Easy Chocolate Fondue with Evaporated Milk

I never thought much about fondue until my kids begged me to try making it at home. Growing up, the only fondue I knew came from those fancy restaurants where you’d dip bread into cheese. Chocolate fondue seemed like something that would be too complicated to make in my own kitchen.

Turns out, I was totally wrong about that. Using evaporated milk instead of heavy cream makes this fondue recipe not only easier but also more reliable. When my first attempt turned out smooth and creamy, I realized I’d been psyching myself out over nothing all those years. Now it’s our go-to dessert for family movie nights.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For chocolate fondue, milk chocolate is your best bet since it melts smoothly and has a crowd-pleasing flavor that works well with fruit. Standard grocery store bars like Hershey’s or Lindt will work just fine – no need to splurge on super fancy chocolate here. If you want to experiment, you could try a mix of milk and semi-sweet chocolate to add some depth, but avoid dark chocolate on its own as it can become too bitter when melted. Just make sure to chop your chocolate into small, even pieces before melting to prevent it from seizing up. And here’s a pro tip: check the ingredients list to make sure your chocolate bars contain cocoa butter rather than palm oil, as this will give you the smoothest melting results.

Options for Substitutions

While this fondue recipe is pretty simple, you’ve got some options when it comes to making swaps:

• Evaporated milk: If you don’t have evaporated milk, you can use heavy cream instead. Or try using regular whole milk that you’ve simmered down to reduce by half (this creates a homemade evaporated milk). Just avoid using low-fat alternatives as they might make your fondue grainy.
• Milk chocolate bars: Feel free to experiment with different chocolate types! Dark chocolate works great for a less sweet fondue, or try white chocolate for a different twist. Just make sure to use good quality chocolate bars and not chocolate chips, as chips contain stabilizers that can affect the smooth texture.
• Fresh fruit: The dipping options are endless! Besides fresh fruit, try pound cake cubes, pretzels, marshmallows, graham crackers, or cookies. If using bananas or apples, dip them in lemon juice first to prevent browning.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making chocolate fondue is overheating the chocolate, which can cause it to become grainy and seize up – always melt your chocolate slowly over low heat or using a double boiler method, stirring frequently.

Another common mistake is adding cold evaporated milk to the melted chocolate, which can make the mixture separate or become lumpy – warm your milk slightly before combining it with the chocolate for a smooth, silky texture.

For the best dipping experience, make sure your fruit is completely dry before serving, as even a few drops of water can cause the chocolate to seize and become grainy.

To keep your fondue at the perfect consistency throughout serving, maintain it at a gentle warm temperature (not hot!) and give it an occasional stir – if it starts to thicken too much, try adding a splash of warm evaporated milk to thin it out.

What to Serve With Chocolate Fondue?

While fresh fruit is a classic dipper for chocolate fondue, there are so many other tasty options you can add to your fondue spread! Set up a fun dipping station with a mix of sweet and salty treats like marshmallows, pound cake cubes, pretzel rods, and rice krispy treats. For the fruit selection, firm options like strawberries, pineapple chunks, and banana slices work best since they hold up well on fondue forks. If you’re hosting a party, you might want to include some cookies too – shortbread and graham crackers are perfect for scooping up the warm chocolate. Just remember to cut everything into bite-sized pieces that are easy to dip and eat in one or two bites.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Once your chocolate fondue has cooled down, you can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The chocolate might become firm, but don’t worry – that’s totally normal! Just remember to store any leftover fresh fruit separately to keep everything at its best.

Make Ahead: You can prepare the fondue up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge. This is super handy when you’re planning a party or special gathering. Just cut up your fresh fruit right before serving to keep it looking fresh and appetizing.

Warm Up: When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover fondue, warm it up slowly in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each round. You can also use a double boiler on low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s smooth and creamy again. If it seems too thick, add a splash of warm evaporated milk to get the right consistency.

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

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 3000-3500
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 150-175 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-450 g

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 642 g milk chocolate bars
• Assorted fresh fruit

Step 1: Simmer the Evaporated Milk

Begin by pouring 2/3 cup (150 ml) of evaporated milk into a saucepan.

Place the saucepan over medium heat and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent the milk from scorching or sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Step 2: Melt the Chocolate

Once the evaporated milk is warm, break the milk chocolate bars into pieces and add them to the saucepan.

Continue stirring until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is smooth and creamy.

This will ensure a velvety texture for your fondue.

Step 3: Serve the Chocolate Fondue

Transfer the warm chocolate fondue to a serving bowl or fondue pot.

Serve with an array of fresh fruits such as strawberries, bananas, and apple slices for dipping, or drizzle the warm chocolate over a bowl of ice cream for a decadent treat.

Enjoy the rich and creamy chocolate indulgence!