quality and low-quality chocolate
The most expensive component of chocolate is cocoa butter. The more of it in the composition, the slower the chocolate will set. Dark chocolate, which is considered the healthiest, consists of cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, and a small amount of powdered sugar. Lecithin is used as a natural emulsifier. Thanks to it, the chocolate maintains a perfect consistency. Natural vanilla pairs perfectly with chocolate and is added for flavoring. Vanilla is a dried orchid pod, very beneficial for health. Milk chocolate has less cocoa liquor and contains milk powder. In white chocolate, cocoa liquor is completely absent. It consists of cocoa butter and milk powder.
This is what real chocolate looks like. But mass-market manufacturers make changes to the ingredients to lower the price. Cocoa powder instead of cocoa mass or liquor, cheap vegetable fats, soy, chemical emulsifiers, and flavorings. White chocolate suffers the most; sometimes there is nothing left of actual chocolate in its composition. In essence, it is a mixture of fat with soy milk, plus a "chocolate" flavoring. There's no point in talking about any health benefits. If you try to melt it for fondue, you are unlikely to get a good result.
Problems you might face when melting
Why does this happen? The blame lies entirely with vegetable fats — cocoa butter substitutes. During production, they are given the necessary consistency through complex technological processes. When heated at home, they can behave in the most unpredictable ways.
How to choose chocolate for fondue
For the very first time, sweet fondue was prepared from Swiss chocolate Toblerone. By choosing it, you will experience that very taste which has become a true classic. Belgian Barry Callebaut and French Valrhona can also boast excellent taste and quality. The Barry Callebaut line even features a special chocolate for fountains and fondue. It is made in the form of callets with an increased cocoa butter content.
This chocolate does not need additional ingredients — simply melt it and enjoy the magnificent taste of milk or dark chocolate.
Your favorite chocolate (of appropriate quality) can also be used in fondue. There are several ways to make it more fluid. You can add cocoa butter or heavy cream during melting.
Note: cold cream and chocolate must be heated together slowly, mixing thoroughly. Lift the chocolate up from the bottom with a silicone spatula, tracing an infinity sign (a figure eight). Alcoholic beverages also have a favorable effect on the texture: liqueur, brandy, cognac. Alcohol is added to the maximally heated chocolate. If the treat is intended for kids, use orange syrup instead. You can transform these basic recipes however you like according to your taste. Wishing you successful experiments and a chocolatey mood!
