If you don’t have a fondue pot, simply make your fondue in a good-looking saucepan. To serve, place the saucepan on a raised wire rack and light a tea-light candle underneath to keep the cheese warm. Use forks for an alternative to skewers (I find forks hold the bread better – no fishing around the bottom of the pot for lost pieces of bread).
Traditional cheese fondue
Ingredients
- ½ peeled garlic clove (do not crush), to rub
- 375ml (1½ cups) dry white wine
- 15ml (1 tbsp) cornflour
- 30ml (2 tbsp) water
- 225g Emmenthal cheese, grated
- 225g Gruyere, grated
- 15ml (1 tbsp) kirsch liqueur (optional)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 French baguette, cut into chunks and toasted in the oven (preheated to 180˚C) until golden and crunchy
Instructions
Rub the inside of a small saucepan with the ½ garlic clove, then discard the garlic. Add the wine to a pot and simmer, about 10 minutes, until the alcohol has cooked off and the wine has reduced to a few tablespoons.
Stir together the cornflour and water until smooth and set aside until needed.
Add the cheeses to the pot and place over very low heat, stirring continuously, until the cheese has just melted (do not boil at this stage – the cheese will end up as a stringy ball). Stir the cornflour mixture into the cheese and simmer over medium heat, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the kirsch, if desired, then taste and season accordingly.
Serve, as described in the recipe introduction, with chunks of toasted baguette for dipping.
Notes
Recipe by Claire Ferrandi Photograph by Annalize Nel
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
