Chocolate Fountain Tips & Tricks
Whether you’re using our large or small machine, they all essentially work the same way (at least the auger style chocolate fountains do). If you have own machine and it is a pump style fountain rather than an auger (cork screw), be aware that it is common that chocolate typically clogs in the small plastic tube and can be a disaster. Don’t worry, all of our chocolate fountains have the far superior auger style.
Below are chocolate fountain tips that will make using a chocolate fountain a little easier.
Choose the location where you set up the chocolate fountain carefully.
Pick a location away from air conditioning ducts, swinging doors, dance floors, exterior doors, etc. If you are at a facility that dictates where you need to set up, be assertive if the location is bad. It can ruin the event if it is in the way (they draw crowds!). Being directly under A/C ducts is bad, as the cold air will actually cool the chocolate and it will start to harden and will flow very inconsistently.
Be weary if you plan to use a chocolate fountain outdoors.
The main issue with placing the fountain outdoors is that you never know what mother nature may have up her sleeve. There’s nothing worse than a gust of wind blowing the chocolate all over you and your guests. Or, perhaps an unexpected rainstorm may put a damper on things, it definitely will cause the chocolate to seize (remember water & chocolate don’t mix). And if there is no wind or rain, there’s bound to be insects. Oh yeah, they love chocolate too. If you insist on using the fountain outdoors, be sure to put it under one of our tents (preferably with walls on it to block the wind)
Always set up and level your chocolate fountain on a sturdy level table.
Leveling your chocolate fountain is a really simple task that takes a minute or two. Adjust the feet so the fountain is level. To really get it perfect, grab a level and lay it on top of the bowl on the bottom. Repeat with the level at different sides of the bowl. The more accurate you are, the better the flow of the chocolate. A level fountain will allow the chocolate to flow evenly around the entire fountain making it easy for everybody in attendance to grab a spot to dip from.
Always preheat the chocolate fountain before adding the chocolate.
If the room is cold, the metal bowl and tiers will also be cold and when the chocolate is poured in, it can harden and not flow properly. Be sure to melt the chocolate before pouring it in. You can even cycle warm water through the machine before use to warm the metal pieces, but be sure to
dry all the water before adding chocolate!
All Auger style chocolate fountains have the same inherent problem of air getting trapped in the auger tube.
Everything’s going great, everybody loves the chocolate fountain, the chocolate is delicious and after a little while, the fountain stops flowing properly. More than likely, you either need to add more chocolate, or your fountain has gotten air trapped in the auger tube, making the chocolate flow uneven or curtain open. Simply turn off the auger for around 10-15 seconds. As the chocolate flows back down into the bowl from within the auger tube, you’ll probably notice air bubbles popping out of the chocolate. Turn the fountain back on and the problem should be cured. If that doesn’t cure the problem, make sure that you leveled the fountain and are not under an air-conditioning vent or outside in the wind.
Don’t leave the electric cord exposed for people to trip over.
If you’ve ever had to clean up a spilled chocolate fountain, you won’t make that mistake twice. Murphy’s law guarantees someone will trip over the exposed cord or some other obstacle and knock over the fountain or the table it is sitting on. It is best to tape over the cord if you are on a hard surface, or put the machine in a corner if outdoors and run the cord behind it.
Don’t dip crumbly items or wet items in the fountain.
Wet items will cause the chocolate to seize and crumbly items contaminate the chocolate making the flow uneven. Pat any fruits as dry as possible before submerging them.
Don’t leave chocolate in the fountain after you’re finished.
When it cools, the chocolate will harden. If someone turns on the auger with hardened chocolate in the fountain, it will potentially burn out the motor. If you do leave chocolate in the fountain and it hardens, simply turn on ONLY the heating element to start to melt the chocolate. Then, using a hair dryer, shoot warm air on the tiers and auger tube to melt the chocolate, freeing the auger and tier set from the chocolate. Even if the chocolate has hardened and you have re-melted it, it still is good and can be poured into a tupperware or storage container for future use.