What is a Chocolate Fountain?

By Joseph Then

A chocolate fountain is usually made of stainless steel and serves melted chocolate. A motor at the base heats the chocolate placed in the heating tray. The heated chocolate then goes up through a column and when it gets to the top, flows down over multiple tiers. This chocolate flows over each tray until it reaches the base.

Couverture chocolate, which contains at least 32 percent cocoa butter, works great in a chocolate fountain. You get this in light milk chocolate or dark chocolate. You can use other chocolate but must add vegetable oil, which hampers the taste and smoothness.

At one time chocolate fountains were commercial units, which cost thousands of dollars and used by professional party planners at catering events. You can still rent larger fountains from party stores and catering services that come with an attendant to made sure the fountain runs properly.

Home Chocolate Fountains

Now chocolate fountains are available for home use so people can host their own events. A home fountain is great for a party of around 20 or 25 people.

For someone thinking of purchasing a chocolate fountain for his or her home, there are a large number of budget friendly chocolate fountains on the market. Many of the very inexpensive models are not worth buying because of their cheap construction.

Purchasing a Chocolate Fountain

When purchasing a chocolate fountain for home use, look for the following:

• A good warranty is very important.

• It should be easy to clean and dishwasher safe.

• You want a machine that is easy to assemble.

• Make sure the construction quality is excellent.

• Nothing is worse than a loud machine so quiet operation is important.

• Auger pumping mechanism

To have the chocolate flow smoothly, you need to add oil. Many companies make chocolate for chocolate fountains that you do not add oil so you can set them up faster and more conveniently.

Most people are chocolate lovers. Just seeing rich chocolate, cascading down each layer on a chocolate fountain, makes our mouths water. There are many types of chocolate available to use. Some of these are:

• Milk chocolate - creamy and smooth

• Dark chocolate - some people call this bitter chocolate

• Unsweetened chocolate - no sweeteners added

Chocolate Facts

Less than 2 percent of fat in American diets come from chocolate. The main sources are fried foods, meat and full fat dairy products. Experts and research show that most headaches are not related to chocolate intake. Studies show that stress, hunger, irregular sleep patterns and hormone changes can cause headaches.

Learn more about Chocolate Fountains and the various information about this delicious food at: Chocolate Fountain Machine

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Ten Questions and Answers About Chocolate

by Donna Rivera

The following questions and answers are just for fun. Please don't take them seriously. Feel Free to share them with your friends.

1. What does it mean if you have chocolate all over your hands after eating your favorite candy bar?
It means you ate the candy bar way to slow.


2. Are chocolate covered strawberries considered a fruit?
Absolutely


3. Can I eat chocolate on my diet?
Eat a chocolate bar before every meal. It will take the edge off your appetite and you will eat less.


4. How can I get all my chocolate home from the grocery store with it melting in the hot car.
The solution is quite simply: eat the chocolate before you get home.


5. How can I reduce the calories in my chocolate.
Store it inside your fridge. This will cause the calories to get cold and leave the chocolate.


6. If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet?
Correct me if I am wrong but balance is recommended in any diet.


7. Won't chocolate cause me to age faster?
Quite the opposite. Chocolate is loaded with preservatives. Hence, you should eat more chocolate because preservatives help you look youner.


8. Won't eating chocolate ruin my calorie intake for the day?
A nice box of See's candy will provide you with your total calorie intake for one day. Hence, simply eat chocolate. What an easy way to count calories.


9. Besides being really good, what are the benefits of eating chocolate.
Eating chocolate is good for the economy. If no one ate chocolate several industries could go under. For example, chocolate factories, girdle factories, control top panty hose companies, weight loss clinics, gyms. Wow, the list just keeps going. Just think of all the people who would be out of a job if we all stopped eating chocolate.


10. Why do women crave chocolate when on their monthly cycle.
Because chocolate puts us in a good mood. Hence, encourage your wife to eat chocolate during those 'special times'. She will be much easier to get along with.


The above questions and answers were developed by a group of my friends on a day when we had nothing better to do. Enjoy but don't take them seriously. The answers really don't work, but they are good for a little chuckle.


Donna Rivera-Loudon Fundraising Option Ideas
Donna has an MBA in Information Technology and is currently a Tupperware Director and CEO of her own company. She also teaches online Management and Business classes for a local community college as well as computer classes for a four-year university.
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Gourmet Chocolate Gifts

By Ross Bainbridge

Rich, sinful chocolate that simply melts in the mouth—is there a more heavenly experience? Admittedly, most chocoholics can think of more imaginative phrases to describe this wicked indulgence that has its origin in Central America.

Popular in Mayan and Aztec civilizations, the New World used it in bitter spicy xocoatl. Introduced by the Spanish to Europe, it gradually gained popularity, especially among the aristocrats. The nineteenth century saw the emergence of the modern-day chocolate. The Dutch, the Swiss, the English, the French, and others experimented and helped perfect the process.

There are no better gifts than gourmet chocolates to add to the festive punch of any holiday season, to sweeten the memories of a loved one, to put a smile on a face, or to simply to overwhelm the senses with pleasure. No special occasion is required to enjoy chocolate. There are different types of chocolate —unsweetened chocolate liquor used for baking, dark chocolate without addition of milk, couverture that is rich in cocoa butter, milk chocolate, semi-sweet cooking chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, and cocoa powder. Mint, orange, strawberry, caramel, liqueur, dry fruits, cream, nuts of all kinds, and rice crispies are common additives to further enhance these sumptuous chocolates.

Criollo, Trinitario, and Forastero are the three varieties of cacao beans used. From harvesting beans to blending, conching and tempering, all these process determine the character of the chocolate.

Can one imagine a chocolate-free dessert world? Be it a simple comforting cocoa drink or chocolate chip cookies to rich chocolate gateaux, chocolate is delightful. Chocolates could be inexpensive candy bars or expensive truffles. In demand are genuine, completely conched Swiss chocolates, famous Belgian specialties like ballotins de pralines and manons, divine French creations like bonbons, truffles, Turkish delights, chocolate-covered fruits, and many more. Appreciating the work of premier chocolate-makers is almost like the fine art of wine tasting. Movies like Chocolat and Charlie and the Chocolate factory further prove the popularity of this supposed aphrodisiac.

For the passionate chocophile there is no better gift than irresistible gourmet chocolates, with their attractive shapes, colors, flavors, aromas, and packaging. So take a stroll or go online for flawlessly sculpted tasty treats before it is too late!

Gourmet Gifts provides detailed information on Gourmet Gifts, Gourmet Gift Baskets, Gourmet Meat Gifts, Gourmet Chocolate Gifts and more. Gourmet Gifts is affiliated with Gourmet Fruit Gift Baskets.

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You Might Be a Chocoholic If

By W Mitchell

chocoholic (def): a person who has or claims to have an addiction to chocolate

If you have more than 2 secret stashes of chocolate candy, you might be a chocoholic. (Be honest.)

If your top 3 favorite candies all have chocolate in them, you might be a chocoholic.

If you have more than 4 books at home on chocolate, you might be a chocoholic.

If your favorite dessert is chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate ice-cream on the side, then you might be a chocoholic.

If you bookmark more than 2 websites on the health benefits of chocolate, then you might be a chocoholic.

If your favorite movie is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, you might be a chocoholic.

If you name chocolate as one of the seven wonders of the world, you are likely a chocoholic.

If you own more than one chocolate-related T-Shirt, you might be a chocoholic. (If you actually wear that chocolate T-Shirt in public, just admit it. You are a chocoholic.)

If you name your first-born child after your favorite chocolate candy - then you are a definite, full fledged chocoholic.


If you are a chocoholic, there you may want to try one of two possible cures:

CURE #1: Chocolate overdose. In several cases a chocolate overdose will effectively kill your chocolate bug for a period of time. At some point, too much chocolate in a given month will cure your addiction - for at least a week. Your personal chocolate overdose limit will depend on your level of addiction. (We sell a variety of chocolates to help you do this in style.)

CURE #2: Chocolate substitution. Chocolate substitution is another option, if the chocolate overdose doesn't work. It involves starving your chocolate bug by offering it wholesome candy substitutes. The concept is that your body will gradually forget its craving for chocolate. (We sell a variety of delicious candies to help you do this in style.)

If one of these cures doesn't work, well, at least you would enjoy the attempt . . .

By the way, here are some great links on the health benefits of chocolate. You may want to bookmark them in case someone tries to convince you that chocolate is not good for you.

momscape.com       aphroditechocolates.co.uk    Chinesefood.about.com

Well, of course it makes sense that chocolate really is healthy. Chocolate is made from a bean - and so, wouldn't that be like eating a vegetable? (Try explaining that to your mom.)

Wayne Mitchell owns Central Coast Candies online candy store.

He sells a good selection of delicious chocolates, snacks, and even sugar free candies. You may also enjoy: Excuses to Eat Candy

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Chocolate Fondue Fountain - The Night One Came To Dinner

By Stephen Turner

A friend is renting a chocolate fondue fountain for her wedding, the news of which sparked off my new born interest in the phenomena that is the 'chocolate fondue fountain'. I was told that a chocolate fondue fountain can be an eye catching, mouth watering central feature for all sorts of social occasions, parties and events. This got me thinking, 'Why wait for the wedding?' So I hired a chocolate fondue fountain for a night and invited a few friends around to test it and see what all the fuss was about.

We got the chocolate fondue fountain out of the box easy enough and it revealed itself to be a stainless steel structure with three tiers, with an overall height of about 15 inches top to bottom. It looked harmless enough, and was easy to set up so we proceeded to plug it in. Power was provided by the usual three-pin socket.

So now the science: the chocolate gets plonked into the basin, gets heated there and then carried to the top of the fountain via a rotating internal shaft. My internet research later revealed the shaft to be a form of Archimedes screw. However, there are other ways of getting the chocolate to the top of the fountain, namely a pump (the most common method). The box for our chocolate fondue fountain said that a screw had been chosen over a pump because the screw eliminates the possibility of blockages associated with some pumps, so the fountain will always flow smoothly. My research did reveal, however, a general preference for auger-style pumps amongst the more pricey chocolate fondue fountains.

A big surprise was that any melting chocolate will do; you don't have to use special chocolate fondue fountain chocolate. We had armed ourselves with 900g just to get started, although we got so stuck in that this did not last long and someone had to be requisitioned to the all night garage for more just after 1.00 am. Our experience has confirmed the universal truth amongst chocolate fondue fountain aficionados that when it comes to chocolate, the more the merrier, since you need a fair amount to get a good flow and a respectable looking fountain. We were having a party after all.

Some bright spark suggested adding a dash of vegetable oil to the mix to make the chocolate flow easier, and the tests were conclusive that this did work to loosen up the flow. A party being a party, someone usually gets carried away and our someone decided to add alcohol. Bad move. And things had been going so smoothly. Our river of running chocolate turned into clotted lump of muck faster than a round of tequila slammers. You live and learn.

Final verdict
Visual impact: 10/10
Popularity: 10/10
Ease of set up and operation: 9/10
Versatility: 9/10 We tried putting various things into the falling curtain of chocolate, including marshmallows, pineapple, strawberries, and cake and all of them tasted wonderful. Shame about the alcohol.

So go hire a chocolate fondue fountain, or better still go right in to a shop and buy one. There are bargains to be had out there, and it is the opinion of this reviewer that if a chocolate fondue fountain comes to dinner, you won't be disappointed.

© Stephen Turner 2006. Stephen Turner has set up an information and resource website Chocolate Fondue Fountain. You'll find loads of chocolate fondue fountain information, advice, articles, features, discussion and specially chosen links to other chocolate fondue fountain websites for products and services. Please take a look. Stephen would also welcome your feedback on the site - click on the contact link on the site. This article may be reproduced in its original form provided the author's resource box is displayed below the article.
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Buy a Chocolate Fountain

By Dianne Davies

Some people (with little vision or desire to entertain) would be forgiven for wondering why anyone would want to buy a chocolate fountain? It all depends. If you are the type of person who invites people around then rations the food and drink and expects your guests to like it or lump it, then perhaps it’s not for you. (I’ve certainly been to those kind of parties, where the hosts were so mean you were searching for take-out on the way home!)

However if you are a generous host or hostess who wants to really send your guests away happy, then the thought that you might buy a chocolate fountain won’t seem so strange to you. Sure, the sort of person who wants to show off would also want to buy a chocolate fountain for their next party, but there’s nothing wrong with trying to make an impression on your guests.

Entertaining is just that – it’s your turn to make sure that your guests are amused, fed and watered to the very best of your ability. You might want to buy a chocolate fountain if you are planning a grand party like a wedding reception, or a retirement party or special birthday. Conversely you might want a fountain just to make a small, intimate party have that “wow” factor which will put a smile on the face of your guests.

Imagine if at dessert time at the end of a dinner party you produced a chocolate fountain and a big dish of strawberries? How great would that be? If you go ahead and buy a chocolate fountain you won’t regret it because you can use it in so many different circumstances. Once you’ve used it once, you can rest assured your guests will be hoping to see it again, so it’s probably best to buy a chocolate fountain rather than rent.

In order to obtain a fountain you can try Party Rental firms who might be selling off used ones, try a manufacturer, try local party good suppliers and also of course surf the internet in search of the bargain you really want when you go to buy a chocolate fountain.

Dianne Davies has written more about chocolate fountains at

http://www.chocolate-fountains.without-tears.com

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Chocolate Fondue Fountain - Buying Chocolate

By Anthony Tripodi

Most people don't put much effort into buying chocolate for a chocolate fondue fountain. Perhaps they have a few bags of chocolate chips on hand or they'll even buy some of those brick sized chocolate bars. Sure, this will work fine, and the whole fountain concept will still impress your party guests. But true chocolate aficionados use gourmet chocolate in their fountains and you can definitely taste the difference.

Melting regular supermarket chocolate chips is not an option in the most popular home versions of the chocolate fondue fountain. The chocolate will be too thick and if it can actually be pumped to the top of the fountain, you won't get that cascading waterfall effect that these machines are famous for. Plain chocolate will just drip if you're lucky. If you're unlucky, it will clog your fountain, leaving you with a few pounds of chocolate that needs to be melted with hot water before you can use your fountain again. When using regular chocolate, you will need to add a significant amount of vegetable oil in order for the chocolate to be fluid enough for the fountain to work.

The best way to melt supermarket chocolate is with a double boiler. For every two pounds of chocolate, you should slowly add one cup of vegetable oil while stirring. If you can handle your double boiler and an electric mixer at once, then the mixing won't be too hard. You probably won't need the entire cup of oil so add it slowly and stop when you think the chocolate looks right. But don't forget that you can't add more oil when the chocolate is already in the fountain. So if you are in doubt, add more oil.

The easiest way to set up your chocolate fondue fountain is to use couverture chocolate. Couverture is a French word that means to cover. Courverture chocolate is usually used for making candies or for dipping so it's perfect for a chocolate fountain. It's made with a higher percentage of cocoa butter than normal chocolate and melts to a smoother texture. Couverture chocolate will give you that elegant looking waterfall effect without any additional oil or mixing required. The only drawback is that it's very expensive when compared to supermarket chocolate.

Melting couverture chocolate is the same as regular chocolate. Either use a double boiler or a microwave. Since you won't be adding any additional oil or using the electric mixer, the microwave can work great. Set the microwave for a minute at a time and stir in between.

Whoever decided that turning a chocolate fondue fountain into a home appliance should be given a medal. Why save the chocolate fountain for weddings and other large parties when you can now set it up every weekend. If you are having a birthday party or a barbeque, why not add some pizzazz to the event with a chocolate fondue fountain. Whether you choose expensive couverture chocolate or regular supermarket chocolate chips, it's sure to taste delicious.

Anthony Tripodi is the webmaster of GoFondue.com. For more information using a Chocolate Fondue Fountain visit http://www.gofondue.com/
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Wine and Chocolate Pairings Made in Heaven

By Peter Sabrage

Chocolate is probably not the first thing you think of when it comes to wine pairings but chances are that some other people may have been thinking about it as long as a couple thousand years ago.

Wine, chocolate, and bread may be among the oldest prepared foods on the planet. Chocolate is the youngster of the bunch at only 2,000 years of age and it shows its youthful vigor by its every increasing popularity.
The scientific name of the cocoa tree is Theobroma, “food of the gods.” Nutritional researchers are showing some reverent respect for the cocoa bean. Ounce for ounce, chocolate is higher in antioxidants than fruits, vegetables, tea or wine. A 1.5 ounce piece of dark chocolate has as much antioxidants as 5 ounces of red wine according to researchers at Cornell University. So, if you actually needed a reason to experiment with wine and chocolate pairings there it is.

Wine tasting has been elevated to an art form. The appellation may be well deserved. Grape wine is known to trigger more taste sensors than any other single food or beverage. Wine glasses are specially designed to enhance the flavors provided by different varietals and fermentations.

It is said that wine tasting is 85% smell and 15% taste. Chocolate tasting is the opposite, about 85% taste and 15% smell. These relative characteristics establish a definite preferred procedure for tasting your wine/chocolate pairings.

Break the chocolate into small pieces. Rub the raw edges of two chocolate pieces together close to your nose and place them on your tongue. Do not chew the chocolate. Let it melt in your mouth. When the chocolate has nearly disappeared follow it with the wine.

Chocolate lovers generally prefer the darkest chocolate. As with wine varietals chocolate beans have a pecking order. The very best chocolate is made only from Criollo beans grown in Ecuador, Venezuela and Madagascar.

Ecuador chocolate pairs best with mild red wine with hints of fruitiness.
Venezuelan chocolate also prefers mild red wines. The wine will slightly increase the saltiness of the chocolate.

Madagascar chocolate is stronger in taste than South American chocolate and needs more body in the wine to prevent the chocolate from dominating the flavor pairing. The big reds pair well with Madagascar chocolate. Port wine works best.

Chocolate is grown in other places as well but these geographical locations are considered chocolate’s best territories. Try other pairings.
The fundamental rule of wine/chocolate pairings is that the wine must be sweeter than the chocolate.
Both wine and chocolate are manufactured with a wide range of residual sugar so there is plenty of opportunity mix and match.

If you want to skip the whodunit and go straight to the last chapter try the darkest Madagascar semi-sweet chocolate you can find paired with the best Vintage Duoro Port wine you can afford. This pairing adds a new dimension to the food of the gods.

(c) 2006 by Peter Sabrage a South Florida gray-beard who enjoys the heck out of tasting, reading, and writing about tropical food and wine. Peter contributes to Home-Winemaker, a content rich wine resource site with an online winemaking manual, updated daily on the home-winemaker's Blog.

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Weight Loss: Add Chocolate to Your Diet?

By Donovan Baldwin

Before you run out and stock up on chocolate bars, read the whole article please. Yes! Yes! Yes! There really ARE health benefits of chocolate, and it CAN be a part of a weight loss program. There are a few things to know first.

First we talk about the boring stuff...free radicals, antioxidants, and flavonoids:

Free radicals: These little rascals, I mean radicals, are unstable atoms or groups of atoms that occur in the body as a result of everyday atomic processes in reaction to such intrusive things as pollution, cigarette smoke, and sunlight. They are a natural part of the process of being alive, but they can damage cells, and research seems to implicate them, at least to some extent, in the growth of cancer, cardiovascular disease, strokes, cataracts, and other problems related to age.

Antioxidants: The free radicals are unstable because they have lost an electron, and they begin to steal electrons from other atoms and molecules within the body. This creates more free radicals and more damage, even to the DNA itself. Antioxidants have an extra electron to spare and lend it to the free radicals, thereby stopping their destructive rampage. The antioxidants will also turn the free radical into a waste product, allowing it to be flushed (no pun intended) from the body. There are many antioxidants, but some of the more common sources are vitamins C & E. They are also available in many fruits and vegetables.

Flavonoids: Android, asteroid? No relation. Flavonoids are pretty common throughout nature, and they are anti- a lot of bad health things. As you may have guessed, they are also antioxidants. They are found in all kinds of stuff, such as red wine, tea, and beer...AND...Chocolate! Oh yeah! You can also eat the fruits and veggies mentioned above and get them, but chocolate's more fun, right?

NOW THE BAD NEWS ABOUT CHOCOLATE

Not all chocolate is created equal...at least in the finished product. The more processing that is involved generally removes more of the flavonoids. Therefore, dark chocolate probably contains the most flavonoids and provides the most antioxidant qualities.

Unfortunately, chocolate by itself doesn't taste too good, so to make it palatable, fats and sugars are added. Those are the really bad things about chocolate, particularly if you are on a diet or in some other type of weight loss program

CHOCOLATE AND WEIGHT LOSS

As you can imagine, there is not a lot you can do about the ingredients added to chocolate. These ingredients are, for the most part, exactly the sort of things you need to avoid in your diet or on your weight loss program. However, regularly adding reasonable amounts of chocolate products to your diet can help you attain your weight loss goals in indirect ways.

Occasional chocolate treats are not of any great importance if you are doing everything else right. One candy bar or chocolate chip cookie is not going to destroy a week's worth of adherence to your weight loss program. In fact, knowing that you can allow yourself a treat or reward for "being good" can help you get over some of the tough parts. This is particularly true if you have the sort of self control to keep portion sizes reasonable and spaced at sensible intervals.

You can also be proactive and head off the "carb cravings" that sometimes push you over the edge by drinking some low-carb chocolate milk for example. You won't get as much of the benefits from the flavonoids, but satisfying yourself in advance with the taste and texture of the drink, or other snack, may help you retain control.

One of the major reasons diets and other weight loss programs fail is because people feel deprived. It is better to commit the occasional small dietary sin than to give up completely. Integrating chocolate and other foods you enjoy in controlled-portion servings can help you make your weight loss plan a success.

Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. You can find his blog on health and fitness at http://nodiet4me.blogspot.com Find a weight loss program that lets you eat chocolate at http://diet.free-business-hosting.com

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Classification of Chocolate – A Sweet Gift for Any Time of the Year

By William Smith

Many different types of chocolate are available for consumption, but what is the real difference between them?

Chocolates are classified by the percentage of cocoa in the mix and the other ingredients that are included. Some chocolates are only suitable for cooking, while others are made for immediate consumption. Below are the edible variations and how they are classified.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate - Made from unsweetened chocolate (chocolate liquor), but with the addition of sugar, cocoa butter, lecithin and vanilla mixed in. Semi-sweet chocolate must contain at least 35% unsweetened chocolate, and typically is less than 50%.

Dark Chocolate - The rules regarding classification of chocolate in this category vary throughout the world. However, the one constant is that this type of chocolate contains no milk solids, but has sweeteners and cocoa butter added to the mix. In Europe, dark chocolate must consist of at least 35% cocoa solids while in the U.S., it must have a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor.

Milk Chocolate - Like you'd guess from the name, milk chocolate is made with condensed or powdered milk. In Europe, milk chocolate must consist of at least 25% cocoa solids, while in the US, it must have a 10% concentration of chocolate liquer and a minimum of 12% milk solids. Milk chocolate is primarily used for eating and is the most popular form of chocolate in the U.S.

White Chocolate - The name given to white chocolate is a misnomer because it isn't really chocolate at all. Strictly speaking, chocolate is defined as any product 100% based on cocoa solid. White "chocolate" doesn't contain any cocoa solids and is made from cocoa butter, milk solids and sugar.

Couverture Chocolate - Chocolates under this classification are true gourmet chocolates that are rich in cocoa butter (upwards of 35%) which creates an extremely high fat content. Cocoa butter is the fat extracted from chocolate liquor. These chocolates contain a very high percentage of cocoa which is the solid powder left after the cocoa butter is extracted from the chocolate liquor.

Need some Chocolate Gift Baskets? All About Gifts & Baskets has a huge variety of gifts and gift baskets containing all your favorites treats. From gourmet milk chocolate to decadent rich truffle chocolates, there are plenty of gifts to choose from. Order your selection online today.
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Chocolate Fondue - Two Delicious Recipes

By Anthony Tripodi

Are you an old pro when it comes to making delicious desserts? Do your guests rave about your cakes and pies? The next time you have company over for dessert, why not try something different. Chocolate fondue has been in and out of fashion since the seventies and most people have tried it at least once. But if you want to try something new and exciting There are many different dessert fondues out there to satisfy just about anyone with a sweet tooth.

Recently dark chocolate has been in the news being declared as a new heart healthy food. Dark chocolate retains more flavonoids that other varieties of chocolate such as milk chocolate, white chocolate, cocoa or chocolate syrup. New research has also determined that eating a diet high in flavonoids helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Obviously this doesnÂ’t mean that you should run to the store to buy some candy bars. But it does mean that when eaten in moderation, dark chocolate can be a healthy choice as a dessert.

And whether is good for you or not, who can resist a fondue pot of hot melted chocolate just waiting for your to dip something into it. What better way to enjoy strawberries, bananas and other ripe fruits. But donÂ’t stop there. Be sure to try dunking some salty treats into the chocolate such as pretzels and potato chips. Mixing sweet and salty foods creates a unique flavor that you are sure to enjoy.

So not only is chocolate delicious, but it is now considered a heart healthy food as well. Those are some excellent reasons to add a few chocolate fondue recipes to your recipe book. Why not try one of these chocolate fondue recipes tonight?

Dark Chocolate Fondue

12 ounces Premium Dark Chocolate (chopped)

3/4 cup Whipping Cream

2 teaspoons Kahlua or other coffee liqueur (optional)


Over low flame, heat whipping cream until warm (DO NOT BOIL)

Slowly add the chopped dark chocolate while stirring

Stir until the mixture becomes smooth

Stir in liqueur

To Dip:

Strawberries, Bananas, Sliced Apple, Cubes of Pound Cake, Cubes of Angel Food Cake, Pretzel Sticks, Chunks of Pineapple, Marshmallows, Potato Chips

Mint Chocolate Fondue

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

2 tablespoons Peppermint Liqueur

8 ouncesemi-sweetet Chocolate


Warm the heavy cream over medium low heat

Add liqueur

Grate the chocolate or break into small pieces and slowly add to mixture while stirring

Stir until the chocolate is melted


To Dip:

Candied Fruit, Pears, Peach Slices, Cubes of Pound Cake, Cubes of Angel Food Cake

Anthony Tripodi is the webmaster of GoFondue.com. For more Fondue Recipes please visit http://www.gofondue.com

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Delicious Vintage Chocolate Recipes For All Seasons

By Victor Carlton

Whether itÂ’s a party, a quiet day in the house or just cruising downtown with friends, thereÂ’s always an occasion (or excuse) to gratuitously munch on chocolate.

Everyone loves chocolates, especially the types made from those secret vintage recipes. Listed below are a few of such.

CHOCOLATE JELLY WITH CRYSTALLIZED GREEN GAGES

Dissolve in a quart of water three tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate and let it come to a boil. Simmer for about ten minutes. Add a cup of sugar and a box of gelatin (that has been softened in a cup of water) and strain through a jelly bag or two thicknesses of cheese-cloth. When almost cold, add a dessert spoonful of vanilla and a tablespoonful of brandy. Then whisk well, add half a pound of crystallized green gages cut into small pieces and pour into a pretty mould. When cold serve with whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE

Put one ounce of chocolate and one tablespoonful of butter in a cup, and set this in a pan of boiling water. Beat to a cream half a cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar. Gradually beat in half a cupful of milk. Now add the whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one teaspoonful of vanilla, and a cupful and a half of sifted flour, in which is mixed one teaspoonful of baking powder. Put about one-third of this mixture into another bowl, and stir the melted butter and chocolate into it. Drop the white-and-brown mixture in spoonfuls into a well buttered deep cake pan, and bake in a moderate oven for about forty-five minutes; or, the cake can be baked in a sheet and iced with a chocolate or white icing.

MRS. BEDFORD'S CHOCOLATE CRULLERS

Cream two tablespoonfuls of butter and one-half of a cupful of sugar; gradually add the beaten yolks of three eggs and one and one-half cupfuls more of sugar, one cupful of sour milk, one teaspoonful of vanilla, two ounces of chocolate grated and melted over hot water, one-third of a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in one-half of a teaspoonful of boiling water, the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth, and sufficient sifted flour to make a soft dough. Roll out, cut into oblongs; divide each into three strips, leaving the dough united at one end. Braid loosely, pinch the ends together and cook until golden-brown in smoking-hot fat.

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Article by Victor Carlton of http://www.chocolate-candy-recipes.com. Looking for great chocolate recipesDiscoverer a large collection of mouth watering vintage chocolate recipes at http://www.chocolate-candy-recipes.com.
Victor Carlton is a self-confessed chocoholic who has a real passion for cooking.

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