Chocolate fountain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A chocolate fountain is a device for serving chocolate fondue. Typical examples resemble a stepped cone, standing 2-4 feet tall with a crown at the top and stacked tiers over a basin at the bottom. Chocolate is melted by heat from the basin, then vertically transported to the top of the fountain by a corkscrew auger. From there it flows over the tiers creating a chocolate "waterfall" in which food items like strawberries or marshmallows can be dipped.
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[edit] Types of Chocolate Fountains
Chocolate fountains can be categorized as commercial-use and personal-use. The quality of a chocolate fountain will vary based on manufacturer and price point.
[edit] Commercial Chocolate Fountains
Commercial chocolate fountains range in size from 27" to 52" tall and are designed for use in professional environments such as catering. These fountains are normally constructed of food-grade stainless steel and, as such, are quite durable. Depending on the model, commercial chocolate fountains may hold as much as 35 pounds of chocolate.
[edit] Home Chocolate Fountains
Home Chocolate Fountains range in size up to about 19" tall. They are typically made of plastic, although some models have stainless steel components, and are usually dishwasher safe. Home chocolate fountains normally hold 6 or less pounds of chocolate.
[edit] Chocolate Fountain Chocolate
Melted chocolate is very temperamental, so rich couverture chocolate, which is high in cocoa butter, is commonly used to ensure consistent flow. If the cocoa butter content of the chocolate is too low, an addative must be mixed in to increase viscosity. (Vegetable oil is most commonly used to do this.) Even couverture chocolate (unless specifically designed for fountains) often still requires an addative to make it flow smoothly. Because of this, it is highly recommended that chocolate formulated for fountains be used to avoid the need for the addition of vegetable oil, as the oil gives a slimy, gritty taste and texture to the chocolate.
Sephra was the first company to hit the market with their own line of couverture chocolate fondue that required no addatives to flow smoothly. Chocoley introduced the first couverture fountain milk chocolate, along with decadent dark and white chocolate, all packaged in microwave safe reusable plastic tubs. SF Signature followed closely behind with a selection of couverture fountain chocolates along with ready-to-use caramel and peanut butter which expanded the choices. Other companies also began marketing a variety of couverture chocolates for use in fountains, as well as chocolate-flavored syrups (also called "chocolate coatings").
Most chocolate fountains are capable of melting fountain chocolate directly in the basin. You can also use a microwave or double boiler before pouring it into the fountain.
[edit] History
Chocolate fountains were first made popular by a Canadian company called Design & Realisation. But that popularity was relatively mild until other companies like Buffet Enhancements and Sephra stepped into the marketplace and made the product more visible by broadening the clientele demographic and expanding the customer base.
The popularity of chocolate fountains grew to a point of demand at a consumer retail level, but the industry was entirely commercial. Then, at the end of 2004, the Hellmann Group began marketing the Nostalgia Chocolate Fountain for personal use. Sephra followed close behind, introducing a line of high-end home chocolate fountains in 2005.
[edit] Manufacturers
[edit] Design & Realisation
Located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. D&R is a specialty kitchen equipment company that practically invented the chocolate fountain. The company has manufactured commercial units for a long time and is generally regarded as the originator of chocolate fountains. D&R also developed the "3-ring" look on the crown that is seen on other chocolate fountain brands. Although D&R originally sparked the eventual popularity blaze of chocolate fountains throughout the world, they lost out on a lot of market share due to new manufacturers (primarily Sephra and Buffet Enhancements) who produced flashier units with better features. The D&R fountains quickly became regarded as dated and cumbersome, then early in 2006, D&R introduced a line of commercial units with brand new innovations to compete with the current market.
[edit] Buffet Enhancements
Located in Point Clear, Alabama, USA. BE is a catering equipment supply company that also manufactures commercial chocolate fountains. BE started out in the chocolate fountain industry as a D&R distributor, then began manufacturing their own brand. The first BE fountains were basically copies of the D&R fountains, but as the market became more competitive, BE started to redesign their units with better features. BE is a major competitor in the commercial chocolate fountain industry.
[edit] Sephra
Located in San Diego, California, USA. Sephra manufactures both commercial and home chocolate fountains, as well as their own line of chocolate fondue. Sephra began selling commercial chocolate fountains in 2003. Shortly thereafter, Sephra contracted with Belgian chocolatier Barry Callebaut to make their own line of chocolate fondue specially formulated for chocolate fountains. This new breed of couverture chocolate truly required no addatives to flow smoothly. In 2005, Sephra was one of the first to hit the market with personal-use, home chocolate fountains.
[edit] Sephra International
Located in London, United Kingdom. Due to the popularity and demand for chocolate fountains in Europe, Sephra established this company in 2005 to serve the European community.
[edit] Giles & Posner
Located in London Colney, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. G&P manufactures both commercial and home chocolate fountains. Their US importer is SF Sales, Inc.
[edit] Rival
Located in El Paso, Texas, USA. Rival has long been a major manufacturer of kitchen appliances, and in 2005 began selling chocolate fountains for home use.
[edit] Fundue Foods
Located in Canoga Park, California, USA. Fundue Foods manufactures home fountains.
[edit] Spring USA
Located in Naperville, Illinois, USA. Spring USA manufactures commercial fountains.
[edit] Hellmann Group
The Hellmann Group manufactures cheap mini chocolate fountains marketed under the name "Nostalgia".
