Fondue

Chocolate Fondue


Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 tablespoon cabernet sauvignon


Directions

In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the sugar, heavy cream, chocolate, and butter together and microwave for 2 minutes.

Take out of microwave and give it a quick whisk. Add wine and whisk again. Transfer to a fondue pot with a flame underneath. Serve with pound cake cubes, strawberries, and biscotti bits on the side, for dipping.


Cheese Fondue

Doubled the following recipe
Ingredients

* 1/2 pound Swiss-style cheese such as Jarlsberg or Emmenthaler, shredded
* 1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 garlic clove, peeled, halved crosswise
* 1 cup dry white wine
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy)
* 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
* Pinch nutmeg


1 Place the shredded cheese and cornstarch in a plastic freezer bag. Seal, shake to coat the cheese with cornstarch. Set aside.

2 Rub the inside of a 4-quart pot with the garlic, then discard. Over medium heat, add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually stir the cheese into the wine. Stir constantly in a zig-zag pattern to prevent the cheese from seizing and balling up. Cook until the cheese is just melted and creamy. Do not let boil. Once smooth, stir in kirsch, mustard and nutmeg.

3 Transfer the cheese to a fondue serving pot, set over a flame to keep warm. If your pot is thin-bottomed, a lit candle will probably do. If thick-bottomed, you can use a small Sterno.

4 Arrange an assortment of bite-sized dipping foods on a lazy Susan around fondue pot.

5 Spear dipping foods with fondue forks or wooden skewers. Dip to coat with the cheese, and eat.

Dippers we chose...
Blanched broccoli, carrots, cubed sourdough bread, peeled and chopped apples, marshmallows, gram crackers, snap peas, pineapple and angle food cake.