Variations on chocolate fondue

Chocolate fondue is good for almost any kind of occasion - it can be a wonderful dessert as part of a romantic dinner, a lovely treat at a gathering with friends, and just perfect on chilly evenings when the family is together. What more, you can keep your fondues interesting not only by altering the spices and ingredients from time to time, but also by choosing the dipping ingredients you offer wisely.

You can dip various kinds of treats in the fondue, and fruits are a really popular chocie (Photo: pixabay.com / Grigory_K)

You can choose from several kinds of fruits, nuts, biscuits and cakes to serve along with your fondue as dipping ingredients, and the way you pick the ones you use only depends on your taste and creativity.

Some of the most commonly used ingredients are cubes made out of sponge cakes, apple slices/cubes, dried apricots, dried plums, raspberries, strawberries, sliced bananas, pieces of ladyfingers, pineapple cubes, marshmallows, cookies, slices of kiwi fruit, pieces of orange, blueberries, grapes, figs, hazelnuts and dried mangoes. Mini pretzels and salty crackers are also really popular, because the mildly salty savor goes well with the kind of rich aroma and sweetness that the smooth, creamy chocolate fondue provides.

But it's not only the dipping you can vary - the fondue will taste really different even if you add just a few new spices, or decide to use white or milk chocolate instead of the most frequently used dark or semisweet ones. Below are five great versions of the beloved dessert!

This one is really easy to make: you basically need only two ingredients and a small/medium sized saucepan. Once the chocolate is fully melted, you can immediately serve it, so this fondue is also a great last-minute treat if you happen to have a few apples, biscuits or other snacks at home...

Ingredients (for an amount ideal for 3-4 people):

170 g chocolate (semisweet or dark is best, other types will be way too sweet)

120-150 ml (~ 1/2- 3/4 cup) heavy cream (depending on how thick you want the fondue to be)

(A pinch of salt is also used sometimes)

Preparation:

To make the chocolate fondue, first pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan over low heat, and wait a little until the cream gets warm.

Break the chocolates into small pieces, and add them in gradually while constantly stirring the cream. As it gets thicker due to the melted chocolate, you may want to add in some more cream - but keep in mind that if it's not thick enough, it won't cover the dipping ingredients nicely. You can add a pinch of salt and mix it in.

Once ready, pour it into a fondue set, and light the candle - but be aware that the chocolate can still burn in the fondue set, so it's recommended to blow the candle after 3-4 minutes.

You can use the recipe above when making the Baileys fondue, but should use only 60-75 ml (about 1/4 cup, or a little more if needed) heavy cream, and add 60 ml (about 1/4 cup) Baileys at the end. Dark chocolate is the best choice for this fondue, but white chocolate will also make a nice, sweet base - and the aroma of the liquor is perhaps more noticeable when using white chocolate. This fondue is best for a romantic dinner - perhaps on Valentine's Day -, but it contains alcohol, thus it's unfit for an occasion where there are children.

Ideal for kids, this fondue combines the taste of two of the world's most popular treats - milk chocolate and peanut butter.

Ingredients:

150 g milk chocolate (chopped into small pieces)

120-150 ml (~ 1/2- 3/4 cup) heavy cream (depending on how thick you want the fondue to be)

1/4-1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

A pinch of salt, to taste (not necessary)

Sugar, to taste (not necessary)

Preparation:

See the recipe of the "Easy & fast chocolate fondue" above, only difference is that you should mix in the peanut butter first, then add the chocolate.

This fondue is really sweet, but the salt gives it a delicate, characteristic aroma, while - thanks to the caramel - the fondue itself will have a wonderful, golden hue.

Ingredients:

120 g white chocolate (chopped into small pieces)

A few (~ 50 g) soft caramels

120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream

Flaky sea salt, to taste (no more than 1- 1 teaspoon is recommended, for it would make the fondue too salty)

Preparation:

First, pour the heavy cream into a small or medium sized saucepan, add the caramels and start melting them over low heat.

When the caramel is melted, add in the chocolate gradually while constantly stirring the mixture. (If the cream is very hot, it's best to remove the saucepan and mix the chocolate in that way.)

Add the salt, mix it, then pour the fondue into a fondue set.

A little chili always makes dark chocolate even richer in taste, and thanks to the "fondue format", this recipe helps you in trying to combine the chocolate-chili harmony with other treats - such as cakes, biscuits and fruits.

Ingredients (for an amount ideal for 3-4 people):

170 g dark chocolate

120-150 ml (~ 1/2- 3/4 cup) heavy cream (depending on how thick you want the fondue to be)

3/4 teaspoon of ground ancho chili pepper

1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sugar, to taste (usually 1 tablespoon is best)

For preparation, see the recipe of the "Easy & fast chocolate fondue" above, it's best to add the spices in first, then the chocolate.

A. D.

June 2018