Dunkers at the ready: here are some of the best nibbles for your chocolate fountain

Chocolate fountains make a fantastic centrepiece for any party. A novelty of the best kind, they unite opulence with a sense of carefree fun. And while it can be tempting to take a direct, spoons-only approach to your chocolate fountain, snacks and nibbles can add a whole new dimension.

With white, milk, and dark chocolate all making excellent bases for chocolate fountains, we’ve curated some iconic — and some delightfully outlandish — chocolate fountain dipping ideas for you to dive into.

What to look for in dipping snacks for chocolate fountains and fondues

What’s the sign of good quality chocolate? We think it’s a blend of high cacao alongside quality ingredients for a rich creaminess, dense and deep. Because our Large Chocolate Dipping Adventure contains pots of milk, dark caramel and white chocolate which are lavished with cacao, they tend to be on the thicker side. This means you’ll want a dipping snack which doesn’t crumble upon first, or last, dip.

The same goes for traditional chocolate fountains. As the melted chocolate pours, the last thing you want is to drop your dipping treat.

One of the great things about dipping snacks is that they enable you to experience a plethora of tastes and textures. This means you may want to consider your selection carefully. Think about what flavours work well with a punchy and bold dark, or a light and silky white. Ask yourself whether you can add extra layers of flavours for a multi-dimensional sensory experience.

It might be tempting to head for the biggest dipping snack you can find to scoop up the most amount of chocolate in one sitting. However, it’s better to be tactical: after all, no one really wants to exit the party covered in chocolate.

Find nibbles you can dunk in, fuss-free, or slot onto a skewer. This saves the mess and also lets you get creative with your flavour combinations.

The best snacks for a milk chocolate fountain

The iconic all-rounder. Milk chocolate is a certifiable crowd-pleaser, especially when it’s made with a high cacao percentage. We use 40 per cent cacao in ours, keeping true to our mantra of more cacao, less sugar.

Sweet treats

With its mellow flavour profile, milk chocolate pairs beautifully with sweeter nibbles. Here are a few classics to try with your milk chocolate fountain.

Marshmallows and crackers

Our friends across the Atlantic were definitely onto something when they invented S’mores. Born in the USA, but brought across the borders to British taste buds. Recreate all the gooey, comforting tastes and textures of a S’mores, campfire-free. The mellow richness of milk works well with the light fluffiness of a mini-mallow.

Summer berry skewer

British-grown berries are some of the best in the world. Create your own fruity kebab, ready to be held over melting milk chocolate. We suggest a trio of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries for the quintessential flavours of British summertime.

Biscotti

Crunchy biscuit, meets warm, velvety chocolate? We’ll take two. Dunking Biscuits are designed to be double-dipped (we won’t tell if you don’t). Ours come packed with chewy fruits, crisp nuts, warming spices and more for a full dunking experience. The question is; which one will you try first?

Savoury nibbles

Chocolate shouldn’t work with savoury foods, but somehow, it does. This combination may make you blink twice, but you’ve probably already tasted it in a Mexican Mole; although it sounds outlandish, there are plenty of ways to make delicious chocolate dishes.

Bacon and blini

Savoury and sweet marry perfectly together in an American breakfast: salty bacon and sticky maple syrup offer that sinfully moreish taste. Recreate your own by making skewers of bacon pieces and blinis (or mini pancakes).

Red peppers

Red peppers have a sweet, fresh crunch which pairs surprisingly well with milk chocolate. Cut them into strips for a fuss-free dipper.

Dark chocolate fountain dipping ideas

The indulgent choice for those who like their chocolate to be on the deeper side. We start our dark chocolate off at 70% cacao, going all the way to the top with our 100% Dark Chocolate Slabs. The higher the percentage, the more complex and nuanced the cacao taste.

Sweet treats

Temper the bold notes of a dark chocolate fountain with sweet snacks and embrace a balanced flavour profile.

Florentines

Because Florentine biscuits have a sticky, sweet finish, loaded with buttery caramel and crisp nuts, slightly chewy from the syrup. For an even more cacao-infused offering, try dipping our Florentine Isabelles — the chocolatier’s take on the classic Italian biscuit.

Forest fruit skewer

If summer berries work well with milk, then consider forest fruits as the right match for dark. The rich, red fruits of blackberries, cherries and blackcurrants evoke that classic Black Forest gateau taste. We think the combination of red fruits work so well with dark chocolate that we bottled it in our Chateau Chocolat Vintage Red Wine. Designed to be paired alongside a selection of high-cacao darks.

Orange slices

Chocolate and orange is a classic flavour combination. Give your guests a little extra zest by using fresh orange segments to dip into a dark chocolate fountain. Our Chocolate Orange Tangs capture all the fresh bursts of citrus tang, using natural ingredients. Although these are already enrobed in our dark chocolate, there’s no harm in double-coating.

Savoury nibbles

Let the deeper, more savoury notes of dark chocolate shine through with canapes and nibbles you may usually expect as starters, rather than desserts.

Pretzels

Salty and crunchy, these are a natural savoury pairing for dark chocolate. Decidedly moreish, the hint of salt lifts the flavours of chocolate with a higher cacao percentage.

Walnut, blue cheese and dates

This combination may seem a little daunting, but hear us out. Walnut and blue cheese are a classic combination, whilst dates add that sticky sweetness similar to a balsamic glaze.

Combined with the smoky, almost savoury edge of 100% dark, this trio becomes an elevated quartet of harmonious flavours.

Chilli crackers

At Hotel Chocolat, we love a flavour combination that has some character. Chilli and chocolate together are notorious for their punchy kick. Pair your favourite spicy crackers alongside dark to give your guests a dipper with a bit of a bite.

Nibbles for white chocolate fountains

Last, but by no means least. White chocolate is a great choice for when you want to dunk into something a little lighter. We make ours with 36 per cent cacao butter for a buttery smoothness.

Sweet treats

Because white chocolate has a delightfully delicate flavour profile, its vanilla note pair beautifully with naturally sweet fruits and baked goods.

Tropical fruit skewer

Piece together mango, papaya and pineapple for a tropical paradise sensation. Why not leave a bowl of desiccated coconut on your dipping station for an added touch of Caribbean sunshine?

Cherry Bakewell

Glace cherries and almonds come together to capture a British classic, the cherry Bakewell. Our Enrobed Cherries are already double-robed with milk and dark chocolate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t complete the trio with an extra layer of white. When it comes to chocolate, three’s never a crowd.

Savoury nibbles

Savoury snacks are a less common pairing for white chocolate fountains but you may be pleasantly surprised with these combinations.

Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts have that creamy, almost vanilla-like taste. Mild, with a gentle nutty flavour, they’re a great marriage for the gentle notes of cacao butter in our white chocolate.

Mini grissini

Mini grissinis (or breadsticks) mirror the crunch of a pretzel, without the salt. Decidedly moreish, they’re an easy savoury pairing for the delicate smoothness of white.

Dipping Adventures from Hotel Chocolat

At Hotel Chocolat, we think every dip is an adventure. Our Chocolate Dipping Adventure beholds some of your favourites — from marshmallows and almond biscuits to grissinis to Gianduja balls. Nestled alongside pots of milk, dark, white and caramel chocolate, the dipping adventure’s there for the taking.

And for a traditional chocolate fountain, you can always use our cacao-rich Batons and Slabs.