Cooking Lesson #137 Chocolate Fondue

How you doin’? My friend Lisa from Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter, asked for a fondue recipe—here it is Lisa—and there are even a couple of peanut butter options.
 
I can’t think of a better way to entertain one’s self than with a simmering pot of chocolate fondue. I can’t remember when I first discovered my love for chocolate fondue, but I can tell you it is a child’s dream dessert come true. It’s kind of like being in Charlie’s Chocolate Factory, gazing at and inhaling those beautiful wafts of melted chocolate pools.
 
Chocolate fondue can be made with any type of chocolate—dark, milk or white. You can use the inexpensive brown stuff or a good premium chocolate. Keep in mind that by going with dark chocolate fondue over the milk chocolate versions, you will be receiving many health benefits as dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which are able to fight off free radicals in the body. There is also the absence of milk in pure dark chocolate, which is beneficial for many lactose intolerant individuals.
 
Have a little fun with flavor! It’s so easy to make a custom blend fondue using the ingredients in your pantry.

• You can add 1/4 cup of sour cream to 2 cups of dark chocolate and have a Chocolate Sour Cream Fondue.
• Go a little bit nutty by adding 1/4 cup of peanut butter to 2 cups of milk chocolate.
• Be completely outrageous and add both 1/4 cup marshmallow fluff—the store-bought fluff stuff—and 1/4 cup peanut butter to 2 cups of either dark or milk chocolate to create your own S’Mores Fondue.

 
Kid’s stuff you say? Then be a little more sophisticated.

• Add just a touch of spice—a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne to 2 cups of dark chocolate—to give you a delicious fondue with a bit of a kick.
• Playing on the adult theme you can add a little liquor to your dark magic… a couple of tablespoons of rum, Kahula or Grand Marnier will add a very special adult flavor.

 
Remember, if you are making your own milk chocolate fondue, there needs to be a liquid mixed with the morsels or they will stick to the pan and scorch. Many people use half and half, others evaporated milk. This is key to creating a rich, creamy, chocolate fondue for your family.
 
And, what’s a chocolate fondue without some dippers?  Strawberries, bananas, pineapple, pound cake, pecans, almonds, and anything else you can spear with a fondue fork or dunk with a spoon will work. Anything goes!
 
Use the right stuff. Not all chocolate is created equal. For great dark chocolate fondue, we have found that 64% dark chocolate to be about the best. If your taste leans toward lighter, you can’t beat a 32% milk chocolate for a silky-smooth milk chocolate fondue.
                             
Do it with flair. When making fondue it’s not all about how it is prepared that elevates it above the norm. Presentation is a factor almost as important as preparation. Use a good, attractive, heavy ceramic melting pot (metal fondue pots are for meat) or go crazy and put it all in a chocolate fountain and get “oohs” and “ahhs” all evening long. If it is made right, it will taste right, and then it can be dressed up to look right.
 
Happy Dippings!

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “I’ll tell you a coronavirus joke now, but you’ll have to wait two weeks to see if you got it.”

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