Chocolate Fondue: A Creative Nacho Cheese Dip?

Chocolate fondue is a fun and interactive dessert that allows people to dip their favorite treats, like fruit or cake, into a pot of melted chocolate. While chocolate is the most common fondue, you can use a chocolate fountain for anything with a similar consistency. This includes nacho cheese, which can be made using a variety of recipes, from canned cheese products to homemade creations. However, it's important to note that the consistency of the cheese needs to be just right to flow smoothly through the fountain.

Using nacho cheese in a chocolate fondue fountain

Using a chocolate fondue fountain for nacho cheese is a fun and creative way to serve this snack at your next party or game day celebration. While chocolate is the most common fondue, you can certainly use a chocolate fountain for other types of fondue, including nacho cheese.

To achieve the best flow, it is recommended to use liquid nacho cheese, as this works better than a Swiss cheese-based fondue, which tends to be too thick and can clog the fountain. Canned nacho cheese is a good option, as it has additives that prevent curdling and maintain a thin, sauce-like consistency. You can find these at restaurant supply stores, big-box stores, or online. Look for big cans, ideally about 107 ounces or 6-7 pounds, to ensure you have enough cheese for your fountain.

Before using the nacho cheese in your chocolate fondue fountain, you will need to thin it out. You can do this by heating the cheese in a pot on the stove and adding water or milk to achieve the desired consistency. The cheese should be as thin as chocolate syrup or heavy cream to ensure it flows smoothly through the fountain.

Once your cheese is ready, simply transfer it to the chocolate fountain. You may need to adjust the amount of cheese you use, starting with less and adding more as needed. It is also important to note that the fountain will not keep the cheese hot, so you will need to heat small batches of cheese throughout your event.

Now that you have your nacho cheese fountain set up, it's time to choose some dippers! Tortilla chips, tacos, pretzels, and vegetables like carrots, celery, and broccoli are all excellent options. You can also offer toppings and accompaniments on the side, such as salsa, refried beans, sour cream, and jalapenos, to create a delicious nacho bar for your guests.

How to prepare nacho cheese for a fondue fountain

Yes, you can use nacho cheese in a fondue fountain, but you may need to dilute it with white wine, cream, or milk to get the right consistency and enable it to flow through the fountain.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of milk (you may need a little extra to adjust the consistency)
• 6-8 ounces of cheese (cheddar, Colby Jack, mozzarella, or processed cheese like Velveeta)
• 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or a pinch of chilli powder (optional)
• A pinch of salt (optional)

Method:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Whisk in the flour and cayenne pepper (if using) and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Slowly whisk in the milk and bring it to a simmer. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens.
• Reduce the heat to low and start adding the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring continuously. If needed, place the pot back on low heat to help the cheese melt, but be careful not to overheat the sauce.
• Once all the cheese has melted, stir in the salt (if using) and any other desired seasonings. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a little extra milk to adjust the consistency. The cheese should be thin enough to flow through the fondue fountain, but not too watery.
• Transfer the cheese to the fondue fountain and enjoy with your favourite dippers!

Tips:

• For a smoother sauce, use medium cheddar instead of sharp cheddar, as it is less likely to become grainy.
• Use block cheese and shred it yourself, as pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking powders that can affect the taste and melt of the sauce.
• Make sure to cook the flour in the butter for at least a minute to get rid of the "floury" taste.
• If you want to add some spice, you can try adding sliced jalapeños, diced green chillies, or a pinch of garlic powder.

Enjoy your nacho cheese fondue!

The best type of nacho cheese for a fondue fountain

A chocolate fondue fountain can be used for other types of fondue, including cheese. The key is to get the right consistency, so the cheese flows through the fountain.

Some people recommend using processed cheese, such as Velveeta, as this flows well through the fountain. You can also use powdered cheese. To get the right consistency, you may need to experiment with adding liquids such as water, milk, cream, or olive oil.

If you are making your own nacho cheese, a combination of Monterey Jack and cheddar is a good option, as these cheeses melt well. You could also add mozzarella, or something a bit spicy like Pepper Jack.

For a simple, classic, and versatile nacho cheese, you can use a standard bag of tortilla chips and a one-pound block of cheese. You can also add ground beef, shredded beef, pork, or chicken, as well as toppings like black beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, corn, and avocados.

Whatever type of nacho cheese you choose, make sure to prepare it correctly so it flows smoothly through your fondue fountain.

Other foods to use in a chocolate fondue fountain

While chocolate is the most common fondue, you can use a chocolate fountain with anything that reaches a similar consistency to chocolate. This includes cheese, barbecue sauce, honey mustard, ranch salad dressing, and caramel.

If you want to use nacho cheese, you may need to dilute it with white wine, cream, or milk to get it to the right consistency. However, some people have found that even when diluted, nacho cheese is too thick and the oil content is too high for a chocolate fondue fountain.

• Vegetables such as carrots, celery, broccoli, asparagus, peppers, and cauliflower make good dippers for cheese fondue.
• Bread, crackers, pretzel rods, apples, and chicken wings can also be paired with cheese fondue.
• Pita chips, tortilla chips, and vegetables are good dippers for queso dip (cheese fondue with salsa).
• Fruits, cookies, and pound cake can be served with a caramel fondue.
• Crackers, pretzels, bread, apples, chicken wings, meatballs, or potatoes can be dipped in sauces like honey mustard, ranch, or barbecue sauce.

How to prepare chocolate for a fondue fountain

While chocolate is the most common fondue, you can use a chocolate fountain with anything that will reach the same consistency as chocolate. If you want to use your chocolate fountain for cheese fondue, you will need to prepare the cheese as you would for a regular fondue pot by diluting it with white wine or cream to keep it liquid.

If you are preparing chocolate for a fondue fountain, you can follow these steps:

Ingredients:

• Cocoa butter or coconut oil
• Cocoa powder
• Milk powder or coconut milk powder
• Salt
• Powdered sweetener

Method:

• Set up a double boiler by adding a few inches of water to a medium saucepan and topping it with a heat-proof bowl.
• Melt the cocoa butter in the bowl, stirring gently but often to prevent scorching.
• Once melted, sift in the cocoa powder and milk powder, stirring to combine thoroughly.
• Add your choice of powdered sweetener and mix until smooth.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and add any additional flavourings, such as vanilla extract, coffee, or spices.
• Leave the mixture to cool slightly, then give it a final stir.
• (Optional) If you have a chocolate grinder, you can let it run for several hours to grind the chocolate into tiny particles.
• Pour the chocolate into your fondue fountain and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions