Chocolate Fondue Familyfun Recipes

Steps:

• To make the sauce, in a small bowl, combine the chocolate and 1/2 cup milk or cream and melt gently in a barely simmering water bath or microwave on Medium (50 percent) power for about 2 minutes.
• Stir until smooth.
• Add more liquid if the sauce seems too thick or look curdled.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Use warm fondue immediately or set aside until needed and rewarm briefly.
• Have forks, skewers, or pretty (or goofy) swizzle sticks available for guests to dip with.
• If the fondue gets too thick or cool, reheat gently (without boiling) for 1 minute in the microwave on Medium (50percent) power or set in a pan of barely simmering water.
• Leftover sauce keeps several days in the refrigerator.
• It is a prefect topping for ice cream.
• Note: This is a versatile recipe that can be tailored to your taste and the type of chocolate you are using.
• For the most intense chocolate fondue, use milk, rather than half-and-half or cream, and omit the butter.
• For even greater intensity, choose a bittersweet chocolate labeled anywhere from 66 percent to 70 percent and use the greater amount of liquid called for.
• Butter or cream results in a softer, mellower chocolate flavor.
• Ideas for dipping: Kumquats or segments of seedless clementines, oranges, or ruby grapefruit- If possible, separate the citrus into segments without breaking the membrane.
• If you set the segments on a rack to dry in a warm place or in the oven, preheated to 200° F, then turned off for several hours, the membrane will dry like crisp paper and the juices will burst in your mouth when you take a bite.
• Chunks of pineapple Chunks of fresh coconut or large curls of dried coconut Chunks of banana Dried fruit such as apricot, mango, papaya, pineapple, or Bing cherries Strips of good-quality candied orange, grapefruit or lemon peel Cubes of pound cake or angel food cake, or toasted cubes of brioche or challah Cigarette cookies, fan wafers, graham crackers or digestive biscuits, or pretzels Marshmallows or meringues Toasted shaved almonds (to sprinkle on after dipping).

Steps:

• 1. Before melting the chocolate, prepare the fruit dippers. Wash and hull the strawberries (but leave them whole), slice the apples, peel and slice kiwis and peel and chop the pineapple (parents only). Cut the pound cake into cubes and leave the marshmallows whole. Arrange all the fruit, cake and marshmallows on a large platter. Squirt lemon juice on the apples and bananas to keep them from browning. Cover the platter and set it aside. 2. To prepare the fondue, ask your kids to break the chocolate squares into pieces and drop them into a saucepan. Add the light cream or half and half and melt over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is smooth. Add the vanilla extract and stir. 3. Transfer the chocolate sauce to a fondue pot (for little kids, you can pour the sauce into a small bowl or ramekin). Use a fondue fork to spear the fruit and sweets, then dip in the chocolate (use toothpicks if the kids are dipping into a small bowl). Serves 8 to 10. TIP: The addition of cream prevents the chocolate sauce from turning lumpy. The chef should stir the chocolate and cream together until smooth. BIG DIPPERS Choose your family's favorite fruits and sweets and design a colorful platter to serve with your pot of chocolate fondue. Here are some classic dippers: •Banana slices • Pineapple chunks • Whole strawberries • Apple slices • Kiwifruit • Star fruit • Pear slices • Orange sections • Pound cake pieces • Marshmallows • Shortbread fingers • Crusty French bread

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate over a double boiler until smooth. Remove to a fondue pot and dip any or all of the above ingredients in the chocolate and enjoy.

Steps:

• Combine the chocolates, heavy cream, butter and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute, then stir. Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is just melted. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
• Transfer to a fondue pot and keep warm over low heat. Serve with pound cake.