Classic cheese fondue is an easy, delicious and decadent celebratory food. This foolproof fondue is incredibly easy to make and comes together so quickly! It’s the perfect dish to throw together for a party or to impress your significant other for Valentine’s Day. It’s versatile and can be customized to personal taste preference, too! Just throw in some herbs or spices, use your favorite white wine and whatever cheese you fancy! Then serve with whatever you desire! It will always turn out delicious.
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Things You’ll Need
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1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
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7.6 ounces (225 milliliters) white wine
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17.6 ounces (500 grams) of cheese (e.g. Swiss, Fontina, Cheddar, Gruyère, Emmental, Raclette, Jack, Gouda — can also be a mixture of at least two cheeses to equal the total weight)
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0.88 ounces (25 grams) cornstarch
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
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Salt and pepper, to taste
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To serve: Chopped herbs, toasted bread cubes, boiled or roasted potatoes, pickles, olives, cured meats, steamed vegetables or cheese cubes (optional)
Step 1: Prepare the base
Rub the inside of a large sized mixing bowl with the garlic halves. Place the bowl over a large saucepan filled with a few inches of water set over low heat.
Tip
Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.
Step 2: Pour in the wine
Add the wine into the bowl and bring it to a light rolling simmer, making sure to stir occasionally.
Step 3: Prepare the cheese
Meanwhile, use a large box grater to grate all the cheese down into even sized pieces. Here, we used a mixture of Cheddar, Gruyère and Gouda. Place the cheese in a medium sized mixing bowl and add the cornstarch. Toss together until the cheese is evenly coated.
Step 4: Add the cheese
Add the cheese into the barely simmering wine, one generous handful at a time. Then, using a large wooden spoon or non-stick rubber spatula, stir until the cheese is almost melted. Add in the next handful of cheese, and again, stir until just melted. Continue this adding and stirring process until all the cheese has been added.
Let the mixture continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes, or until it has thickened considerably. Stir often. It is ready when a few small bubbles are begin to surface around the edges of the bowl and the mixture is very smooth and glossy.
Tip
Make sure that your mixture never reaches a boil, if it does, it’s likely that the mixture of cheese and wine will separate. To prevent this, stir often and lower the heat as necessary!
Step 5: Add in seasonings
Stir in the lemon juice and nutmeg. Add in a pinch of salt and pepper to personal taste.
Step 6: Transfer the mixture.
If your fondue was created in a mixing bowl, gently pour it into your desired fondue dish. Keep it covered with a lid until ready to serve.
Tip
If the fondue is beginning to thicken before serving, pour in a little bit of warmed wine to keep it smooth.
Step 7: Serve
Serve the fondue with whatever you desire! It’s traditionally served with toasted bread (here, we used toasted baguette cubes), roasted or boiled potatoes, steamed vegetables, cured meats or pickles. If you want to be even more decadent, you could even serve it with cheese cubes! Make sure to eat while the fondue is hot!
