Cheese Fondue
Switzerland's classic: Gruyère and Emmental melted into white wine for dipping bread. Toss the cheese with cornstarch and melt it slowly over low heat, and you get a smooth, shareable pot.
Ingredients
- Gruyère · grated200 g
- Emmental · grated200 g
- Garlic · halved1 clove
- Dry white wine200 ml
- Lemon juice1 tsp
- Cornstarch · tossed with the cheese1 tbsp
- Kirsch (cherry brandy) · optional1 tbsp
- Nutmeg & pepper1 to taste
- For dipping
- Baguette · cubed, slightly stale1
- Boiled potatoes, veg, apple · optional1 to serve
Steps
- ⏲ 5 min
Grate all the cheese and toss it with the 1 tbsp cornstarch (it stops the cheese from splitting).
- ⏲ 1 min
Rub the inside of a pot (or caquelon) with the cut garlic for aroma.
- ⏲ 2 min
Add the wine and lemon juice and warm over low heat (don't boil).
- ⏲ 5 min
Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring in a figure-eight until fully melted (don't dump it all in at once).
- ⏲ 1 min
When smooth, season with kirsch, nutmeg, and pepper. Adjust with wine (to thin) or cheese (to thicken).
- ⏲ 1 min
Keep warm over a low flame (or warmer) and dip bread on forks, stirring in a figure-eight as you go.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Non-alcoholic: Use apple juice + lemon instead of wine.
- Cheese blend: Gruyère + Emmental is the base; Appenzeller or raclette also work.
- Moitié-moitié: Half Vacherin, half Gruyère (the classic).
- Dippers: Beyond bread, try boiled potatoes, broccoli, or apple.
Tips
- Toss the cheese with cornstarch so the fat doesn't separate.
- Keep it low — don't boil — too hot and the cheese turns stringy.
- The wine's acidity melts the cheese smoothly (lemon juice helps too).
- Slightly stale bread holds on the fork better (firm crust).
- Loosen with warm wine, thicken with more cheese, as needed.
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