Fondue recipes at home

Fondue is an original dish of Swiss national cuisine. Usually it is cooked in a special bowl (kakelone) over an open fire. The basis of this dish is a melted mixture of different types of cheese with spices. Using special long forks, dip bread, olives, gherkins, boiled potatoes or other products into it. Various fondue recipes are known. Some of them were created many years ago. But if desired, each mistress at home can come up with her own original version.

Types of fondue

Before listing all the famous fondue recipes, it is necessary to mention that this dish has several varieties. Depending on the liquid base, there are:

• Cheese fondue. This is one of the most popular options. The composition of the mixture includes three main components: cheese, wine and spices.
• Chocolate fondue. The cooking method remains the same. True, in this case, in addition to chocolate, the composition of the liquid mass includes cream, spices, various fruit juices and alcohol (brandy, rum or cognac).
• Coffee fondue. Unlike the previous version, cherry liquor is used as the alcohol component. In addition, be sure to add a little freshly ground coffee.
• Caramel fondue. In this case, the mixture is prepared in milk with whipped yolks, starch and rum, and then poured with sugar, melted in boiling water. Any fruit or marshmallow is then dipped into this mass.
• Burgundy fondue. In this case, the liquid base is ordinary vegetable oil. Dipped pickled raw meat is dipped into it. In hot fat it is baked very quickly. Various types of cheeses are served separately on plates.
• Chinese fondue. At home, locals call him “good”. Raw meat is also used here. True, they dip it into boiling broth (mushroom or vegetable), and then - in any of the sauces offered.

All of these fondue recipes are good in their own way. To appreciate the dignity of each option, you can try to cook it yourself in the conditions of home cooking.

Interesting to know

When studying various fondue recipes, you need to know that this dish has a fairly ancient history. Experts say that it was created in the west of Switzerland about seven centuries ago. Today, officially there are two versions of the origin of this unusual dish. In accordance with the first variant, fondues were invented by Swiss shepherds. It happened quite by accident. Going to the mountains on pastures, they, as a rule, took bread and cheese from food. Over time, the products became stale. It was extremely inconvenient to eat them. To somehow satisfy the hunger, the shepherds decided to melt the cheese in a pot, pouring it with wine. Then, slices of dried bread were dipped into this boiling mass.

But there is another legend. In accordance with it, fondues were created by local monks. As you know, during the period of religious fasting is not allowed to eat cheeses. In the 13th century, a cunning cleric named Vakarinus decided to circumvent this ban. He just melted the product and made an unusual cheese soup. After much debate, the monks decided to introduce fondue to the list of dishes allowed for use during fasting. It is not known which of the two legends is the most true, but historians nevertheless tend to the first.

Fondue with cheese in a water bath

Everyone can cook the famous fondue. The recipe at home or even camping is easy to repeat. To do this, you need the most common ingredients:

• 250 grams of cheese;
• half a glass of white wine;
• 60 grams of flour (or starch);
• 1 pinch of nutmeg (grated);
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 2 grams of mustard.

To prepare such a dish, you must use the following technology:

1. Grate the cheese on a medium grater. The mass should not be too shallow. For work, it is advisable to take a mixture of 100 grams of Swiss cheese and 150 grams of cheddar.
2. If there is no kakelone in the house, then you can use the usual water bath. To do this, you need two pots of different diameters. They need to be put one into the other, and the bottom ½ fill with water.
3. The top container for the aroma from the inside can be rubbed with garlic. After that, pour wine into it, put mustard, spices and a third of the cooked cheese.
4. Put both pots on fire. As soon as the cheese begins to melt, add the rest of the product in portions. The mass must be constantly mixed so that lumps do not form.

The hot mixture is served on the table right in the upper pan. Nearby you need to put plates with crackers or other products to choose from. Each guest has a separate fork.

Fondue with chocolate

Fans of sweets will surely like chocolate fondue. The recipe for its preparation is extremely simple. To do this, you need only three main components:

• 200 grams of any chocolate bar;
• 20 grams of liquor (for the children's menu, fruit syrup is used instead);
• 200 grams of cream (they can be replaced with a mixture of butter and milk in a ratio of 1: 3).

Additional products (for serving):

• berries, fruits, nuts, buns, cookies, marshmallows or pastille.

This fondue is preparing very quickly:

1. First you need to tackle additional ingredients. Fresh fruits, for example, need to be washed, dried, then peeled and cut into pieces. Cookies can simply be broken randomly. Muffins or marshmallows also need to be cut into neat pieces. After this, the products must be arranged in separate plates.
2. Pour the cream into the pan.
3. Throw chocolate there, after breaking it into pieces.
4. Place the container in a water bath. Heat with constant stirring until chocolate is completely dissolved. The pan can also be placed directly on the stove. But the mass, heated in a water bath, will turn out more smooth and shiny.
5. As soon as the mixture begins to boil, pour liquor.

After that, still hot aromatic mixture must be quickly poured into a special ceramic dish. Place it on a stand, and light up an alcohol lamp or an ordinary candle from below. This is necessary so that the mass is constantly warm. By pricking with a fork (or skewer) a piece of any of the prepared products, you just have to dip it in chocolate.

Fondue with beer

How else to cook a delicious fondue !? You can think of a recipe at home yourself, based on the products available in the kitchen. For example, wine is sometimes replaced with beer. In this case, for a better flavor, it is advisable to take a mixture of three types of cheese. Preparing the dish in a conventional pan. For such a recipe you will need:

• 250 milliliters of any light beer;
• 180 grams of cheddar, gruyere and Monterey Jack;
• a little black pepper;
• 4 grams of dry mustard;
• one and a half tablespoons of wheat flour.

Cooking Technique:

1. Rub the pieces of cheese and mix them in a bowl with flour.
2. Heat beer in a saucepan.
3. Once it boils, make the fire less. After that, gradually fill in the cheese and flour mass.
4. Once the food has completely melted and the mixture becomes homogeneous, add pepper and mustard.
5. Warm the mass for three minutes with constant stirring.
6. Pour it into a kakelon and serve with a French baguette.

The dish is usually placed in the center of the table. And guests, armed with special long forks, sit around.

Alcohol Free Fondue

Ardent opponents of alcohol can also cook a fondue. Recipes with photos in this case are not necessary. For work, standard technology is used. True, there are some subtleties in it. First you need to prepare the main products:

• 150 milliliters of milk;
• salt;
• 2 egg yolks;
• 300 grams of any soft cheese;
• ground black pepper;
• 50 grams of butter;
• 200 grams of crackers.

Method for the preparation of non-alcoholic fondue:

1. Cut the cheese into cubes, put in a bowl, pour milk and leave it for a couple of hours in a dark, cool place.
2. Prepare everything for a water bath.
3. Transfer cheese and milk into the upper pan.
4. Add to them a portion of the oil (approximately 30 grams) and mix everything thoroughly.
5. Cook over low heat until the cheese has completely melted. It should become a little malleable.
6. Introduce the egg yolks previously whipped with a whisk. After this, the mass must again be brought to a boil and slightly warmed.
7. Add the remaining oil, salt and pepper a little.

Served in a fondue dish with a set of forks or long skewers. Rusks can be poured on a separate wide plate.

Classic version

Lovers of Swiss national cuisine should try the classic fondue recipe. You can cook the dish directly in the kakelon. And you can do this right in the presence of guests. But it is better to use special dishes exclusively for serving. First, you need to prepare the main ingredients for work:

• 30 grams of starch;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 500 grams of Gruyere cheese;
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice;
• 375 milliliters of dry white wine;
• 300 grams of Emmentaler cheese;
• 1 pinch of white pepper and nutmeg;
• 4 tablespoons of kirsch;
• 1 loaf of white bread.

To make a real cheese fondue, you must:

1. Rub the kakelon inside with the peeled garlic clove.
2. Separately, mix kirsch (strong cherry tincture or liquor) with starch. It should be quite thick sauce.
3. Cut the films from the cheese and crumble it into small pieces.
4. In a conventional pan, heat up three quarters of a measured amount of wine.
5. Add the juice of one lemon and gradually with constant stirring, pour the crushed cheese. As soon as it melts, pour the remaining wine.
6. Continuing heating, add pre-cooked cherry sauce to the pan.
7. For flavor, add a little pepper and nutmeg to taste.

The hot mixture needs to be poured into a kakelon, put it on the burner and served to the table with a loaf cut into small even pieces. Before each guest you need to put a small plate and put a special long fork next to it. Today, there are even original fondue sets for 6 people on sale.

Fondue with cheese and mushrooms

The Italians cook cheese fondue in their own way. The recipe at home or in other conditions is as easy to repeat as the classic version. True, in this case, the composition of the main mixture will be slightly different. In Italy for cooking fondue use:

• 100 grams of champignons;
• 300 grams of any hard and soft cheese;
• 4 eggs;
• 2-3 grams of ground pepper;
• 250 milliliters of milk;
• 100 milliliters of white Italian wine;
• 80 grams of butter;
• 800 grams of fresh white bread.

Italian fondue cooking technology:

1. Cut the mushrooms into thin slices.
2. Coarsely grate the cheese.
3. Cut the bread gently into even slices.
4. First, the cheese must be melted in a pan.
5. Beat eggs thoroughly with milk.
6. Slowly pour the resulting mass into the pan. In this case, the fire should be small so that the mixture heats up no higher than 60 degrees.
7. Alternately add oil, chopped mushrooms and wine.

Now the finished fragrant fondue can only be poured into a special heat-resistant container and eat with pleasure in the company of friends for a pleasant conversation.

Chocolate fondue with cognac

Despite the standard recipe, each housewife has the right to make chocolate fondue in her own way. The recipe at home can always be changed a little. The main thing is that the dish turns out tasty, aromatic and preserves the desired consistency. For example, you can use the following ingredients to prepare it:

• 400 grams of chocolate (2 tiles);
• 180 grams of sweet condensed milk;
• 3 tablespoons of any brandy;
• 20-25 grams of ready instant coffee.

The fondue cooking process consists of the following steps:

1. Chocolate must first be melted. This can be done directly in the fondue cabinet (kakelone).
2. Gradually, one by one add the remaining components.
3. Heat until the mass is sufficiently homogeneous.

Serving such a fondue is better with fruit platter. Pre-wash the products and, if necessary, cut. Then everyone can choose for himself what is better to dip into a fragrant mixture: a slice of apple, banana, a slice of orange, strawberries or grapes.