Chocolate Fondue Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to fondue? ›

"The key with fondue is to keep the temperature very low once you start adding the cheese." In the double boiler, the heat was gentle enough that even with prolonged exposure, the fondue never got hot enough to break.

Fruit: Strawberries, bananas, oranges, kiwi, pineapple, raspberries, blueberries, apple slices, cherries, grapes, and dried fruit like apricots. Pastries: Waffles, pancakes, churros, doughnuts, croissants, and marshmallows. Biscuits and Cookies: Shortbread, digestives, gingerbread, and ladyfingers.

If You're Making Chocolate Fondue, a Few Tips

To avoid burning the chocolate: You'll use a technique borrowed from making chocolate ganache. Ganache is made by adding finely chopped chocolate to very warm cream, waiting a few minutes for the chocolate to melt, and then stirring the mixture until smooth.

Fondue rules

You must not double dip, and never put your fork directly into your mouth.

Never eat directly off the fondue fork. Never forget your food in the pot. Never pour the contents of the pot onto your plate. Never cut in line when it's not your turn to dip.

If you use chocolate with 60% or more cocoa, use at least 75 ml (1/3 cup) of cream for every 100 g of chocolate. This volume of liquid contains enough water to prevent the chocolate from thickening.

To thin melted chocolate, add a small amount of neutral oil, like vegetable oil or cocoa butter, stirring gently until it reaches the desired consistency. Melt slowly to avoid overheating, and keep water out to prevent the chocolate from seizing.

Chocolate and water don't go together. Even a small splash of water in your melting chocolate will cause it to seize, becoming stiff and grainy instead of smooth and silky.

To resolve this, simply turn the fountain off, allow it to sit for 15-30 seconds, and turn it back on. If when turning the fountain on you see the bottom of the cylinder, additional fondue needs to be added. Repeat this procedure until the fountain is flowing at full capacity.

For instance, when chocolate comes into contact with even the smallest amount of water, it seizes. Similarly, if chocolate is overheated, it will become thick and lumpy. There are ways to avoid this, so if you encounter problems with seized or overheated chocolate, all is not lost.

How to stop chocolate fondue from clumping? ›

Double Boil Method

The double boil is a safe and simple way to keep your melting chocolate from burning and clumping.

Water can cause chocolate fondue to seize, or be clumpy and lumpy rather than the smooth, glossy consistency we want. Make sure that anything that will touch the fondue is completely dry, from the fondue pot to the whisk. Overheating your chocolate fondue can also cause it to separate or otherwise go awry.

Unopened, pre-packaged Chocolate Fondue usually has a shelf life of about 6-12 months in the pantry, always check the 'Best by' date on the package. Once it has been opened, if stored properly, it'll last for about 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator. As for homemade chocolate fondue, it needs to be used within 2-3 days.

If the fondue has been over-cooked and the cheese is turning into hard lumps then adding a teaspoon or two of lemon juice should help to restore the texture. If the cheese has split and looks greasy but not lumpy then adding extra cornflour (cornstarch) will help to re-emulsify the mixture.

When making fondue, the first thing to consider is what type of ingredients you want to use; if you are a vegetarian, you may prefer the oil. The oil is also a healthier option because it contains no fat or calories. However, if you like meat and cheese, the broth is better because it has more flavors.

If a fondue is starting to separate then adding cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with a little cold water usually brings it back together again as the cornflour binds moisture to the cheese solids.