It is prepared from a mixture of different Swiss cheeses with the addition of garlic, nutmeg and strong kirsch. Dessert fondue is also no less popular - the most popular sweet fondue is chocolate covered strawberries.
A dish like fondue is gaining more and more popularity. It appeared in Switzerland, and shepherds invented it. Having shaken for the whole day, they melted the cheese and added wine, and then dipped pieces of bread into the mass.
Crockery and devices for cooking fondue
How to make fondue at home and make it beautiful? Now you can buy sets with all the necessary utensils - burners or fonduits. Usually they include a pot, skewers and a burner. It is preferable to choose cast-iron cookware: it heats up faster and holds heat better. The only downside is that such a set will cost quite expensive. Instead of fondue, they also use aroma lamps. But you can make fondue without fondue at home, although it will not be so nicely decorated, especially if it's a dinner party. Remember, serving is the main thing on the festive table!
Gourmet Fondue Set
If there are no skewers in the kit, you can use ordinary forks. As for fuel, it is better to use dry options. You can melt cheeses, chocolate, and also use the broth. To dip in the melted contents you can fried slices of bread, boiled potatoes, shrimp, corn flakes or boiled pieces of meat. Such a treat will cost inexpensively, but hearty and tasty. On winter evenings, the fondue will certainly warm. Below I will give some recipes.
Classic (Swiss) recipe: cheese fondue
A Swiss fondue recipe is simple. For this we need:
- 450 grams of Grueviere cheese,
- 220 grams of Emmental cheese,
- half a clove of garlic,
- 375 grams of dry white wine,
- a teaspoon of lemon juice
- black pepper and nutmeg (to taste).
Cooking Cheese Fondue
So, first we rub the dishes to melt half the garlic. We rub the cheeses on a fine grater and pour into a pot for melting. We wait until the cheese begins to melt, and add all the other components. Be sure to constantly stir the mass so that it does not burn. It is best to use a wooden spatula. After the cheese is completely melted, add the spices. Fondue is ready!
Garlic croutons with fondue
And what is suitable for addition to cheese? You can cook garlic croutons. To do this, rub the slices of white or black bread with garlic and a small amount of salt. You can add a little ground pepper or your favorite spices to taste. Then fry the bread in a pan. There is a little secret: so that the slices do not absorb a lot of butter, first just dry the bread without butter. And only when it is covered with a dry crust, pour oil. It is not necessary to completely dry the product, otherwise croutons will be difficult to chop on a skewer.
Shrimp Fondue
If you are a seafood lover, you can cook shrimp. To do this, place the shrimp in a pot of water. Add bay leaf, salt and spices. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. This will allow the shrimp to remain soft and easily prick on a fork or skewer. In hot cheese or broth, they will fully reach readiness.
A party with such a menu would be absolutely not expensive, but satisfying and unusual. For five people, it is enough to dry one loaf of bread, cut a couple of sweet peppers into small pieces, plus add sausage or slices of bacon.
With a very simple option, you can serve fried onions (rings) and croutons. In any case, it will be delicious. But it’s better not to save on cheese. The above varieties have a spicy taste and are easier to melt. But in extreme cases, you can replace the cheese with a cheaper one. Then you may need a little more spices and more vigorous stirring.
Chocolate fondue recipes
Photo: How to make chocolate fondue
For sweet tooth you can make chocolate fondue. For this you need:
- 125 milliliters of heavy cream,
- 300 grams of good milk chocolate,
- a tablespoon of brandy or milk.
Chocolate fondue technology
So, finely break the chocolate and melt it on the stove. Add cream and stir. When the chocolate has completely melted, pour in cognac or milk. As a complement to this fondue, you can serve banana slices, corn snacks, biscuit cookies. Such a dish is perfect for a children's holiday, on the table you can put several options for additions to chocolate. Other options are slices of kiwi, strawberries or sweet plums, grapes or soft waffles.
Chocolate fondue can be beautifully decorated, especially if you decide to have a romantic dinner. You can even buy a fountain for chocolate fondue.
Instructions for preparing meat fondue
We cook beef or chicken bones in advance. Cook it for at least three hours on low heat. Add onions and roots to the saucepan. You need to let the broth brew, so you have to boil it a day before cooking the fondue. Now we take meat, best fillet (chicken, pork, beef, venison and other things). Cut it into thin strips. Chicken fillet can be cut into small pieces, no larger than walnut in size. Now bring the broth to a boil on the stove and place it over the burner. Dip the pieces of meat and hold for at least a minute. This dish is usually still served with various options of sauces.
Fondue cheese
Can be used as a single grade of cheese, or a mixture of several varieties. There is no single standard; each region has its own set. For example, in Geneva, Gruyère and Raclette cheeses are mixed in equal proportions to prepare fondue, and the traditional French recipe involves a combination of Beaufort, Emmental and Conte cheeses. Closest to the classic fondue are equal parts Emmental and Gruyeres.
It is only important that the cheese is fresh, high-quality and melts well, and salty, spicy or sweet shades are a matter of taste. Often at home they make fondue from Parmesan, Mozzarella and Suluguni that are more accessible in Russia.
Any dry mid-priced white wine is required. Budget brands may contain additives (for example, too high a concentration of sulfur) that, when heated, smell unpleasant. In some recipes, together with wine, 20-30 ml of cherry moonshine - kirschwasser is heated. Strong alcohol helps melt cheese faster.
Sometimes wine is replaced with beer or champagne, but such variations differ significantly in taste from the classic cheese fondue.
Other ingredients
The choice of spices is up to the cook. Usually nutmeg or saffron is added to the fondue.
Often bread with crust, slices of fried meat, boiled potatoes, carrots, broccoli and even grapes are dipped in hot cheese mass. Any product that goes well with cheese will do.
Chocolate fondue is a separate dish that has nothing to do with cheese.
Classic Cheese Fondue Recipe
Ingredients:
- hard cheese (one or more varieties) - 500 grams,
- dry white wine - 250 ml,
- starch - 2 tablespoons,
- garlic - 1 clove,
- salt - a quarter of a teaspoon,
- nutmeg - a quarter of a teaspoon (optional),
- baguette (plain bread, crackers) - to taste.
Cooking technology
1. Grate all the cheese on a coarse grater. Fold in a deep bowl, add starch, mix. Thanks to starch, the fondue texture will be uniform and the dish will not stratify.
2. Cut a clove of garlic in half. Grate the bottom and sides of the pan to melt the cheese with garlic wedges.
3. Pour wine into a saucepan, put on low heat. Boil.
4. Gradually add the cheese (in 4-5 starts), stirring it with a figure of eight each time until the cheese is completely melted.
5. After all the cheese has melted, add salt and nutmeg. Stir, remove the finished fondue from the stove.
6. Cut the bread into slices so that it is convenient to stick them on a fork and dunk into the cheese mass. On each piece should remain a crust. Instead of bread, you can use pieces of fried meat, vegetables and grapes.
Table Etiquette Rules
Since all guests eat fondue from one pot, etiquette rules have been formed that allow you to comply with hygiene standards.
1. It is forbidden to touch the lips and tongue of the plug, removing a piece from it. Also, do not touch the part of the fork that is immersed in cheese sauce with your hands.
2. Securely fasten a piece of bread (other treats) on a fork so that the snack does not fall into the pot or on the ground. After dipping in the sauce, leave a slice for 3-5 seconds over the bowl until all excess sauce is drained back.
If the treat fell on the pot or on the floor, then according to the old Swiss tradition, the offender must fulfill one common desire of all those gathered at the table.
Types of fondue
Fondue at home can be made from meat, cheese, chocolate and fish. Each species has several varieties, depending on which nation the cook belongs to. For example, a classic cheese dish is prepared on the basis of white wine and 5 types of cheese, but Italian chefs use champagne instead of wine. 
It is customary to call friends at fondue at home in the evening. Having seated everyone at the table, the hostess puts a fondue in the center, and near each of the guests a special plate - a scissors. Snackware and long forks with wooden handles are laid out. It is customary to prick bread croutons served in a ceramic or porcelain vase, and dip into the contents of the fondue.
When serving fish or meat fondue, boiling oil is used, into which pieces of meat, fish or seafood are dipped. Vegetables, pickles are served for appetizer, and as an aperitif dry white wine for fish and red dry wine for meat.
Cheese fondue
Cheese fondue at home can be made based on:
- corn starch
- lemon juice
- shallots
- dry champagne
- gruyere cheese, brie and emmental,
- nutmeg,
- white pepper,
- french baguette.
Stages of cooking:
- In a separate bowl, combine starch in a volume of 4 tsp. and 1 tablespoon juice of ripe lemon.
- Pour 1.25 tbsp into the fondue pot. foaming alcoholic drink, add 1 shredded shallots.
- Heat over medium heat for 2 minutes, and then remove from heat and add grated cheese. Brie can be cut. Stir and mix.
- Return the saucepan to the stove and simmer until the cheese melts. After 12 minutes, when the mass boils, you can throw pepper and nutmeg into it.
- Remove the pot from the fire, put it on the fondue stand and enjoy, dipping pieces of French baguette into it.
