Dairy Milk Fruit Fondue Common Melting Mistakes & How To Avoid Them

Fondue is a perfect way to bring many ingredients on the table and present them with the center of melted chocolate. For generations, fondue has been a center of attraction in elegant parties where chocolate takes the center stage and is surrounded with various fruits, bars, nuts, and cakes in bite sizes that you can just dip into chocolate and eat away. This is a perfect way to create an interactive treat where guests can create their own masterpieces and have a fun time.

When you want to present an effortlessly elegant dessert and you are confused between the heap of ingredients to make the treats from that overwhelms you and make you overthink, then chocolate fondue would be the perfect plan for you. It is one of those treats that you can make when you have run out of ideas. Just with the simple bowl of melted chocolate surrounded by both exotic and laid back ingredients that makes the table look effortlessly elegant in every way.

This dessert is nothing out of the ordinary. Even though it is just a bowl of chocolate served with various things to dip, it still will be an eye catcher. While still being effortless, creating chocolate fondue still requires some best practices to ensure it turns out perfect from all aspects. Refining the texture and flavor of chocolate is still a bit tricky if you don’t prepare it right. Chocolate fondue also has a few trials and errors and if you don’t pay attention to details, you might end up creating a mess. Therefore, to make the process of making chocolate fondue fool proof, here are some common mistakes and tips on how you can avoid them.

Mistake 1. Using Direct Heat

Melting Dairy Milk chocolate directly over a flame or in a dry pan can burn the chocolate very easily and make it grainy and bitter. Dairy Milk chocolate in particular contains sugars and milk solids that can burn quickly and separate, creating an unpleasant taste and texture. Therefore, always use a double boiler or create a makeshift, DIY double boiler on a stove top by simmering water in a saucepan and placing a heatproof bowl over the hot pan. Then put broken pieces of chocolate in the heatproof bowl and let the rising steam settle at the bottom, melting the chocolate. Keep the flame low and stir the chocolate gently. This is the best way to melt chocolate if you are just a beginner.

Mistake 2. Overheating the Chocolate

It may seem like a good idea at first to increase the heat to speed up the process. However, when it comes to chocolate, patience is the only key through which you can unlock a perfect chocolate recipe. Therefore, it is a bad idea to crank up the heat to speed up the melting process of chocolate. Chocolate melts between 30–32°C. When you heat it beyond 40°C, it can cause chocolate to seize or separate. Therefore, melt chocolate low and slow. Take it off the heat just before it is fully melted and stir it with a spoon to melt the lumps.

Mistake 3. Letting Water Touch the Chocolate

While melting chocolate on a double boiler over stove top, it becomes a common mistake where people suspend the chocolate bowl on the hot water to melt the chocolate. This will result in the chocolate to become thick, grainy, and lumpy, and instead of turning into a silky smooth drip, it will become a stiff paste. Therefore, you should never allow even a single drop of water to touch the chocolate bowl. To correct this, make sure the utensils you are using are dry and with no water. If using a double boiler, make sure water doesn’t splash into the bowl.

Mistake 4. Not Chopping the Chocolate Properly

Chopping is necessary in order to melt chocolate smoothly and evenly. When chocolate is chopped into small and even pieces, it becomes easier to melt it fast and smooth. When you toss the whole chunks of large bars in a melting bowl, it will result in uneven melting. Therefore, always chop chocolate if you want the best results.

Mistake 5. Skipping Stirring

When you leave the chocolate while it melts, it will cause uneven heating and some parts will become overcooked while others will remain cold and untouched by heat. This will make the texture gritty. Therefore, gently stir the chocolate with a silicone spatula while it melts every few seconds to maintain smooth consistency.

Mistake 6. Adding Cold Cream or Fruits to Hot Chocolate

When you directly put the cold ingredients like fruits, sponge cake, or cold cream, it will shock the warm temperature of chocolate and may cause it to curdle or harden. Therefore, let the cream and all the ingredients come to a room temperature before dipping into chocolate fondue. Leave the fruits at room temperature and do not use them directly from the fridge.