How to make a Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue

By Rebecca St. Clair

This classic Swiss cheese fondue is easy to make and full of rich, savoury, and nutty flavours. A delicious warm appetizer that is always a hit at any gathering.

Fun and interactive, this cheese fondue is great to serve at parties. A perfect recipe to serve along side finger foods at New Year’s and festive gatherings. This recipe is so easy to put together and pairs perfectly with a chocolate fondue for dessert!

Fondue is a melted cheese mixture. Fondue literally means “melted”. You keep it warm by serving it in a fondue pot. You can also use a small crockpot, or even a bread bowl.

Served this along side a platter of accompaniments and dippers. These are bite-sized foods that you can spear and dip into the melted cheese.

How to serve the Swiss Cheese Fondue

This warm dip is kept hot by either a fondue pot or a small crockpot. These are the best options for keeping the fondue melted and dippable, while also serving it to your guests on a table to be snacked on for a longer period of time. If the fondue is left to cool it will harden. These are my favourite ways to keep a fondue hot:

Fondue pot with a flame

For this type of pot, you often need to use a water bath or the cheese may burn. If your fondue pot is heated this way, it likely will have a way for you to make a water bath.

To do this, light the flame underneath the pot. Place water in the pot that will be right over top of the flame. Fill the water so when you place the cheese bowl over top, the water will be close but not touching the bowl. Place the cheese mixture in the top bowl.

This will allow the hot water to keep the cheese hot and melted, and not a direct heat source.

Electric fondue pot

This type of fondue pot will have heat settings on it. For cheese you will need to heat it on a low setting, or according to the instructions of your pot.

Fondue in a crockpot

This is also a great option to keep your cheese fondue warm. Turn your pot to the lowest setting or the longest time setting. Place the fondue inside and it will be hot enough to keep it warm and melted.

Can you freeze a Swiss cheese fondue

Yes! Making the cheese mixture in advance, and storing it for later use, is a great way to get a head start on your fondue, especially if you are planning it for a party and need to prepare food in advance.

When you are ready to use it, melt the cheese mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is melted again.

Can you save leftover cheese fondue

Yes, you can store leftover cheese fondue. Keep the unused fondue covered in the freezer for 3 months or refrigerator for up to 5 days.

However, since fondue is meant to dip items in, there is a high change of finding some stray dippers left behind in the fondue at the end of the night.

When you are ready to use it again, reheat the cheese mixture over low heat until it is melted.

What is the best cheese to use for a cheese fondue

The real answer is your favourite cheese!

It is important to use a cheese that is easy to melt. A mixture of cheese will give it a more complex and robust flavour.

If you want to make a traditional cheese fondue, keep in mind that fondue is Swiss and French in origin so you may want to use cheese that is representative of that.

Gruyère is found in most traditional recipes. It is a great melting cheese and has an amazing flavour.

Emmentaler is another cheese found in most fondue recipes. It provides a sweet nutty flavour to the recipe.

What are Swiss Cheese Fondue dippers

Bite-sized accompaniments that are sturdy enough to dip and scoop up the fondue. Cheese fondue is thicker than chocolate fondue so you need dippers that can hold up to scooping the cheese.

Some great things to serve with cheese fondue are,

French bread – This is probably the most common dipper. Crusty French bread is a sturdy bread that is great for a cheese fondue. Rip or cut the bread into bite-sized chunks.

Other breads– Sourdough bread, rye bread, focaccia, ciabatta, Naan, bite-sized pitas, and pumpernickel breads to name a few. You need a study bread that will stay intact when dipping.

Cooked or raw vegetables – Cherry tomatoes, carrots, peppers, steamed broccoli, sweet peppers, cooked Brussels’s sprouts, cooked bite-sized or new potatoes, and mushrooms.

Pretzels – Soft and hard pretzels are ideal to serve along side of a cheese fondue.

Fruit– There are a few great fruits that pair really well with cheese. Try apple slices, pear slices, and grapes.

Meat – The meat must be fully cooked before using in your cheese fondue. Sliced chicken breast, meatballs, sliced sausage, and cubed ham are popular choices. Keep in mind that meat with added seasonings or sauces will alter the flavour of your fondue.

How to Make a Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue

Ingredients

400 g Gruyère cheese, grated

100 g Emmentaler cheese, grated

100 g Vacherin Swiss cheese (or Swiss cheese of choice)

1 Tablespoon cornstarch 15 ml

salt and pepper to taste

½ teaspoon nutmeg 2 g

1 cup white wine 250 ml

½ teaspoon garlic powder 2 g

accompaniments to dip

Method

1. In a sauce pot on medium heat, add all of the grated cheese.
2. Sprinkle on top the cornstarch, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
3. Add in the white wine and melt everything together, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, preheat your fondue pot according to the manufacturer’s direction.
5. Once warmed, place the melted cheese mixture into the bowl of the fondue pot.
6. Serve along side your favourite dippers.

Craving some more finger foods to serve with this delicious cheese fondue. Try one of these!

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