Sweet and Savory Fondue Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What type of cheese is best for fondue? ›

The best all-around cheeses for fondue are fontina, Gruyère, and gouda. If you aren't sure what to pick, use even amounts of these three. Together are lush and complex. For classic Swiss cheese fondue (meaning one like what you would find in Switzerland), a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses is best.

Fondue rules

You must not double dip, and never put your fork directly into your mouth. You can grab it off with just your teeth, but the best way is to slide it onto your plate and use a regular fork to eat it.

Bread is the most popular dipper for cheese fondue. There are many excellent options to choose from. French bread, breadsticks, and croutons are always favorites, but also consider multigrain bread, rye, sourdough, pumpernickel, and even bagels.

If you can't find Kirschwasser, you can substitute brandy or cognac. But don't use cherry liqueur — it's too sweet. Also, if you can't find Emmental and/or Gruyère, you could substitute domestic Swiss cheese, Gouda or Fontina.

The best cuts of beef for fondue include top sirloin, ribeye, and tenderloin. Cut or slice the meat according to personal preference. Some prefer to slice steaks into long strips, while others cube the meat into small pieces. Prepare the fondue oil or broth according to the recipe's directions.

What Are the Best Gruyère Substitutes? There are plenty of other premier cheeses that can serve as good substitutes for Gruyère cheese. Depending on whether you're melting cheese or adding more variety to your charcuterie board, you might consider Beaufort, Comté, Jarlsberg, Emmental, or Fontina.

The recommended non-alcoholic beverage is hot tea. Many Swiss believe, and indeed insist, that it is crucial to avoid drinking cold beverages with fondue, as they are thought to cause the cheese to coagulate in the stomach and potentially cause very uncomfortable digestive distress.

This classic recipe from Savoie in the Alps of eastern France makes a delightful start to a dinner, or can be a meal in itself, accompanied by cured meats (prosciutto, bresaola, thinly sliced hard sausage), little boiled potatoes, cornichons (little pickles) and a green salad to lighten things up.

Bread is the main accompaniment, although boiled potatoes, charcuterie, and cornichons or other pickles can also be served. Veggies, fruit, and boiled eggs are not traditionally used in Swiss fondue. Take a piece of bread and spear it firmly on your fondue fork so that the crust is on the outside.

This German meat fondue (or fleischfondue) is cooked in hot broth instead of hot oil, which is delicious and lower in fat, which many people prefer.

What side dishes go with fondue? ›

There are so many options to choose from for this classic side, such as French baguettes, sourdough, breadsticks, bagels, croutons or pretzels.

Peanut oil, grapeseed oil, and sunflower seed oil are good options. No matter which type of oil you choose, it's important to be mindful of the volume of oil you use. Don't fill the fondue pot more than halfway, as the oil will expand and bubble when it gets hot. Overfilling the pot can lead to a hot, dangerous mess.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV)

ACV offers the same bitter, tangy taste as lemon with a slightly salty flavor. The end product will not have a strong citrus flavor. ACV should substitute lemon juice with a 1–1 ratio. That means if the recipe calls for a cup of lemon juice, a person should instead add a cup of ACV.

Like kirsch, maraschino liqueur is also clear and has a bitter aspect produced by cherry pits, though it has more of an underlying almond flavor. Maraschino has more herbal notes, the cherry flavor is very light, and it is sweeter than kirsch, but not as sweet as Cherry Heering.

Cherry Heering is fruitier, but much, much sweeter than Maraschino liqueur, which only has a touch of sweetness. Cherry pits are used in the making of Maraschino liqueur and that gives a somewhat bitter flavor, similar to bitter almonds. For some uses, Amaretto can substitute, though this liqueur, too, is quite sweet.

What is the best melting cheese? Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points - cheddar is one of the most popular choices, but Swiss and Gruyère are also terrific options. Which melts better, mild or sharp cheddar? Mild cheddar melts more smoothly than sharper (more aged) cheddar.

There are three main types: cheese fondue, oil or broth fondue and chocolate fondue. Cheese fondue Mixing a variety of cheeses is best when serving a cheese fondue. Before you start, rub a garlic clove inside the pot for added flavor. Shred all cheeses that will be used to create the fondue before melting it.

Usually fondue fuel is methyl hydrate, also known as methanol, methyl alcohol, or wood alcohol. Most fondue burners have a fiberglass batting inside them to soak the alcohol up and act like a wick, you do not want to overfill the burner because you do not want to spill burning alcohol and start a fire.

Wine is also an important ingredient because its acids encourage the softening of cheese. In addition, wine has a lower boiling point than water, allowing the cheese to melt at a lower temperature and helping prevent it from becoming stringy. (The wine you use doesn't have to be expensive.)