Decadent Chocolate Fondue with Fruit

Growing up, chocolate fondue was something I only saw at fancy restaurants or special events. My first attempt at making it at home was a disaster – I burned the chocolate and ended up with a clumpy mess that my kids still tease me about.

Turns out, I was making it way more complicated than it needed to be. The secret to perfect chocolate fondue isn’t about fancy equipment or expensive chocolate – it’s all about gentle heat and a few simple steps. Now it’s become our family’s favorite Friday night dessert, with everyone gathering around to dip strawberries and bananas into the warm, smooth chocolate.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For chocolate fondue, you can use either milk chocolate or dark chocolate – or even a combination of both if you want to create your own perfect balance of sweetness. If you’re using chocolate chips, pick a good quality brand like Ghirardelli or Guittard since they melt more smoothly than cheaper alternatives. When using a chocolate bar, look for one that contains around 50-60% cocoa for dark chocolate or 30-40% for milk chocolate – these percentages tend to melt well and create the ideal dipping consistency. Just remember to chop bar chocolate into small, even pieces about the size of chocolate chips to ensure it melts evenly with the cream. Stay away from chocolate candy bars or chocolate meant for snacking, as these often contain additives that can make your fondue grainy or lumpy.

Options for Substitutions

Let’s talk about what you can swap in this fondue recipe if needed:

• Chocolate: While real chocolate is best for fondue, you can use chocolate melting wafers in a pinch. Both milk and dark chocolate work well – just pick your favorite! White chocolate is also an option, but reduce the cream to 3/4 cup since it’s more prone to seizing.
• Heavy cream: Heavy cream gives the best texture, but you can use half-and-half if that’s what you have. Just know your fondue might be a bit thinner. Avoid using milk – it’s too thin and can make your chocolate seize up.
• Dipping items: The fun part about fondue is that you can dip almost anything! Try pound cake cubes, marshmallows, pretzels, graham crackers, or other fruits like pineapple, pears, or orange segments. Just make sure whatever you choose is dry – water drops can make chocolate seize.
• Salt: The small pinch of salt really helps bring out the chocolate flavor, but you can skip it if you’re watching your sodium intake.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest enemy of smooth chocolate fondue is overheating – when chocolate gets too hot, it becomes grainy and seizes up, so always melt it slowly using a double boiler or short bursts in the microwave at 50% power. Another common mistake is getting water into your chocolate mixture, which will cause it to seize instantly – make sure all your tools and bowls are completely dry, and avoid letting steam from the double boiler drip into your chocolate. To keep your fondue at the perfect consistency during serving, use a fondue pot with a gentle heat source, or reheat briefly if needed – but remember that constant high heat will make the chocolate thick and lumpy. For the best dipping experience, cut your fruits into bite-sized pieces and pat them dry with paper towels before serving, as excess moisture can affect the chocolate’s texture and make it grainy.

What to Serve With Chocolate Fondue?

While fruit is always a classic choice for chocolate fondue, there are so many other tasty dippers you can add to your spread! I love setting out a mix of sweet and salty items like pretzel rods, marshmallows, pound cake cubes, and rice crispy treats. For something really special, try adding some unexpected treats like bacon-wrapped dates, potato chips, or even pieces of cheesecake – trust me, they’re amazing dipped in warm chocolate. To make it a complete dessert party, serve some sparkling wine or hot coffee on the side to cut through the richness of the chocolate. Just remember to keep your dipping items bite-sized and easy to handle with fondue forks or skewers!

Storage Instructions

Keep: If you happen to have leftover chocolate fondue (which rarely happens at my house!), transfer it to an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. It’ll stay good for up to 5 days. The chocolate will naturally firm up when chilled, but don’t worry – that’s totally normal.

Make Ahead: You can prepare the fondue up to 2 days before your party. Just keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. When you’re ready to serve, warm it up gently using your preferred method below.

Warm Up: To bring your chilled fondue back to life, warm it up using a double boiler on low heat, stirring occasionally. Or, pop it in the microwave in 30-second intervals at 50% power, stirring between each interval. If it seems too thick, just stir in a splash of warm cream until you get that perfect dipping consistency.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	5-10 minutes
Total Time	15-25 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1300-1450
• Protein: 15-20 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-120 g

Ingredients

• 12 ounces of milk or dark chocolate (use chips or chop if using a block)
• 1 cup heavy cream (8 ounces)
• A small pinch of salt
• Items for dipping like strawberries, banana chunks (1-inch pieces), dried apricots, candied ginger, apple slices

Step 1: Heat the Cream

In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream with a pinch of salt over medium heat.

Watch for tiny bubbles to appear, which indicates the cream is lightly simmering.

It’s important not to bring it to a full boil, just a gentle simmer.

Step 2: Add the Chocolate

Once the cream is simmering, remove the saucepan from heat.

Immediately add the chocolate to the warm cream.

Use a whisk to mix until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated.

Step 3: Serve the Fondue

Transfer the chocolate mixture to a fondue pot set at low heat or a low flame to keep it warm.

Arrange your choice of dip-ables, such as fruits, marshmallows, or cake pieces, on a platter around the chocolate pot.

Using a fondue fork, bamboo skewer, seafood fork, or salad fork, dip the selected items into the hot melted chocolate.

Enjoy each bite immediately.

If the fondue starts to thicken, stir in an additional tablespoon of heavy cream to loosen it.

Keep in mind the fondue will eventually cook down, and you may need to start a new pot for extended enjoyment.

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