American Chocolate Fountain

Warming Up the Machine:

1. Set the temperature control for 250 degrees while you prepare to melt your chocolate. Chocolate chips or callets can be added directly to the pan in the fountain base and heated until melted. After your chocolate is melted, reduce heat to 175 degrees – 180 degrees.

2. For a quick setup, we suggest pre-melting your chocolate in a microwaveable zip-lock bag.

Preparing Chocolate Fondue with Microwave:

1. Start with a microwave safe zip lock bag. Fill with 2 – 5 lbs of chocolate chips or callets.

2. Begin preparing your chocolate fountain fondue with a good quality chocolate. The benchmark for quality chocolate is cocoa butter content. The higher the cocoa butter content, the smoother the melted chocolate fondue and the less likely it will need additional oil for a smooth chocolate fountain flow.

3. In most cases, oil will be necessary to ensure a smooth, even flow of chocolate through your fondue fountain. A good estimate is _ cup of vegetable oil per 5 lbs of chocolate. Just add the oil directly to the chocolate chips or callets in the microwave safe zip-lock bag prior to warming.

4. After adding the oil to the chocolate chips or callets, zip the bag closed (taking care to be sure the bag is thoroughly closed). If you are unsure about the quality of the zip-lock bag, play it safe and double bag.

5. Place the closed bag filled with chocolate chips and vegetable oil into the microwave and set on “High” for approx. 3 minutes (time will vary according to microwave strength). Check the bag about halfway through, kneading the partially melted chocolate.

6. When finished, remove the bag from microwave and carefully knead the bag, mixing and feeling for unmelted chocolate. If necessary, heat for a few more seconds until chocolate is smooth and free from chunks.

Filling Your Chocolate Fountain With Pre-Melted Chocolate:

1. With your chocolate fondue fountain preheated, it is time to add your bag of melted chocolate. Holding the bag at the top, grasp one of the bottom corners and lift it up even with the top of the zip-lock bag. Snip the bottom corner of the bag with a pair of scissors. Lower the cut corner of your bag of melted chocolate over the bowl portion of your chocolate fountain.

2. Pour the warm melted chocolate from the cut zip-lock bag directly into the bowl portion of the chocolate fountain.

3. As the bag empties, slowly twist the zip-lock bag to force the rest of the chocolate out. Repeat the procedure until your chocolate fountain is loaded with chocolate fondue.

4. Your chocolate fountain is loaded with melted chocolate, reduce the temperature to 175 – 180 degrees and turn on the stainless steel auger. As the auger starts, the chocolate fondue will begin to flow through the fountain covering and warming the stainless steel tiers.

5. After a few minutes of operating, the chocolate fountain will be sufficiently warmed and chocolate flow should be consistent. If flow is uneven at this point, check to be sure the fountain is standing level. If not, use a _ open end wrench to adjust the legs on the chocolate fountain until the chocolate sheets evenly over the tiers.

6. If your chocolate fondue is still too thick, sparingly add a small amount of vegetable oil to the bowl of chocolate to thin the chocolate fondue.
Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What kind of chocolate will work with our fountains?
A: Almost any type of chocolate will work we do recommend chocolate sold in chips or callets. Do not use chocolate syrup.

Q: Why is the chocolate flowing only to one side of the fountain?
A: It is very important that the fountain be leveled BEFORE you pour the chocolate in. Level the fountain using the feet. They screw up and down. Use a level placed on the top tier, first left to right then front to back. If you already have the chocolate flowing, survey the chocolate in the bowl and see which way the chocolate is leaning, adjust the legs accordingly until the chocolate flows correctly.

Q: Why do I need to use a vegetable oil?
A: Vegetable oil is used to thin the chocolate to a more viscous consistency and to give the chocolate a lustrous sheen.

Q: How much oil will I need to use?
A: In most cases, oil will be necessary to ensure a smooth, even flow of chocolate through your fondue fountain. A good estimate is _ cup of vegetable oil per 5 lbs of chocolate. Just add the oil directly to the chocolate chips or callets in the microwave safe zip-lock bag prior to warming. If your chocolate fondue is still too thick, sparingly add a small amount of vegetable oil to the bowl of chocolate to thin the chocolate fondue.

Q: Why is the fountain not flowing evenly?
A: Turn the fountain off wait 45 seconds and turn it back on.

Q: Does your fountain use an auger or a pump?
A: Our fountain uses a stainless steel auger. This allows us to use any type of chocolate and can be placed in the dishwasher to be cleaned. A pump requires total disassembly to be cleaned and you must use chocolate syrup “only.”

Q: Is the fountain dishwasher safe?
A: The auger and tower stack can go into the dishwasher. This makes cleanup very easy. You would pour the remaining chocolate out of the base and clean the base with warm water and soap.

Q: How much chocolate is required to run the fountain?
A: The #MFCF25 can run on 5 lbs of chocolate. The #MFCF30 and #MFCF40 will run on 10 lbs of chocolate.

Q: How much chocolate will the fountain hold?
A: The #MFCF25 will hold 10 lbs of chocolate. The #MFCF30 and #MFCF40 will hold 20 lbs of chocolate.

Q: What happens if someone drops something in the fountain such as a strawberry or pretzel?
A: There is a gap at the bottom of the chocolate tiers. This will hold the item behind the chocolate sheet until the event is over.

Q: How much does the fountain weigh?
A: #MFCF25 (small) weighs about 25 lbs; #MFCF30 (medium) weighs about 65 lbs; #MFCF40 (large) weighs about 75 lbs

Q: How much does the fountain cost?
A: Please call your sales representative