Chocolate Fountain Bar Ideas

Forget fondue; chocolate fountains take a new spin on dunking treats into delicious chocolate. Chocolate fountains make a unique and fun accessory at any sort of party or reception, and are a fun way to add chocolate to different types of food. There are many ways to make a chocolate fountain bar at your party truly special. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Set-Up Ideas

The location and set up of the chocolate fountain is important: it needs to be placed in an area that is accessible and allows people at the party to reach its melted chocolate streams. Placing the chocolate fountain in the center of a table makes it easy to reach. For a more impressive look, remember to use a decorative table cloth. For a dramatic presentation, surround the chocolate fountain with the assortment of goodies that will be used for dunking. Place the treats out in attractive patterns on platters. For a final touch, add flowers or other decorative additions to the table between the platters.

Sweet Treats

A chocolate fountain is not complete without a variety of sweet treats to dip. Fruits such as strawberries, bananas, pineapple and kiwi make for a colorful display and taste great when dipped in chocolate. Many cookies can benefit from a touch of chocolate, so platters of chocolate chip cookies, graham crackers, Oreos or sugar cookies will be a welcomed addition to a chocolate fountain bar. Other treats like pretzel rods, cheesecake bites, waffles or marshmallows will work nicely. While many foods would be great in chocolate, it is best for cleanliness purposes to select items that can be held by a tooth pick or long enough to dip an end into the chocolate without getting people's fingers in the fountain.

Pouring Chocolate

Chocolate fountains aren't only for dipping: add a ladle to the set-up so guests can pour chocolate over other desserts. Chocolate, red velvet or vanilla cake are too messy to stick in the fountain, but will taste great with some chocolate ladled onto them. Guests may want to try chocolate drizzled on pies or fruit cobblers. For a special treat, set up a sundae bar, with different flavors of ice cream, toppings and chocolate from the fountain.

Types of Chocolate

Most companies that rent out chocolate fountains offer a variety of types of chocolate to be used at events. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate can flow from the fountain. Hosts can choose their favorite type of chocolate or consider what type of chocolate would best compliment the treats they will be serving. Some hosts may also want to think about the appearance of the different types of chocolate. For instance, in a winter themed wedding, a white chocolate fountain may look best with the rest of the decor.