11 Types Of Chocolate Perfect For Your Next Fondue

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A fondue is a large pot of warm, bubbling, and perfectly melted cheese: Typically, small skewers of vegetables, fruit, or small bits of bread are dipped into the pot of liquid, golden goodness. A fondue makes for a wonderful party favor. 

Chocolate fondue is an American iteration of cheese fondue. Chocolate fondue emerged as a result of the fondue craze that was prevalent in the 1960s. These sweet fountains are common at parties and large gatherings. Chocolate fondue makes a great accompaniment to sweet treats and fruits. 

Just as there are many types of cheese that can be used to make a savory fondue, there are also numerous kinds of chocolate you can melt to make a rich, sweet, and creamy fondue that goes perfectly with chocolate-covered strawberries. Each type of chocolate will bring a different kind of flavor to the table. 

The kind of chocolate that will work for your fondue will depend on your taste preferences as well as the accompaniments you intend to serve with your fondue. There are several different types of chocolate out there, so, before you make your next fondue, you might want to familiarize yourself with the chocolate varieties that are best for making the perfect chocolate-based dipping sauce.

Bittersweet chocolate can be incredible for giving your fondues a slightly bitter yet rich taste. This type of chocolate may not be as popular or renowned as its dark chocolate and milk chocolate counterparts but it's still a fantastic variety. According to Ina Garten, bittersweet chocolate is perfect for baking. 

If this chocolate is ideal for baking then why not use it for fondue too? Bittersweet chocolate is essentially dark chocolate with some added sugar, and it possesses wonderful notes of bitterness along with an extra note of sweetness (via MasterClass). However, unlike milk chocolate, bittersweet chocolate is made with pure cacao and sugar sans milk. 

According to Lazar's Chocolate, bittersweet chocolate contains 70% cacao. It's the perfect kind of chocolate for fondue fans as well as those that enjoy a strong, slightly sweetened flavor of cacao. Since this chocolate leans towards bitterness in terms of taste, a fondue made with bittersweet chocolate will be an instant hit with fans of dark chocolate. Bittersweet chocolate fondue is wonderful when enjoyed with something sweet and fruity, such as strawberries and raspberries, or even a rich, enjoyable dessert. 

A good quality box of chocolate can be pretty expensive, and while you don't need tons of chocolate for a successful fondue, you do still need a fair bit in order to achieve a rich and satisfying melted dessert. While some chocolate brands such as Hershey's and Dove varieties are relatively cheap, some of the best types of chocolates can be as expensive as several bottles of wine. Fortunately, chocolate isn't the only dessert fondue ingredient option out there: If you've looking for a cheaper chocolate substitute, then compound chocolate is a great option. 

According to Top Tier Chocolate, compound chocolate is essentially imitation chocolate: It contains a small amount of cocoa powder along with vegetable oils and sweeteners. It might not taste as rich and decadent as genuine chocolate but it's a great option for people who are looking for a type of chocolate that has a limited amount of cocoa. Compound chocolate is available for a reasonable price in bulk quantities, which is perfect for anyone who needs large amounts of chocolate for their next fondue party.

While it may be more suited to warmer months, mint chocolate is a year-round treat that is a sweet, cool spin on your typical milk or dark chocolate. It's a wonderful chocolate flavor that is often used in hot chocolate, cookies, and chocolate. Since both milk chocolate and dark chocolate can both be quite rich, the addition of the mint in the mix makes for a refreshingly sweet flavor that uplifts the dense and heavy intensity of chocolate. 

The mint plant grows in a chocolate mint variety that can be added to hot teas or used for making mint chocolate (via Specialty Produce). Since mint works well for chocolate-based treats and drinks as well as hot teas and hot chocolate, it also works wonderfully in chocolate fondues. Simply mix milk with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, along with peppermint baking chunks and peppermint schnapps, and you'll find yourself with a refreshingly cool chocolate fondue (via Food Fanatic). 

Dipping a marshmallow in mint chocolate fondue feels like drinking a delicious mint hot chocolate! If you love all things mint chocolate, then a fondue of this flavor is definitely worth trying. 

Commonly found types of chocolate such as white, dark, and milk flavored varieties all have a unique taste and look to them, and each is recognizable in its own right. If you've ever stepped inside a chocolate shop or even just a regular grocery store like Whole Foods, then you've likely come across another kind of chocolate bar, which has quite an unusual coloring: Ruby chocolate is a newer kind of chocolate that, according to Food Network, is made with ruby cacao beans that originate in Brazil, Ecuador, or the Ivory Coast.

Ruby chocolate has a bright pink coloring and distinct hints of fruit (via Huffpost). Using ruby chocolate in a fondue will create a milky, fruit-flavored chocolate fondue. Graham crackers, marshmallows, and other snacks are wonderful for dipping into ruby chocolate fondue. Fruit also works really well with ruby chocolate fondue. This decadent chocolate liquid is truly a wonderful dessert that elevates the taste buds with its creamy, fruity flavors.  

Blonde chocolate is a modern creation. It was created by pastry chef Frédéric Bau when he accidentally left white chocolate out to roast in a bain-marie for a few hours too long (via Dame Cacao). Blonde chocolate may have been an accidental creation, but there's no mistaking that it's an incredible addition to our pre-existing chocolate flavors, and therefore, an exciting type of chocolate for the purposes of a fondue. 

Blonde chocolate has a much different flavor from regular types of chocolate and is said to have a more butterscotch or caramel-like taste (via The Chocolate Society). This makes it absolutely perfect for fondues. The taste of blonde chocolate tends to work well with apples and is somewhat reminiscent of a caramel apple with a chocolate fondue spin, which sounds simply incredible. 

This fondue could also work really well with other accompaniments such as salty pretzel sticks, or more typically, with fruit such as strawberries. So, if you manage to get your hands on enough blonde chocolate, make sure you try the blonde chocolate fondue.