Spice Collection truffles by Laderach Chocolatier Suisse include paprika, allspice, chili, cinnamon-nutmeg, coconut-curry, ginger, and cardamom.

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February 2005
Updated February 2008

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Chocolate

Chocolate Fondue With Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice

A Gourmet Chocolate “Truffle Melt” Party & Recipe

A great chocolate party idea:

Chocolate cake...chocolate ice cream...chocolate mousse...chocolate soufflé...chocolate bars...and boxes and boxes of chocolate truffles and bonbons.

What about hot melted chocolate? We’re in the midst of a fondue renaissance. But rather than drag out the fondue pot and dip marshmallows, cake and fruit into melted chocolate (not that there’s anything wrong with that), we offer you a sophisticated foodie twist.  

We propose for your dessert, snacking, or party pleasure, a truffle melt. We hasten to add that we’re not suggesting that you melt down a box of truffles. It’s something just as tasty but much more cost-effective—a chocolate fondue variation that may become as big a favorite with your family and friends as it is with ours.                                                                  

The Concept

Instead of serving melted chocolate in a communal fondue dipping pot, you’ll serve the melted chocolate in individual cups or bowls and instead of dipping fruit, cake or marshmallows, each participant mixes in his/her individual choice of additions to create custom blends.

And, if you supply everyone with small sake or demitasse cups instead of one larger cup or bowl, everyone can be a chocolatier for the evening and create and small selection of personal blends.

Because personal preference vary, we’re providing a Spicy Truffle Melt and Traditional Melt recipes. Spicy accents are hot (no pun intended). Thanks to fusion cuisine, the finest American chocolatiers have incorporated the flavors of the world into their chocolates; and these have found many fans.

Now you can experiment with exotic-flavored chocolates at home, by opening up the spice cabinet and your imagination.

Step 1: Gather Cups or Bowls

First, find cups or bowls to serve the melted chocolate.

• If you only want to try one mix, any small bowl, custard cup, shallow teacup, demitasse cup, or sherbet champagne glass will do.
• But if you want each guest to try 3 or 4 mixes (yes!), you need to give each person 3 or 4 different cups or small bowls. You still may have everything you need, or should be able to borrow a few pieces.  Sake cups, espresso cups, egg cups—any small cup will work, even votive candle holders. All of the items needed for the Chocolate Melt are easily repurposed several times over.
• You don’t need to have 32 matching pieces: as long as each person’s 3 or 4 cups come from the same set, your table will look orderly.
• You can even buy plastic cocktail glasses. There are silver-coated ones and holiday colors that look quite festive. Even the smallest size allows for a larger portion than you’d normally serve when trying 4 different mixtures; but no one will complain.

Regular tableware like espresso cups or demitasse, sake cups, even egg cups can do double duty to hold hot melted chocolate.  This espresso cup, from Bodum’s Pavina line, is made of double-walled glass that both insulates, helping the chocolate stay warm longer; and prevents heat marks and moisture condensation from marring your tabletop.

Step 2: Prepare To Mix

Set up lazy susans within reach of all guests. For a foursome at a small table, you can just line up the mix-ins in dishes within reach of all.

• For larger groups, one or more lazy susans work best. You don’t need to go to a gallery to buy a beautiful hand-crafted lazy susan like the one at the right. You can get an inexpensive plastic model in any housewares or hardware store and cover the top with decorative fabric or paper.

• If the lazy susan has a holding rim, you can even even create a festive surface of colored marbles or round hard candies that can be re-purposed afterward as decor in glass vases, jars or bowls. (Avoid using coffee beans or other items with fragrance that will compete with the chocolate you’re tasting.)

You’ll also need spice dishes and demitasse or other small spoons to scoop up the mix-ins from the communal dishes prior to mixing. 

You’ll need very small bowls for the communal mix-in containers for the Spice Melt because spices are expensive and only 1/4 teaspoon is needed in any particular mix. Larger bowls will do for the Traditional Melt.  The small cups of chocolate will need less than 1/8 teaspoon of the mix-in, and most people will want to proceed with caution.

Soy sauce dishes work well for the spices: if you don’t yet have a set, they can be used for Asian cuisine, condiments for any occasion, and even as tea bag holders. The saucers from demitasse and espresso cups can be used in a pinch, although spices will spill over the edges.

Step 3: Line Up The Mix-Ins

If you decide to provide liqueur accents, you’ll need to provide small pitchers, squeeze bottles, or other containers so that the amount being added to the chocolate mixture can be controlled.  Eyedroppers and pipettes from medical supply stores are very useful here.                                     

Vosges Chocolate has a line of exotic truffles that includes Budapest with paprika (above); Black Pearl with ginger and wasabi, Naga with curry and coconut, and Aztec with ancho and chipotle chiles. You can mix these spices into melted chocolate to make your own “liquid truffle” anytime.
                                               

Step 4: Heat And Eat

With the pre-planning taken care of, you’re ready to make the melted chocolate. Use your favorite fondue recipe, or click here for some options.

Pour the melted chocolate into the individual serving cups or bowls, and tell your guests to start mixing.  You may want to present two flights of two cups in order to keep the chocolate warm; but anything cool can be quickly headed in the microwave.

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