How to make a chocolate fountain centrepiece for your party

Impress party guests with a decadent chocolate fountain surrounded by delicious nibbles

Is there anything more indulgent and inviting than a chocolate fountain? Rich, glossy melted chocolate cascading down, ready to coat all matter of delicious nibbles. Whether you’re planning a children’s birthday party, a sophisticated anniversary celebration or any other kind of soiree, why not make the event extra-special with a chocolate fountain centrepiece?

What kind of chocolate do you need for a chocolate fountain?

From a curtain of vanilla-sweet white chocolate to a waterfall of cocoa-rich dark chocolate, you can adapt your fountain showstopper to suit all tastes and occasions. It’s your choice what type of chocolate you go for and what you want to pair it with. White chocolate can be a lovely option for an engagement party or baby shower, for example.

For a classic crowd pleaser, you can’t go wrong with a milk chocolate option. We recommend going for something with a perfect balance of cocoa depth and creaminess, like our 40% Milk Chocolate Slab. This will pair beautifully with fruit or savoury snacks. If you plan on dipping cake, churros, or biscuits, then dark chocolate will temper the sweetness. How about something with just the right level of cocoa intensity, like our 70% Dark Chocolate Slab?

If you’ve ever melted luxury chocolate, you’ll know that it has an irresistibly thick and decadent texture that’s perfect for fondue dipping. However, to get the lustrous, flowing consistency needed for a chocolate fountain, you’ll need to thin the melted confection out a little.

One way you can do this is to add vegetable oil to your melted chocolate. For best results, look for chocolate with a high cocoa butter content. Not only will this taste richer and more satisfying, but it will require less additional oil than low-quality chocolate.

As a general guide, adding 60ml of oil per kilo of high-cocoa chocolate will give you a silky-smooth texture. If you prefer the flavour, you can use coconut oil in place of vegetable oil.

How to melt chocolate for a fountain

To prepare your chocolate for a fountain, you’ll need to first make sure you’ve got plenty to keep your guests going! Depending on the configuration of your chocolate fountain, you may have minimum and maximum fill lines, so make sure you don’t add more than the machine can handle.

Once you have your chocolate weighed out, you can melt it in the microwave or in a bain-marie on the hob. If you use a microwave, heat in 30-second blasts and stir often to avoid scorching. After your chocolate has melted, stir in the right proportion of oil and stir thoroughly.

When the mixture is smooth and glossy, it’ll be ready to add to your fountain, which will keep it hot and flowing throughout your gathering. All you’ll need to do is make sure the foodie bits are topped up.

Snacks to dip and serve

The beauty of a chocolate fountain is its versatility. The list of nibbles you can serve with fresh, melted chocolate is endless! Is there anything the humble cocoa bean doesn’t go with? 

Fruit

A vibrant fruit platter is an excellent way to create a party centrepiece that is visually appealing, healthy and, above all, delicious with melted chocolate. Banana slices, strawberries, raspberries and pineapple chunks are firm favourites. After all, fruit and chocolate are a match made in Heaven.

Whether you keep your fruits separate or combine them on skewers, they look and taste wonderful. Plus, you can pair fruit with milk, white or dark chocolate — whatever takes your fancy.

Marshmallows

Marshmallows are another time-honoured option for chocolate fountain dipping. Toasted or untoasted, their sweet, gooey goodness can be enhanced with a coating of velvety-smooth chocolate.

To take your marshmallow chocolate fountain game to the next level, you could even roll the treats in biscuit crumbs for a twist on a chocolate s’mores recipe.

Mini doughnuts

Chocolate-dipped mini doughnuts are a special treat that kids are sure to enjoy — as are grown-ups, for that matter. Just make sure you provide long skewers and some serviettes to prevent sugary fingerprints everywhere!

Savoury nibbles

Fruit and sweet treats might go hand-in-hand with chocolate fountains, but have you ever tried dipping savoury tidbits?

Surprise and delight your party guests with an array of pretzels, tortilla chips, cheese cubes, and even strips of bacon. Though it might sound unusual, the sweet-salty combo is sure to tantalise your taste buds, trust us.

A show-stopping centrepiece

A chocolate fountain is sure to draw guests to it, however you choose to present it. But if you really want to make a statement, why not consider the way you display your dipping treats?

Some chocolate fountains come complete with a dish to put snacks in. But it can be helpful to space your ingredients out across a table so guests can easily see what’s on offer.

From stacks of profiteroles and tiered cake stands brimming with fruit slices to crisps laid out in a spiral, let your imagination run wild. You might like to think about contrasting colours and which different flavours go well together. Create a feast for all the senses.

You can always accessorise your chocolate fountain too. Are you celebrating a wedding? Why not choose dipping forks that match your colour scheme and deck the table with fairy lights for a romantic touch?

Melted chocolate delights

However you decide to display your chocolate fountain, it’s always worth investing in good quality ingredients that will ensure it tastes as good as it looks. And if all this talk has got you hankering for some melted chocolate, but you don’t have a fountain to hand, why not treat yourself to our Large Dipping Adventure?

Ideal for a cosy night in or a gathering with friends, this set has everything you need to enjoy rich melted chocolate and a host of sweet and savoury snacks. White, dark, milk and caramel chocolate pots are just waiting to envelop nutty florentines, mini grissini, brazil nuts, and more…