How to Build a Chocolate Fountain

A chocolate fountain can give any get-together that little extra touch of decadence to impress your guests.Building a chocolate fountain can be as easy as going out and buying the builders' kit at your local home store. But the easily found basic components of a chocolate fountain mean that anyone with the right tools and handy skills can build their own homemade chocolate fountain for parties or other special occasions.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Double boiler
• Auger
• Stainless steel tube (to hold auger in place)
• Stainless steel tiers in different sizes
• Chocolate fountain motor (heater motor)
• Stainless steel bowl
• Stainless steel ring that outlines the bowl (splash guard)
• Metal cutting equipment
• Chocolate

Assembling the Chocolate Fountain

1. Cut or drill a properly measured hole in the center of the bottom of the stainless steel bowl to enable the turning mechanism of the chocolate fountain motor to connect to the auger, as well as allow room for your stainless steel tube to stand upright. Be sure the hole leaves at least 1/2 inch of space (and no more than 1 inch or so, depending on the size of your fountain) around the tube to enable cascading chocolate to return back to the chocolate fountain motor's heating space.

2. Connect the auger to the turning mechanism of the motor so that the auger is standing straight up on end.

3. Fit the stainless steel tube over the auger so that the auger is completely contained.

4. Secure a stainless steel ring (curving upward) around the circumference of the bowl, preferably by soldering. This will help prevent chocolate splashes.

5. Solder stainless steel tiers onto the tube, starting with the largest close to the bottom, then a slightly smaller tier a distance of your choice from the bottom, and so on.

Prepare the Chocolate for Your Fountain

6. Place a sauce pot on the stove and fill about half-way with water. Set the heat on high and bring water to a boil.

7. Cover the sauce pot with another bowl to create a double-boiler.

8. Place chocolate pieces or chips into the bowl and stir, allowing the chocolate to melt until smooth.

9. Pour the melted chocolate into the chocolate fountain motor through the space between the bowl and the stainless steel tube.

10. Turn on the motor, triggering the auger mechanism to draw the melted, heated chocolate through the stainless steel tube and out the top, cascading melted chocolate down the tiers and back down into the chocolate fountain motor to repeat the cycle.

Tips & Warnings

• Add a bit of oil to the chocolate when melting. This will enable the auger to lift the chocolate through the tube more easily.
• If you're handy, you can try creating your own chocolate fountain motor. However, it's best to buy a motor pre-assembled. This will ensure the motor's parts are properly concealed and will prevent chocolate from gumming up the works.

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[melgrimes]

on 6/17/2009 Thanks for the chocolate fountain ideas.