Fondue at home without a fondue maker. Cheese fondue - at your home: recipe and cooking secrets

Fondue is a recipe from Swiss cuisine that involves preparing a delicious appetizer from melted cheese and slices of finished products, which are dipped in liquid cheese mass before consumption. Currently, there are many equally interesting interpretations of the treat with chocolate or caramel.

How to prepare fondue?

Making fondue at home is easy and simple. The main thing is to purchase the necessary products for this, choosing the appropriate recipe, and adhere to the recommended rules and subtleties of the technological process.

  1. Cheese for fondue, like chocolate, is chosen to be natural and of high quality, choosing varieties that, after heating, turn into a liquid, not too viscous substance.
  2. The base for dipping the ingredients is prepared in a thick-bottomed saucepan and poured into a special Caquelon vessel equipped with a burner and serving forks. To prevent burning, the container is first greased with garlic and the bottom is sprinkled with salt.
  3. Additional products are prepared in advance by cutting into square or other shaped slices.
  4. Caquelon is served on a burner, which allows you to maintain a liquid texture of the contents, thereby ensuring excellent quality of the meal.

Swiss fondue


Recipes for which can be found in the relevant sections of the national cuisine, are prepared from two types of cheese: Gruyère and Emmental, which are complemented with French dry white wine, flour sauteed in butter and traditionally flavored with nutmeg and pepper.

Ingredients:

  • Gruyere cheese – 200 g;
  • Emmental cheese – 200 g;
  • dry white wine – 200 ml;
  • cherry kirsch (optional) – 30 ml;
  • garlic – 2 cloves;
  • butter – 1 tbsp. spoon;
  • flour – 90-120 g;
  • salt, pepper, nutmeg;
  • dried bread cubes, smoked meats, seafood for dipping.

Preparation

  1. Preparing fondue begins with preparing the products that will be dipped in cheese. The bread cubes are dried in the oven for 5 minutes, and the other components are simply cut.
  2. In a saucepan, mix two types of grated cheese, wine, and chopped garlic clove.
  3. Heat the mixture, stirring, until the ingredients melt.
  4. Add pepper, nutmeg, kirsch and flour sauté and pour into Caquelon.
  5. Fondue is a recipe that requires serving the appetizer immediately after preparation.

Cheese fondue - recipe


Fondue, whose simple recipes can be executed with some deviations from classical technology, turns out to be no less tasty and refined. So, if it is not possible to purchase original overseas products, you can implement the idea with any other available ones.

Ingredients:

  • any cheese or a mix of several varieties – 400 g;
  • white wine – 200 ml;
  • garlic – 2 cloves;
  • salt, paprika, nutmeg, pepper, flour sauté;
  • dipping ingredients.

Preparation

  1. Prepare the ingredients for dipping.
  2. Melt the grated cheese by adding garlic.
  3. If necessary, if the mass is liquid, thicken it with flour sauteing.
  4. Cheese fondue is traditionally served in a special bowl over a burner.

Fish fondue


Making fish fondue with your own hands is easy and simple, and the result will please you no less than a meal in a specialized restaurant. The process of preparing and serving the appetizer is somewhat different from the classic one and involves frying fish slices in boiling oil and eating it with a spicy sauce.

Ingredients:

  • salmon, cod and sea bass fillets - 200 g each;
  • lemon – 1 pc.;
  • Worcestershire sauce - 2 tbsp. spoons;
  • water – 3 tbsp. spoons;
  • olive oil – 0.5 l;
  • soy sauce – 150 ml;
  • cayenne pepper - a pinch;
  • garlic – 3 cloves;
  • mustard and vinegar - 1 tbsp. spoon;
  • sugar – 1 teaspoon;
  • oregano sprigs – 2-3 pcs.;
  • salt – 15 g.

Preparation

  1. The fish fillet cubes are marinated for about an hour in a mixture of water, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice, adding salt to taste.
  2. Olive oil is heated in a fondue container, and all other ingredients for the sauce are mixed in a separate container and whisked.
  3. When the fish, oil and sauce are ready, the appetizer is served.

Meat fondue


Another unconventional variation of this delicious delicacy is meat fondue. The appetizer can be prepared in boiling oil, like fish, or in broth and served with any sauce of your choice: from classic creamy garlic to original and multi-component, made from non-trivial ingredients. When frying meat in oil, the slices are not marinated, but are thoroughly dried before the process, removing excess moisture.

Ingredients:

  • any meat fillet – 200 g;
  • spicy broth or refined vegetable oil - 0.5 l;
  • sauce for serving.

Preparation

  1. The meat is cut into small cubes or thin slices, like carpaccio.
  2. Heat refined vegetable oil or broth in a fondue container, dip the meat on a fork into the heated base and leave for several minutes.
  3. , which are complemented when served with any sauce of your choice.

Chocolate fondue


If you need to cook something that adults won’t refuse, use the following recipe and make a sweet version of the snack with chocolate. Fruits, berries, slices of biscuit, marshmallows or cookies are dipped in the melted chocolate substance, often with the addition of cream, nuts or other additives.

Ingredients:

  • chocolate – 300 g;
  • cream – 100 ml;
  • coconut flakes or chopped almonds (hazelnuts) – 50-100 g;
  • fruit, strawberries or biscuit cubes.

Preparation

  1. Chocolate for fondue is broken into pieces and placed in heated cream.
  2. Stir the mixture until the slices are completely melted, add nuts or coconut flakes.
  3. The prepared components for serving are dipped into the chocolate mixture.

Caramel fondue


Another recipe for fondue at home for those with a sweet tooth and children is presented below. In this case, caramel serves as a liquid base into which you can dip pieces of biscuit, cookies, strawberries, slices of apples, pears, and bananas. It is important to melt granulated sugar correctly, add butter and milk in time to obtain the ideal base for a sweet snack.

Ingredients:

  • water – ½ cup;
  • sugar – 220 g;
  • butter – 60 g;
  • milk – 100 ml;
  • berries, fruits, cookies for serving.

Preparation

  1. Sugar is poured into a bowl with a thick bottom and walls, water is poured in and heated, shaking the container, until all the crystals dissolve and the syrup becomes caramel-colored.
  2. Add butter and after it has melted, pour milk into the caramel.
  3. Boil the sauce until thick and serve in fondue containers, complementing the appetizer with the selected ingredients.

Fruit fondue


An amazingly tasty and appetizing sweet fondue can be made from fruits, which, when served, are briefly dipped in hot water and dipped in coconut flakes or chopped nuts. The set of fruit mix and hot sauce offered below can be varied according to taste or the presence of ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • melon, peach and pineapple pulp - 200 g each;
  • fresh dates – 200 g;
  • oranges – 6-8 pcs.;
  • lemons – 2-3 pcs.;
  • honey – 6 tbsp. spoons or to taste;
  • raspberry or strawberry liqueur – 20 ml;
  • coconut flakes or chopped nuts - 100 g.

Preparation

  1. Melon, pineapples, dates are cut into pieces.
  2. The juice is squeezed out of oranges and lemons, heated to a boil with honey, after which the liqueur is added.
  3. Pieces of fruit are dipped in fruit syrup for 1.5-2 minutes, after which they are breaded in coconut flakes or nuts.

Fondue in a slow cooker


Fondue, a simple recipe for which is presented below, will be of interest to those who do not have a special Caquelon device, but do have a multicooker. The functionality of the device allows you to effectively use it to decorate exquisite Swiss snacks in any variation. The following is a classic cheese fondue technology that can be applied to other recipes with chocolate, caramel, meat and fish.

The trend in culinary fashion is fondue. Translated from French, the word “fondue” means “molten, melted,” but the dish itself was first prepared in Switzerland, in the Alps.For the past few years, I have enjoyed giving fondue pots to my friends for the holidays. A cute gift and such an interesting and easy way to diversify the table. And finally I bought this dish for myself. And this post appeared.

The culinary classic V.V. Pokhlebkin claims even more: “fondue is the main and practically the only national dish of the Swiss.” There is no point in arguing about the origin of the dish; the truth has been established long ago and reliably, but in the history of the origin and introduction of fondue to the world there are several points that will certainly be of interest to inquisitive gourmets. What later became known as “fondue” was born thanks to Swiss shepherds about seven centuries ago, according to one version of the origin of the dish. To the snowy alpine pastures, shepherds took bread and cheese, as well as wine, among their food supplies, to keep warm during the cold hours. And among the utensils they always had with them was a clay pot." caquelon", in which the remains of hardened cheese along with wine were melted over a fire. The Swiss dipped pieces of bread into this warm, tasty and satisfying mass. This is exactly what the fondue ceremony looked like at the dawn of the invention of this dish.From the fields and meadows, a typical dish of peasant cuisine gradually moved to rich houses, where it first became a favorite among the servants, and only then ended up on the tables of the aristocracy. Of course, for high society, the dish was prepared from the best varieties of cheese and wine and was accompanied by a rich assortment of the freshest breads.

History cannot say for sure exactly what the Swiss called their culinary invention at that time. The fact is that the Swiss, unlike their French neighbors, did not pay much attention to the designation of dishes. But the name “fondue” itself comes from the French fondre, which means “to melt.” Yes, yes, it was the French who gave the Swiss dish its name. And this is not surprising if we remember the geographical location of Switzerland. Without a doubt, fondue was served at the tables of the Swiss nobility during feasts on the occasion of the arrival of neighboring aristocrats from Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany and, of course, France. And the French are known for their passion for giving their names to everything that deserves culinary attention. After all, somehow they had to tell their compatriots about the Swiss miracle!According to another version, fondue appeared in the 18th century in the canton of Neuchâtel. This happened thanks to quick-witted peasant women who collected “from the bottom of the barrel” and melted dried pieces of different types of cheeses in a common cauldron.

The Chinese, independently of the representatives of beautiful Switzerland, created their own type of fondue.

Fondue maker: what is included in the set

To prepare fondue, a special vessel called a fondue pot is used. It is a cast iron pot (traditionally called a caquelon) or a pan with fairly thick walls, which are heated using a small heat source. This could be an alcohol burner, a Taganka, or a regular candle. Also, the set, as a rule, includes cups for all kinds of sauces and a common dish for main products, plus unusual long forks - one per person when preparing cheese fondue, but for meat fondue You will need two forks per person, because one will need to be dipped into the broth or sauce, and the second will be used to remove the piece onto the plate. In addition to the above-mentioned attributes, the set of fondue makers often includes ceramic bowls and a tray.

The rule for serving fondue is that there should always be the following set of appetizers on the table: a spicy appetizer, a sweet and sour appetizer, a fresh appetizer, a mild-tasting appetizer, and something crunchy. You can buy all this in the store, but it’s always nicer to cook it yourself.

With fondue with butter or broth, you should serve a simple salad: green salad with vinaigrette dressing or tomato rings, with thinly sliced ​​onions in olive oil and seasoned with black pepper and salt, cucumber salad with lemon juice, butter and sour cream. All of them are a good contrast to the meat. Serve only 1 fondue salad and be sure to serve multiple bowls.

For cheese fondue, bread cut into cubes is placed in the center of the table, and each guest can take a handful of such cubes (or a small bowl of bread is placed next to each guest).Guests prick a cube of bread on a fork, dip it into the hot cheese fondue, then turn the fork so that the cheese mixture stops dripping from it, transfer it to their plate, and then prick it with another fork and put it in their mouth.For meat, fish and/or vegetable fondue, a fondue pot with hot oil or broth is placed in the middle of the table. Near each guest there is a plate with raw meat, fish or vegetables beautifully laid out on it. If you are preparing food in batter, place a bowl of batter near each guest.Each guest pricks a piece of the product on a fork, dips it in batter (if necessary), and then places it in hot oil and cooks it to their own taste. After which the product is placed on a clean plate, and another piece is pricked on a fork and dipped into hot oil. Sauces and seasonings are placed on the table. Each guest takes them in small spoons onto his plate. Usually, regular and garlic bread, as well as bread with herbs, are placed on the table. Finish the meal with a salad with dressing that matches the main dish.

Sweet fondues usually only need to be reheated. They are brought immediately after the table is cleared after the main course.
Each guest is either given a separate plate with beautifully arranged fruits/cookies/cakes/sweets, which are dipped into the fondue, or a large dish is placed in the center of the table, and each guest prepares their own fondue.
Traditionally, fondue is served with shots of kirsch or schnapps, and cheese fondue is served with hot tea. Dry white wine is also served with fondue, but never drinks with ice.
Red, white and rose wines, as well as chilled lager beer or cider, go well with meat and fish fondues.
Sweet sparkling wine is especially suitable for sweet fondues, and in winter you can add tiny glasses of peach, orange or coffee liqueur.

If you don’t drink alcohol, you can serve grape juice with cheese, meat, fish or vegetable fondue. Herbal carbonated drinks are especially good with sweet fondues.

  • Stick to the correct cheese to liquid ratio.
  • Rub the cheese finely so that it melts easily.
  • Allow the cheese to melt completely before adding the starch.
  • Do not let the cheese boil before adding the starch.
  • Whisk the cornstarch into the cheese quickly to avoid lumps, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the cheese thickens.
  • The cheese can be salty, so check the taste before adding salt and pepper.
  • If the mixture begins to curdle or separate while whisking, add a little lemon juice to it.
  • Remember: the longer the fondue is cooked, the greater the concentration of flavor and the softer it is.
  • The material determines the purpose

    Fondue pots come in ceramic, clay, steel and cast iron. The choice of dish preparation depends on the material from which the fondue pot is made. In a fondue maker you can prepare cheese, chocolate, meat, fish, oils, soups, all kinds of broths and sauces. Ceramic and clay fondue pots are most often used for preparing cheese and various sweet fondues, since they are usually shallow and have a wide neck - after all, such a dish must be constantly stirred so that it does not burn. But cast iron and steel fondue pots are used for preparing meat, vegetable and fish fondues, since preparing this kind of dish requires a higher temperature and long-term heat retention after cooking. As a rule, a lid for the pot is included in the kit for such fondue makers.

    Fire for fondue pot

    It is also important to choose the right fire, because there are different sources of fire for different purposes. An ordinary candle can also serve as a hearth, but it is unlikely to achieve high temperatures, so it is suitable for chocolate fondue. But for meat and cheese fondue, an alcohol burner is ideal, but you need to use special fuel, which is a gel that burns without smell, smoke or burning. It can be purchased in stores along with fondue pots.

    Electric fondue dispensers are very popular. They allow the use of thermoregulation, which greatly facilitates the cooking process. In addition, there is no need to worry about special materials for artificial fire. Also, electric fondue dispensers vary in power and amount of energy consumed. You can choose an economical fondue maker that consumes no more energy than an electric kettle. However, true fondue connoisseurs believe that the use of electric fondue makers is a violation of all traditions and disrespect for real cuisine. One of the biggest advantages of cooking fondue is the creation of that unique atmosphere of comfort that everyone so needs on quiet rainy evenings. When a family or a group of friends gathers around a real fire for dinner with such an amazing dish, it seems that nothing can unite more. After all, friendly comfort is important to everyone, which is only improved and insulated with the help of such a wonderful thing as a fondue pot.

    Recipes

    Fondue is an excellent dish for winter evenings. Today, fondue is again popular and can satisfy all tastes; fortunately, there are a great many recipes for fondue - so many that it will be enough for every day of a long winter. And even more.

    Fondue "Neuchâtel"

    Ingredients:

    300 g Gruyere cheese

    100 g emmental cheese

    1 clove of garlic

    2 tsp corn starch

    200 ml dry white wine

    freshly squeezed lemon juice

    a little kirsch (cherry vodka)

    salt, ground pepper to taste

    Preparation:

    Remove the hard crust from the cheeses, grate the cheeses and mix together. Prepare the bread in advance - cut it into 3 cm cubes and put it in a basket or dish (it is better to take not the freshest bread, otherwise it will disintegrate in the cheese).

    Cut a clove of garlic in half, rub one half on the inside of the fondue pot (after this, discard the garlic). Place the fondue pot on the burner (if it can regulate the desired fire level) or on the stove, pour in wine, lemon juice (1-2 tbsp), add corn starch. Warm the wine over low heat for a few minutes, then add the cheeses, salt and pepper to taste. With continuous stirring, melt the cheeses completely, wait until the mixture begins to bubble gently. If the mixture seems too liquid, add a little more starch; if, on the contrary, the mass seems too thick, dilute it with wine. Finally, add some kirsch and stir.

    Place the fondue pot on the burner (it will heat the fondue). You can turn off the burner for a while or reduce the heat to the very minimum so that it only heats the container, maintaining the temperature of the fondue. Place the pieces of bread on long serving forks and dip them into the melted cheese.

    Chocolate fondue with dried fruits

    Ingredients:

    • apples (dried rings) - 150g
    • prunes (pitted) - 150g
    • dried apricots - 150g
    • dry white wine - 500 ml
    • anise (stars) - 2 pcs.
    • lemon juice - 1/2 pcs.
    • honey - 2 tbsp.
    • cream - 300 ml
    • white chocolate - 200g
    • coconut liqueur - 2 tbsp.
    • almond flavoring - 2 drops.

    Preparation: Wash dried fruits and cut into portions. Bring the wine to a boil, add anise, lemon juice and honey, pour the hot broth over the dried fruits and leave for 3 hours.Heat the cream and melt the chopped chocolate in it. Add liqueur and flavoring, stir. Pour the chocolate mixture into a fondue bowl and maintain its temperature on the burner.Drain the dried fruits in a colander and place on 4 plates. Using fondue forks, dip them into the hot chocolate.

    Peanut sauce for fondue

    • onion (grated) - 2 tbsp.
    • olive oil - 2 tbsp.
    • coconut (flakes) - 3 tsp.
    • milk - 160 ml
    • brown sugar - 2 tbsp.
    • lime or lemon (fresh juice) - 1 tbsp.
    • peanut butter - 2 tbsp.

    Preparation: Fry the onion in oil. Soak coconut in milk. Add sugar, lime or lemon juice, peanut butter to the onion and mix thoroughly. Gradually add milk and soaked coconut. Stir and cook until reduced by half.

    Butter fondue with rum

    • brown sugar - 100g
    • butter - 50g
    • egg (yolk) - 2 pcs.
    • rum (dark) - 25 ml
    • pancakes (small) - 8 pcs.

    Preparation: Melt the butter, stirring, in a fondue pot. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks and rum. Stir the candles over low heat.Prepare the pancakes, roll them up and cut into strips. Prick strips with forks and dip in rum, sugar and butter sauce.

    Chocolate fondue

    • cream (whipped) - 100g
    • chocolate - 300g
    • cognac - 20g.

    Heat the cream in a fondue pan, then add the chocolate broken into small pieces. Stir until a viscous mass forms. Immediately before use, pour in cognac. The fondue is not served too hot so that the chocolate flavor does not disappear. Serve with candied fruit, fresh apples, pears, peaches, apricots, pieces of honey or sponge cake, muffins

    Tesin style fondue

    • cheese - 800g
    • milk - 1/2-1 glass
    • butter - 4 tbsp.
    • white pepper - 1/2 tsp.
    • sweet red pepper - 1 tsp.
    • onions (chopped) - 4 tbsp.
    • starch - 1 tbsp.
    • white wine - 1/2 cup
    • cherry juice - 200g
    • white bread - 800g.

    Preparation: Grate the cheese and mix it with milk, butter, pepper, red pepper and onion. Place on the stove and heat well. Mix starch with a small amount of white wine, add to the cheese mixture, pour in cherry juice and boil. Cut the bread into pieces. The bread should be dipped in the cheese mixture and eaten.

    Neunburg fondue

    • cheese "Provolone" - 400g
    • Emmental cheese - 300g
    • white bread - 800g
    • garlic - 1 clove
    • lemon juice - 1 tsp.
    • starch - 1 tsp.
    • dry white wine - 200 ml
    • cherry juice - 200 ml
    • nutmeg (ground) - 1 pinch

    Preparation: Grate both types of cheese. Trim the crust and cut the bread into large pieces. Add garlic. Melt the cheese over the lowest flame, add starch. Gradually add wine and cherry juice. Sprinkle with pepper and nutmeg. The cheese mass needs to be warmed well. Serve to the table.Dip pieces of white bread into the mixture.

    Fish fondue Provençal style

    • anchovy or sardines - 1 kg
    • flour
    • pepper - to taste
    • olives (pitted) - 120g
    • capers - 2 tbsp.
    • anchovies - 100g
    • juice - 1 lemon
    • vegetable oil - 3 tbsp.
    • garlic - 3 cloves.

    Preparation: Cut the fish into small pieces, separating the heads and tails. Do not cut small anchovy. Mix flour with a little pepper. Dip the fish in it. Place on a plate with salad, lemon slices and parsley. Finely chop the olives, capers and anchovies, add lemon juice and mash into a puree. Add olive oil and stir until creamy, season with pepper.Heat vegetable oil. Peel the garlic and chop it onto skewers, fry in vegetable oil until golden brown. Remove from the oil and pour into a fondue bowl. Serve with fish and olive paste

    Fish fondue with banana sauce

    • fish (fillet) - 1 kg
    • flour - 100g
    • beer - 125 ml
    • egg - 2 pcs.
    • salt - 1/2 tsp.
    for the sauce:
    • coconut flakes - 30g
    • chili pepper - 1 pod
    • banana - 1 pc.
    • sour cream (fat) - 150g
    • mayonnaise - 150g
    • salt, black pepper - to taste.

    Preparation: Fry coconut flakes in a frying pan without fat until golden brown. Peel the chili pepper and finely chop it. Fry in vegetable oil.Prepare mashed bananas and sour cream, add mayonnaise to it. Season with spices. Add coconut flakes and sautéed peppers to the sauce. Mix flour, salt, eggs and beer into a batter.Cut the fish fillet into pieces, dip each in the dough and fry in well-heated oil. Pour the sauce over the finished fish.

    Stilton fondue with pears

    • Stilton cheese (cut into cubes) - 150g
    • Mascapone cheese - 125g
    • vodka - 2 tbsp.
    serve:
    • pears (peeled, cored and chopped) - 2 pcs.
    • loaves with walnuts, cut into cubes with a side of 2 cm - 1/2 pcs.

    Preparation: Heat the Stilton and Mascapone in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring until melted. Add vodka and remove from heat.Divide the pears and bread among the dishes and transfer the fondue to a warm fondue pot or ceramic dish. Serve with long forks that can be used to carry pears and pieces of bread.

    Spicy cheese fondue

    • red pepperoni pods - 2 pcs.
    • garlic - 1 clove
    • dry white wine - 500 ml
    • Emmental cheese - 250g
    • parmesan cheese - 250g
    • loaf - 1 pc.
    • starch - 1 tbsp.
    • cherry vodka - 40 ml.

    Preparation: Wash the pepperoni, peel it, cut it lengthwise, remove the seeds and chop it. Peel and chop the garlic using a press. Heat the wine in a fondue container on the stove, season with pepperoni pieces and garlic. Cut off the crust from the cheese and grate it on a coarse grater. Gradually add to the wine and, stirring, melt over low heat. Bring to a boil once. Cut the bread first into slices and then into small cubes. Mix the starch thoroughly with cherry vodka and add to the fondue. Stir in cheese until mixture thickens. Place on the alcohol lamp and keep on low heat. Prick the bread cubes onto fondue forks and eat them by dipping them into the hot cheese mixture.

    Fondue is not just a tasty dish. Fondue is communication, friendly gatherings and warm meetings around a magical pot of boiling cheese.

    The Swiss dish with the French name Fondu (French for “melted”) came to us from the snow-covered houses of Alpine farmers, and it got there thanks to the forced ingenuity of mountain shepherds. When they went to the mountains for a long time, they took with them only modest food supplies, among which were hardened cheese, bread and wine prepared in the summer. In order to somehow diversify the meager diet, the shepherds came up with the idea of ​​melting pieces of cheese with wine in a caquelon clay pot. They dipped pieces of stale bread into this rich cheese mass with a wine aroma. This is how the fondue ceremony, beloved by millions, appeared, which to this day brings together delicious friendly and family feasts.


    Today fondue has acquired many new forms - cheese, butter, broth, chocolate and even ice cream fondue, but the tradition has remained the same. In a ceramic, clay or metal fondue pot, which is installed over an open fire in the form of a burner or a simple candle, the fondue base is heated, seasoning it with spices. Guests gathered for a meal, using elongated forks, dip pieces of dried bread, vegetables, meat, fish, mushrooms, or fruits and berries, if it is a sweet fondue, into the pot. They wash down the Swiss dish with dry wine and have warm conversations.

    For such a simple meal, the table should be set accordingly. No pomp or pretentiousness! Only natural colors and natural decor: wildflowers, rustic textiles and simple tableware - expensive silver and crystal will look somewhat ridiculous on such a table. Bread should be served in wicker baskets, and snacks and sauces should be served in small, neat vases. It is this ritual of serving and eating that is considered traditional for fondue.


    The food of Swiss shepherds has firmly established itself in many cuisines of the world, but in each it has acquired its own unique character and personality. Thanks to the best recipes and culinary experiments, you can create your own original fondue, which will take you back to those distant times when soulful human communication and food that united were valued.

    TOP 5 recipes for making fondue

    Recipe 1. Classic Neuchâtel fondue


    For 4 servings: 300 g Gruyere cheese, 100 g Emmental cheese, 200 ml dry white wine, garlic clove, 2 teaspoons corn starch, 1-2 tbsp. spoons of fresh lemon juice, Kirsch (cherry vodka), French baguette, spices to taste.

    1. Trim the hard rind from the cheeses and grate them on a grater with large holes into one bowl. Mix the shavings.
    2. Cut yesterday's or slightly dried bread into slices 3 by 3 cm, place in a bread basket. If the bread is fresh, it will not stick well to the fork and may fall into the cheese.
    3. Cut the garlic clove in half lengthwise and rub the inside of the fondue pot well.
    4. Place the fondue pot on the burner and set the heat to medium. Pour wine and lemon juice into a heating pot. Immediately dissolve cornstarch.
    5. After a few minutes, when the wine is well heated, add a mixture of cheeses, season with spices, focusing on your taste.
    6. Stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, melt the cheese shavings. If the mixture is too liquid, you can thicken it with an additional portion of starch; if it is too thick, you can dilute it with wine.
    7. When soft bubbles appear on the surface of the mass, pour in a little kirsch and mix everything.
      Tip: The procedure for heating the wine and cheese mass can be done on the stove, and the ready-made fondue can be transferred to the burner. This will speed up the cooking time.
    8. By adjusting the heating temperature of the pot, start preparing and eating the fondue. Thread the pieces of bread onto special long forks and dip it in the quietly simmering cheese mixture.

    As appetizers for Neuchatel fondue, in addition to bread, you can serve: small tubers of boiled potatoes, ham, raw-cured sausage, meat, pickled gherkins and onions, sun-dried tomatoes, pieces of fresh sweet pepper, pickled mushrooms, artichokes and olives.

    Recipe 2. Three cheese fondue with champagne


    For 6 servings: 200 g Gruyère cheese, 85 g Brie cheese, 140 g Emmental cheese, 1.25 cups champagne, 4 teaspoons maize (corn) starch, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of lemon juice, 1 shallot, a pinch of nutmeg and ground black pepper, country bread.

    1. Mix cornstarch and lemon juice in a separate container.
    2. In a fondue pot or thick-walled bowl, combine champagne and chopped shallots and heat over low heat for a couple of minutes.
    3. Remove the fondue pot from the hob and pour in all the grated cheeses (Brie can be finely chopped).
    4. Add starch and lemon juice to the mixture of cheeses and champagne. Return the saucepan to the stove, reduce the heat to medium and melt the cheese, stirring, until it turns into a smooth substance (about 12 minutes).
    5. When the mixture begins to form boiling bubbles, add spices (walnuts and pepper).
    6. Place the cheese fondue with champagne on a burner with low heat so that the temperature is just enough to maintain the heat.
    7. Cut the dried bread into small convenient slices and serve with fondue.

    Recipe 3. Mexican fondue


    For 6 servings: 300 g of any soft cream cheese, 300 g of Cheddar cheese, 300 ml of light beer, 3 teaspoons of starch, 2 tbsp. spoons of lime juice, 4 tbsp. spoons of tequila, 1 pod of chili pepper.

    1. Grind the cheeses on a grater with the largest holes, or chop finely.
    2. Prepare a thickener for the cheese mass: mix starch, lime juice and tequila until smooth.
    3. Pour the beer from the fondue pot, heat to a boil and reduce the temperature to low.
    4. Stir the beer with a wooden spatula, add the cheese shavings and wait until the mixture becomes smooth.
    5. Thicken the mixture with a mixture of starch, tequila and lime. Stir in finely chopped chili pods. In order not to spoil the dish with excessive spiciness, add pepper in parts, tasting the cheese.
    6. Place the fondue on a stand and adjust the heat on the burner so that the cheese mass is constantly warmed up, but not burnt.
    7. Serve potato chips or seafood with Mexican fondue.

    Recipe 4. Dutch fondue with vegetables


    For 6-8 servings: 500 g of Dutch cheese, a glass of milk, ½ onion, a teaspoon of cumin, 3 teaspoons of corn flour, 3 tbsp. spoons of gin, garlic clove, white bread, medium-sized head of cauliflower, 1 large sweet pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh champignons, spices to taste.

    1. Rub half the onion into the thick sides of the fondue pot and place on the stove. Pour in the milk and, under supervision, bring to a boil.
    2. Add the grated cheese in parts, stirring the mixture with a spoon. When the cheese grows, sprinkle the mixture with caraway seeds.
    3. In a separate bowl, combine flour and gin. Pour the homogeneous consistency into the milk-cheese mass.
    4. Heat the fondue sauce on the stove for a few more minutes, stirring continuously until the mixture forms a creamy consistency. Pepper.
    5. Prepare garlic croutons: cut the bread into slices that are easy to prick with a fork, dry in the oven and grate with a clove of garlic.
    6. Divide the cabbage head into inflorescences and blanch in salted boiling water for two minutes. Cabbage, like peppers, mushrooms and bread can also be lightly grilled. This will give the dish a subtle campfire aroma.
    7. Place the cheese fondue pot on a burner with low heat. Arrange vegetables and bread in beautiful bowls.

    Recipe 5. Chocolate fondue Schokoladenfondue


    The recipe for this fondue has a little history, which produced a chocolate masterpiece. In 1966, at a press conference, journalists were treated to a treat, the dessert of which was Toblerone chocolate fondue. This dish created a sensation, and enchanted journalists glorified it throughout the world, which did not pass the attention of restaurateurs. This is how chocolate fondue became a celebrity.

    Experts say that the most delicious chocolate fondue is still Toblerone chocolate. The combination of almonds and honey in its recipe makes the dish unforgettable. But cream dessert can be made from other types of chocolate, the main thing is that it must be of high quality! The percentage of beans in such a tile must be as high as possible. Fondue made from dark, milk and even white chocolate will find the shortest way to your heart.

    For 6 servings: 400 g chopped chocolate, 100 ml heavy cream, 16 g butter, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tbsp. spoons of liqueur (coffee, orange).

    For serving: favorite fruits, but preferably with pulp (strawberries, melon, pears, apples, pineapples, bananas, oranges, mangoes, dried fruits, etc.), soft cookies, sponge cake, marshmallows, marshmallows, cheesecakes.

    1. Wash and dry the fruits, cut into large pieces. Remove stems and seeds from the berries. Divide the biscuit, marshmallows and cupcakes into pieces.
    2. Pour the cream into a container with thick walls and heat.
    3. Remove from hot surface and add chopped chocolate. Dissolve it completely in warm cream.
    4. Add soft butter, vanilla, cinnamon. If the dessert will not be served to children, pour in the liqueur; for a thicker cream, you can add 3 tbsp. tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir the chocolate-cream mixture until a smooth mass forms.
    5. Pour the chocolate into the fondue pot and light the burner underneath.
    6. Using skewers, dip pieces of fruit, cookies and sweets into hot chocolate. Stir the cream as you eat. If it starts to thicken too much, pour in warm cream (add 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is formed).

    Fondue is very simple to prepare, but by experimenting and improving the taste with the help of culinary tips, you can develop the formula for the ideal dish at home.

    1. To prepare fondue, it is not necessary to buy a fondue pot, a special burner and gravy boats. However, serving fondue in ordinary dishes makes the feast ordinary. To create an atmosphere and welcome dear guests, it is better to purchase a caquelon and all the accompanying paraphernalia.
    2. When using for the first time, the fondue pot needs to be “hardened” so that in the future the cheese or chocolate mixture does not stick to the walls and bottom of the caquelon. To do this, boil a mixture of water and milk (1:1) in a new container.
    3. Instead of the classic Swiss cheese with a nutty taste (Gruyère), you can take any hard one, but with the presence of some piquant notes in it. An alternative could be: Cheddar, Mozzarella, Beaufort, Edam, Kostroma with pepper, etc.
    4. Cherry Kirsch can also be replaced by using homemade cherry vodka instead, infused with cherry berries for a month.
    5. To make fondue from several types of cheese melt better and create a homogeneous, smooth mass, add lemon or lime juice to the cheese.
    6. You need to thicken the cheese fondue with starch before the cheese boils. Add starch quickly, without stopping stirring, to avoid the formation of compactions.
    7. The entire process of preparing fondue must be accompanied by stirring movements, but not in a circle, but in a figure eight shape. This way the cheese or chocolate mass will not stick to the bottom.
    8. Chocolate fondues contain a lot of sugar, which melts quickly and settles at the bottom. Therefore, the burner should only keep the cream warm, but we must not forget to stir it periodically.
    9. Fondue is served with the type of alcohol with which it is prepared. It can also be hot tea or grape juice if the fondue is dessert.


    A party where fondue is served is doomed to be successful. After all, fondue is not just food. This is, first of all, an emotionally charged holiday, where attention is paid to guests and warm, intimate conversations, and fondue is a special atmosphere in which everyone decides for themselves whether this is a holiday of the soul or taste.

    Alexander Gushchin

    I can’t vouch for the taste, but it will be hot :)

    Content

    A famous Swiss dish that has become very popular in many expensive restaurants in any city in recent years is fondue. Now there are many varieties, combinations and types of preparation of this dish, although fondue originally included wine and cheese. Such a dish can be a good reason for a large group to get together and talk about their own topics.

    What is fondue and what types are there?

    When in the old days in Switzerland they prepared food for the winter, there was a lot of cheese among them. Since this product can quickly deteriorate or dry out over time, it had to be softened somehow during long-term storage. According to one family's recipe, a piece of hard cheese was dipped into hot wine, which, when stirred, gradually melted and created an amazing gravy. Nowadays, there are a large number of different subspecies of this original fondue, which are no less interesting in taste.

    Cheese

    This type is very similar to the native dish of the Swiss. Cheese is the main ingredient of this fondue, and wine can be replaced with milk, water or other liquid. The cheese dish goes well with white bread or special pastries of different tastes and compositions. Chefs can prepare both a sweet Swiss dish and a savory one - it all depends on your wishes. Cheese fondue must stretch, so special devices are used for it.

    This recipe combines several types of cheese to create a special flavor. Flour or starch or butter can be added to it so that the cheese mass is uniform in consistency and does not separate or settle. When preparing this fondue, you need to be very careful so that the food does not burn. It is important to stir the dish from one side to the other through the center, so the grated cheese will melt faster and turn into a homogeneous sauce.

    Sweets made from chocolate or fruit

    This is one subtype of dish, created quite recently - sweet. To prepare the dish, you need to dip various tropical and homemade fruits in hot chocolate or cocoa mixture. For this fondue, as for other subspecies, the use of several sauces or gravy is allowed. It can be chocolate spread, or milk, sour cream, or strawberry.

    In most cases, sweet fondue is the final stage of the meal. It is often found without alcohol or alcohol additives. When eating such a meal, it is important to remember the rules of etiquette. The main point is to remove the piece of fruit with your mouth without touching the fork. This is done due to the fact that the device must go back to the common pot of chocolate.

    From fish, vegetables or meat

    Unsweetened fondue with fish, vegetables or meat is most popular among men. Various sauces and additions are selected for it. Meat fondue differs from classic cheese fondue even in etiquette when eating. When eating such a dish, the meat is skewered on a special fork, the piece is placed on a plate and there it is cut into small pieces with a knife. If you want to put the entire part on your tongue at once, in this case it is easy to get burned, since the fondue is constantly heated on an alcohol stove.

    In addition to the salted fondue, it is allowed to add a sauce made from gherkins, eggs and mustard, and mushroom. You can choose others that you like. Variety is important here. Fondue can be either alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Meat and fish options may not contain alcohol. When ordering such a dish in a restaurant, it is important to take into account the attitude towards alcohol so that the client receives the ideal fondue.

    Utensils and utensils necessary for preparing fondue

    To make such a dish at home, you need to stock up not only with the necessary gourmet ingredients. An important part when preparing fondue is the container that will hold the hot mixture. It is made of heat-resistant cast iron, ceramics, copper, steel. The fondue maker should have rubberized handles or wooden attachments on them so that the cook does not burn his hands when transferring it to the table.

    If at a family meeting you decide to prepare such an exquisite Swiss dish at home, be sure to buy a fondue set. It will include not only a fondue pot, but also special forks with rubberized or wooden handles, containers for additional sauces and a plate for pieces of bread, pastries, and fruit. Make sure you have a portable burner as well, since fondue on the table requires maintaining the boiling process.

    DIY fondue recipes with photos

    If the dishes for the dish have already been prepared, you should wonder how to make such a miracle. There are many recipes from which you can choose the most suitable one. It is important to consider the region and area where you want to cook fondue. It is necessary to determine which recipe is suitable depending on the available products, their freshness, and the possibility of purchase. Let's consider the simplest, but very tasty, gourmet dish options.

    Classic Swiss

    There is nothing better than the original. Only a classic dish can carry the best types of products, cooking style, and the spirit of its creators. A real Swiss dish has a standard recipe for cheese fondue. By preparing this dish yourself at home, you can put bread on a fork and dip it in fondue, feeling the spirit of Switzerland.

    Ingredients for the Swiss recipe:

    • 1 clove of garlic;
    • lemon juice - 1 teaspoon (it is not recommended to replace it with diluted citric acid, as the taste of the cheese fondue will be lost);
    • Emmental and Gruyere cheeses, 250 g each;
    • medium or finely ground corn flour - 2 teaspoons;
    • a glass of white wine (it is better to take dry or semi-sweet);
    • vodka – 2 tablespoons;
    • white pepper (preferably peas and grind before adding to the dish), nutmeg (same recommendation as for the previous element of the dish) - a small pinch.

    To prepare classic Swiss fondue:

    1. Rub the Swiss cheese fondue container with fresh garlic, it is better to cut the clove in half and squeeze out a little juice. It is permissible to pass the seasoning through a garlic press and grease the mold with it.
    2. Bring the wine mixed with lemon juice to a boil, heating over low heat.
    3. Gradually add grated cheeses to the mixture, which must first be mixed together. To stir, use a wooden spoon or spatula.
    4. While the mixture is melting, mix a portion of flour and vodka in another container. Having combined these ingredients together, keep them on the fire for a couple more minutes, bringing them to homogeneity.
    5. Add spices.
    6. Serve with small slices of French bread.

    French cheese

    The basis for preparing this dish are ingredients from France. If the cook or housewife who wants to make fondue has not been to this country, then the store has imported cheeses and wines that will be ideal ingredients for the dish. Try to carefully consider the choice of products in the store, the unsurpassed taste of French cheese fondue will depend on this.

    Ingredients for cooking (fondue recipe from France):

    • 250-300 g each of French cheeses Comte, Gruyère and Swiss Friborg (it is allowed to replace one type with Burgundy);
    • 750 g bottle of white wine (preferably dry);
    • 4 teaspoons potato starch;
    • clove of garlic.

    Sequence of preparation of classic French cheese fondue:

    1. Prepare all the ingredients (grate the cheese, warm the wine to room temperature, open, peel the garlic).
    2. Treat the fondue pot with garlic, pour in the wine, bring everything to a boil.
    3. Very slowly, stirring the wine in a zigzag manner, add the cheeses. Stir until dissolved over low heat.
    4. Add starch, mix into a homogeneous mass. Serve the thickening mixture with slices of baked goods.

    Chocolate

    This dish is a little similar in taste to a sweet fountain, which is a frequent guest at large celebrations, weddings, and birthdays. Few people know that it can easily be replaced with delicious fondue. Such small fondue pots can be placed on each guest table and create an excellent atmosphere for communication and a good time. But if you have decided to make fondue at home, use this simple, quick recipe.

    Ingredients for the dish:

    • about 200 g of milk chocolate bars, 50 g of white;
    • 100 g natural cream;
    • a few spoons of liqueur (milk, orange);
    • fruits (apples, bananas, strawberries, oranges).

    Step-by-step recipe for chocolate fondue at home:

    1. Slowly melt all the chocolate in a water bath, gradually adding cream and then liqueur.
    2. Separately cut the fruits and place on a plate. Skewer one piece and dip into fondue. Bon appetit!

    Video

    To prepare a true Swiss dish, you don't have to buy a fondue maker. You can use a standard slow cooker, just choose a special recipe. This will save you from unnecessary hassle in the kitchen and allow you to focus on yourself, guests or family. Be sure to watch the video below, which explains step by step the process of preparing cheese fondue or another type of dish in a slow cooker. This way you can quickly learn how to cook the perfect, very tasty dish.

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    To be honest, until recently, I never thought about making fondue at home.

    This dish has a very foreign and unusual name - FONDUE.

    The question of how to prepare fondue arose after my daughter and I accidentally found ourselves at a small cozy party dedicated to the national cuisines of the world.

    The unusual presentation and delicate taste of the fondue captivated us. Therefore, having learned the recipe for making fondue, we immediately planned to prepare this dish at home in the very near future.

    I must say that you can prepare fondue at home without special utensils, the so-called fondue pot. A fondue maker can be made from what every housewife has in her kitchen.

    To prepare fondue at home you need:

    Clay pot or ceramic serving tureen. Surely you have something similar.

    Metal hot stand with legs. We used a microwave rack.

    Small decorative candle.

    But to use the fondue maker, you first need to prepare the fondue itself.

    The most common recipe is cheese fondue. But if you take cheese fondue as a base, then adding other products you can come up with many fondue options.

    Cheese fondue with ham

    You will need:

    2 types of cheese, 150-180 gr.

    ham -150-200 gr.

    cherry tomatoes 4-5 pcs.

    white wine 150 gr.

    half a lemon

    1 tbsp. flour

    a clove of garlic, a little pepper, nutmeg

    Preparation of fondue:

    It is better to cook fondue in a Teflon-coated saucepan.

    Grate the cheese on a coarse grater in advance. It should be two different types of cheese, sweet and spicy. For example, "Russian" and "Suluguni"

    Finely chop the ham and cherry tomatoes. Finely grate one clove of garlic.

    Pour 150 g into a saucepan. white wine and place over low heat. Add the juice of half a lemon (2 or 3 tablespoons).

    As soon as the wine starts to boil, add grated cheese. In order for the cheese to heat evenly, it must be stirred constantly. The softer the cheese becomes, the better.

    The cheese will melt, but will not mix with the wine (don't be alarmed). Now you need to mix a tablespoon of flour with a certain amount (3-5 tablespoons) of wine and gradually add it to the resulting mass, continuing to stir continuously. This is how meat gravy is usually prepared; we add a little diluted flour to it, wanting to make the gravy thicker.
    After adding the diluted flour, literally in a minute the fondue will become homogeneous.
    All that remains is to add ham, tomatoes, garlic, and pepper to the fondue. In addition, you can add a little nutmeg and finely chopped herbs.

    All that remains is to mix everything thoroughly and keep on fire for a couple more minutes.

    Fondue is READY!

    Now light a small decorative candle, place it in the center of the table under a metal stand, and place a ceramic pot on the stand. Pour the prepared fondue into it. The candle will heat the bottom of the pot, and your fondue will always be hot.

    Cheese fondue with pickled cucumber

    The recipe for cheese fondue with pickled cucumber is prepared in almost the same way. The difference is that instead of cherry tomatoes, you need to put a finely chopped or grated medium-sized pickled cucumber or two small ones into the fondue.

    Cheese fondue with pickled cucumber will be spicier and sour.

    Cheese fondue with mushrooms

    Before preparing cheese fondue with mushrooms, you must first thoroughly fry 200-300 grams of mushrooms (champignons).

    We take the usual cheese fondue as a basis. At the end of cooking, add the fried mushrooms and stir.

    The basic recipe for fondue can be changed as your imagination tells you.

    What to dip in fondue?

    Serve the fondue with cubes of wheat or rye bread, toasted until crusty in the oven. You can toast slices of bread in a toaster and then cut them into small pieces.

    It is customary to dip slices of bread into fondue, pricking them on a fork.

    In addition to bread, you can dip vegetables in fondue: pieces of boiled potatoes, broccoli or cauliflower florets (you need to boil them a little first), boiled green beans, Brussels sprouts, etc.

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