What Other Ingredients Should I Add To Fondue
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is an important ingredient in fondue, helping it maintain a smooth consistency and stable emulsion. Without cornstarch, the cheese is much more likely to clump, the solids separating from the oil. Typically you toss the shredded cheese with cornstarch before adding the wine. Some fondue mixes already include cornstarch, so read the label.
Garlic
Traditionally, you slice a garlic clove and rub it over the inside of the fondue pot before adding the cheese. You can optionally chop up that garlic and add it with the cheese. If you add garlic chunks, you will see them in the final fondue, making the texture not as smooth. But we like the flavor and always add it.
Lemon juice
Some fondue recipes add a small amount of lemon juice when cooking the fondue . Supposedly the acid helps break down the cheese proteins, helping it create a smoother consistency. In my experience, I havent noticed a difference when I use lemon juice or not.
The Very Best Best Cheese Fondue Recipe So Easy
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The Best Cheese Fondue is the perfect recipe for every gathering, date night, or special occasion. This cheesy, creamy dish will leave taste buds happy.
Cheese Fondue Dippers will help youfind the perfect food to dip into your fondue. Creamy Chocolate Fondue is the perfect recipe for dessert.
I was trying to decide the next recipe to feature when I watched a movie that had a cheese fondue party. Uh, yum!
Of course, cheese fondue was the perfect dish to do next. I write about cozy living, and you really cant cozier than a nice fondue pot with lots of things to dip into it. You can position your meal in front of a fireplace for extra points on living a remarkable life.
Sometimes I think we forget how easy it is to add a few touches of magic here and there to our day. Anything to do with cheese can turn an average day into a day worth remembering.
Recently, my entire family went to Vermont in the fall. One of our activities was to visit the Cabot Cheese company.
There was a giant oval table in the center of one of the rooms. You got in line with the other cheese-obsessed people and went around the table sampling the different types of cheese.
First of all, Cabot Cheese is crazy good but being able to sample all the flavors were pure heaven. That was part of the trip none of us will forget.
If youre anything like me, you love cheese. You even dream about cheese.
What Is The Best Cheese For Fondue
In my opinion, theres no single best type of cheese for fondue rather, its best to use a blend of cheeses when you make fondue at home. Create your own fondue cheese mix by choosing a few varieties that all melt beautifully but have differing characteristics, creating a well-balanced flavor profile for your fondue.
My rule of thumb? Look for cheeses with 3 key flavor profiles: something nutty, something tangy, & something sharp.
- Nutty: The obvious choice here is gruyere, the firm cows milk cheese traditionally used to make fondue. It melts really well & has amazing nutty flavor. Available at ALDI, I love Emporium Selection Gruyere. Not only is it super delicious & seriously affordable, its also AOP certified, meaning its authentic gruyere produced in Switzerland in accordance to a specific set of standards.
- Tangy: Here I like using either edam or gouda, which are both creamy Dutch cheeses that melt beautifully. Edam is a little tangier & funkier, while gouda tends to be kind of sweet & mellow. ALDI carries fantastic options for both grab whatever sounds best to you!
- Sharp: You cant go wrong with a nice agedcheddar. The Emporium Selection Aged Reserve White Cheddar is my absolute favorite cheese at ALDI!
The bottom line? Have fun with it. So long as the cheeses melt nicely, theres really no wrong choice. If youre someone who likes a little more freedom in the kitchen, keep these 3 flavor profiles in mind to create a fondue thats perfect for you.
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How To Make Fondue Outdoors
If you want to make fondue outdoors, I suggest getting a travel fondue kit that is much lighter and more compact than a standard fondue set. We got 4-person set from KitFondue.ch and were really happy with it. The full kit weighs 1.7kg and packs very compactly so it can fit into a backpack for travel.
With an outdoor set, you have to cook the fondue directly over the burner, not first on the stove. This can be more difficult because you have less control over the heat. But happily, we had no trouble with our fondue and it melted properly in about 15 minutes over the burner. It would be best to choose a hike that has a picnic area with tables, you can easily gather around the fondue. But a tree stump worked well on our outing.
What Are The Best Cheeses For Fondue
Alpine cheeses are classic for cheese fondueafter all, theyre the signature style of Switzerland.
Gruyère is the standard go-to, with a combination of flavor and meltability, but other Swiss cheeses like Emmental or Appenzeller may be used instead. A common approach is to blend a firmer, more flavorful aged cheese with a younger, milder cheese with better meltability
While Alpine wheels are traditional, you can make fondue with other types of firm cheese that melt well. Sharp and mild cheddar or young and aged Gouda are nontraditional combinations to try. Other cheeses that melt well are fontina, raclette, Colby, Monterey Jack, and pepper Jack.
We carry American artisan cheeses in our store that are great for melting with younger, milder cheeses. Try fondue with Pleasant Ridge Reserve, The Stag aged cheddar, or Rupert Reserve.
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How To Fix Lumpy Cheese Fondue
Fondue can become lumpy if it is overheated, but you can rescue it. What to do?
Add a couple of tablespoons of warm alcohol, stir, and turn down the heat to low. Make sure it is warm because cold alcohol will result in more lumps.
If the alcohol and the cheese continue to be separate from each other, you can add about half of a teaspoon of cornstarch and stir. The cornstarch is a last resort because it can change the texture of the fondue, but it will help bind the cheese and the alcohol together.
Fun Cheese Fondue Ideas
Want some fun ideas for serving cheese fondue to friends and family? Here are a few of my favorite:
- Invite friends for a fondue potluck. You provide the cheese, and everyone else can bring a different dipper to share.
- Host a big cheese fondue party. You provide all of the food, and each person brings $5 to offset the cost of the fondue .
- Put together a cheese fondue food bar. Arrange all of the dippers in a buffet line and at the end, place 2-3 fondue pots with different types of cheese fondue. Use the recipes above, and you could even include some tortilla chips and queso as an option.
- Develop a new holiday tradition. Like I mentioned before, my family eats cheese and chocolate fondue every Christmas Eve. Even my kids look forward to eating it because it reminds them of Christmas. Its a perfect way to elevate a holiday or a special evening.
- Make cheese fondue a date night.A package of Emmi cheese fondueis the perfect amount for 2 people. Top it off with either some chocolate fondue or chocolate-covered strawberries, and youve got the perfect date!
Soooowhat do you think? Are you ready to make cheese fondue at home? Whether you make your fondue from scratch or cheat and use a mix, eating cheese fondue with friends is easy, fun, and a unique way way to spend an evening together. Plan a fondue party for your next get-together!
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Why This Recipe Works
If you are wondering what exactly is chocolate fondue, just close your eyes and picture a big chocolate fountain you see at weddings and other parties. Now picture dipping your favorite fruits, cakes, or other edibles into it.
One restaurant definitely knows how to make a chocolate fondue recipe and that is the Melting Pot restaurant. This fondue is made from milk chocolate, a bit of heavy cream, and there is a little bit of crunchy peanut butter in this fondue as well. Scroll down to see the video of my Melting Pot Chocolate Fondue Recipe!
Key Ingredients For Homemade Cheese Fondue
One of the things youll love most about this fondue for two recipe is the fact that its ingredients are super simple. You need just 4 main ingredients to whip up a delicious pot of perfectly ooey-gooey cheese fondue.
Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.
You need
- Cheese For a perfectly balanced & extra cheesy homemade fondue, its best to use a blend of cheeses . Fondue night tip! Since the cheese is the star of the show, be sure to buy whole blocks & grate it fresh for your fondue. Store-bought shredded cheese is almost always coated with an anti-caking agent that prevents it from clumping in the package, which in turn prevents the cheese from melting into a beautiful, creamy & smooth fondue.
- White wine Another essential ingredient in cheese fondue! Its best to use a dry, bright & crisp white wine for fondue. I loveExquisite Collection Sauvignon Blanc, which is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc available at ALDI. It has really beautiful acidity, which cuts through the richness of the cheese fondue perfectly.
- Garlic Just a single clove, which infuses into the wine & perfumes the cheese fondue with aromatic flavor.
- Cornstarch The littlest bit of cornstarch helps thicken the wine & emulsify the cheese into a beautifully smooth & creamy fondue.
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What Other Foods To Dip In Cheese Fondue
Some fondue restaurants offer boiled potatoes as a side dish. Instead of dipping the potatoes in the fondue pot, you spoon fondue over the potatoes on your plate. At home, we like to dip vegetables like steamed broccoli and cauliflower, which is a nice break from all the bread. We also enjoy dipping chunks of apples or pears.
How To Set The Table For Fondue
Fondue is an informal, communal meal. So the table is typically set up quite simply, with only a small plate in front of each person. Since you use your fondue dipping fork to eat, you often do not have other cutlery on the table. But if you are serving other accoutrements besides bread, you should set a regular fork and knife for each person.
Each guest should be able to easily reach the fondue pot without stretching or standing up. So unless you have a circle table, typically plan for 6 people per fondue pot.
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Where Is Cheese Fondue From
Fondue originated in Switzerland in the eighteenth century as a way to use stale bread and cheese.
Firm Alpine cheeses made in the region were grated and melted over a low flame. Alcoholtraditionally white winewas mixed in to add flavor and help keep the cheese smooth and melted without burning. Once the cheese was luscious and molten, crusts of bread were dunked in and eaten, made much tastier when dipped in the mixture.
Fondue grew in popularity in the 1930s, when it was promoted by the Swiss Cheese Union as a national dish of Switzerland. The group later marketed fondue in America in the 1960s and 1970swhich is why youve seen so many fondue pots at thrift stores and vintage shops in bright, trippy colors.
While the original fondue is made with cheese, other foods have been melted or cooked in a communal heated vessel in the style of fondue since the mid-20th century. Chocolate may be melted to create dessert fondue served with bread, fruit, and other sweets, while vegetables, meat, and seafood may be cooked in boiling hot broth or oil.
Why Does Cheese Not Melt In Oven
Moisture: A cheeses ability to melt well depends on a number of factors. The first and perhaps the most important is moisture. A cheese with more moisture will also have more loosely packed milk proteins, which separate more easily when heated. Fat: Cheeses also melt better when theyre higher in fat.
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Best White Wine For Fondue
I do not think it is helpful to state what the best wine for cheese fondue is. There are so many possibilities.
For the wine used in this recipe, I used a Pinot Grigio that I make myself at home. But you can use any dry white wine with high acidity, like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Blanc.
I would not be tempted to use a sweet wine as I think this would affect the taste adversely.
Certainly, the meal should be accompanied by a dry white wine.
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What Kind Of Bread To Dip In Cheese Fondue
Cheese fondue is typically served with small chunks of a crusty white bread. We would use a baguette or Halbweissbrot, the equivalent of American French bread. I prefer using a more neutral tasting bread that doesnt compete with the cheese, but this is a personal preference. Some people enjoy using a sourdough or bread flavored with herbs, fruit or nuts.
Its important to cut the bread into bite-sized pieces, not too small and not too big. About a 3 cm or 1-inch cube is a good size. Its not necessary to dry the bread beforehand you can cut it fresh right before eating. Serve the bread in a large bowl or basket that can be passed around the table.
In Switzerland, Ive occasionally seen Fonduebrot which is bread pre-divided into chunks, so you can just break it apart without cutting. The flavor is fine but the pieces are a little too big in my opinion.
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Fondue Cooking Tips: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other cheeses?You most certainly can! Just make sure to pay attention to the moisture in the cheese. Cheeses like mozzarella have a lot of moisture which would make it a tad stickier to melt.
Is this gluten free? Because of the beer in this cheddar cheese fondue recipe, this recipe is not gluten free. If you need a gluten free fondue recipe, just eliminate the beer and replace it with warm chicken stock instead.
What if I dont own a fondue pot? Let me introduce you to my little friend the poor mans fondue pot! When I first started making this recipe, we used a large stock pot and a glass mixing bowl to melt our cheese in! Put some water in the stock pot and start to bowl it!
Thats it! The only challenge is to see if you can eat all the ooey, gooey cheddar cheesy awesomeness before it cools!
How To Make Cheese Fondue:
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Tips From The Betty Crocker Kitchens
- tip 1 Keep the temp low under a fondue sauce, cheese doesnt need high heat to melt. Tossing the shredded cheese with flour is another step that helps keep the melting cheese silky smooth and dippable. If the fondue becomes too thick, stir in a little more heated wine.
- tip 2 Using wine to make fondue isnt just French chic, it actually plays an important role in keeping a fondue smooth and creamyits the acid that prevents clumping or the sauce from breaking.
- tip 3 Chunks of a nice sourdough bread is a natural partner for fondue, but sliced apples, pears, and a bouquet of blanched vegetables will make a very satisfying meal.
The Best Kinds Of Potatoes For Oven Roasting
Potatoes are certainly good for roasting, and small potatoes I believe are the best. They require less time to prep, and I find that they give me a better final texture.
That said, they are by no means the only option. Here are some differences in potato choices. Pick your favorite or try them all:
- Russets. Oven roasted russet potatoes generally produce the crispiest outside , but they do have a more mild inside.
- Yukon Golds. These are a solid middle ground. They have a higher starch content than russet potatoes, giving the interior a more flavorful, creamy texture . Though it also means the outside doesnt get *quite* as crispy as russets.
- Red Potatoes. Oven roasted red potatoes get crispy like Yukon golds but have a tendency to lose the crispiness and become softer within a few minutes out of the oven.
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Wine And Cheese In Fondue: A Perfect Pairing
Food science author Harold McGee suggests several things in his book On Food and Cooking to ensure a perfect fondue: “The combination of cheese and wine is delicious but also savvy. The wine contributes two essential ingredients for a smooth sauce: water, which keeps the casein proteins moist and dilute, and tartaric acid, which pulls the cross-linking calcium off of the casein proteins and binds tightly to it, leaving them glueless and happily separate. The citric acid in lemon juice will do the same thing. If it’s not too far gone, you can sometimes rescue a tightening cheese sauce with a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of white wine.”
