Monday, August 29, 2011

Impress Your Guests!


I had ZERO experience with chocolate fountains when I hosted our recent baby shower. I have a fountain that I have only used to make cheese fondue (spicy cheddar jack cheese IS awesome) but I wanted to serve my favorite treat in a special way! Sephra sent us an elegant chocolate fountain which was the perfect size for our gathering. They also sent THE most delicious chocolate (for melting) that I've ever had. It was silky smooth chocolate, and it didn't taste waxy like a few other chocolate melts that I have used when making candy or cake pops. It was rich and melted smoothly. I melted it in the bag and then poured it into the fountain, which my eight year old assembled. It was so easy! T'he fountain was made very well and it was stable. I didn't worry about anyone tipping it over.
The motor was surprisingly quiet and I had no problem getting it started. When I poured my chocolate in, I turned the unit off and on once or twice to "prime" it and this made the chocolate cascade more evenly. I didn't have to add oil to my chocolate either because it was ready to use! I had marshmallows, chips, pretzels, strawberries, pineapple, and bananas close by for dipping. I had plenty of bamboo skewers too! Next time I use my fountain I will try cubes of pound cake, kiwi, cherries, and assorted cookies! I love all the options you can offer your guests! We had plenty of sweet and salty treats! Of course, I would have been happy just using a straw! The fountain was beautiful to look at and it didn't splatter. The chocolate had a wonderful sheen and I think every guest went for the fountain first! It really attracted us all and it was fun to use! It also made the room smell like chocolate, which was a great bonus!!!The unit was pretty and it would have looked great a a casual picnic or an elegant reception. You can use the fountain to serve chocolate, cheese, fruit purees, caramels, ranch, BBQ sauce, and various other sauces. I wonder if a mulled wine at Christmas is a possibility? I may have to try it and let you know. It would keep it warm and it would be nice to look at! The tower (with the tiers) is clear, so you  could serve more transparent sauces without worrying about the color peeking through!
just getting started!
I was a little worried about cleaning it. I've heard they were a nightmare!!! I was surprised at how easy it was to clean. My husband carried it to the sink after I unplugged it and I removed the "tower" which comes off in sections. I poured the chocolate while it was still warm into a bag and I sealed it. Next, I wiped it out with a paper towel and then used the sprayer on my faucet to rinse the (very smooth) stainless portion of the bowl while leaning it over the sink. I washed it with a soapy sponge and sprayed again. I used my sprayer to get into all the little areas my sponge wouldn't reach. I had no problems getting all the chocolate out and the entire fountain was clean within five minutes. The tower was cleaned just as easily as the base! When I received my Sephra fountain, I thought it would only be a special occasion treat. After cleaning it, I would bring it out anytime! Leftover chocolate can be immediately poured into molds or saved. I saved my chocolate but I did heat some up later to use in molds. I also mixed some with nuts and made a few chocolate nut clusters! I found it easy to work with! Let me warn you about the mess though. It wasn't that bad. I served mine on a table that had an off white rug under it. I had a few drips (which cleaned up easily) so you may want to set this up in the kitchen or over an easy to clean surface! I highly recommend this fountain because of it's ease of cleaning and quiet motor. It was fun to use and the chocolate was AWESOME! Their prices are great and they offer everything from chocolate, fountains, and accessories to decadent gourmet mixes! Their Belgian Dark Mousse Kit would make a great hostess gift for the holidays! It looks amazing! Check them out!
Disclosure: I was sent a chocolate fountain and chocolate for our special shower. No monetary compensation received.

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