Cheese Fondue
Quick answer
- Total time
- 27 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Cheese fondue melts grated Gruyere and Emmental into warmed white wine to create a thick, glossy cheese dip served with cubed baguette.
Read more
Rubbing the inside of the pot with a halved garlic clove lays down a gentle garlic base before the wine goes in. Tossing the grated cheese with cornstarch before adding it gradually to the warm wine is what prevents the proteins from clumping and keeps the texture smooth and flowing. A small amount of lemon juice cuts through the richness of the cheese, and the wine's acidity balances the salt from the aged cheeses. The heat must stay low throughout - high flame causes the fat to separate from the protein almost immediately, turning the fondue grainy and unappetizing. If the sauce thickens too much, a small addition of warm wine brings it back. Originating in the Alpine regions of Switzerland and France as a winter method for using hardened cheese, fondue has become a communal dish shared around the table and is now enjoyed worldwide.
Ingredients
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Finely grate 200 g Gruyere and 200 g Emmental, then toss them evenly with 1 tablespoon cornstarch so every strand is lightly coated. Cut the baguette into bite-size cubes before heating the fondue, so serving is ready when the cheese is smooth.
- 2Season
Rub the inside of the fondue pot thoroughly with the cut side of the halved garlic clove to season the surface lightly.
Discard the garlic afterward, because leaving it in the pot can make the flavor too sharp.
- 3Control
Add 250 ml dry white wine and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, then warm over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
Keep it below a boil; the wine should steam gently, which helps the cheese melt without separating.
- 4Step
Add the coated cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly in a figure-eight motion with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula.
Wait until each handful is almost fully melted before adding more, which prevents heavy clumps.
- 5Control
When the sauce is glossy and flows continuously, reduce the heat to its lowest setting.
If it thickens, lower the heat further and keep stirring so the cheese does not stick to the bottom.
- 6Finish
Spear the baguette cubes, dip them into the cheese, and serve immediately while the fondue is hot and fluid.
Stir the pot occasionally during serving to keep the bottom from scorching and the cheese from separating.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Cheese Fondue melts Gruyere and Emmental into white wine for a smooth, communal dipping sauce.
- Finish cue
- When the sauce is glossy and flows continuously, reduce the heat to its lowest setting.
- Avoid this
- If it thickens, lower the heat further and keep stirring so the cheese does not stick to the bottom.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
27min, 7 ingredients
Category median
40min, 8 ingredients
Based on 168 recipes
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.
Mitarashi Dango (Grilled Rice Dumplings in Sweet Soy Glaze)
cornstarch
Banana Pudding
cornstarch
Vongole Bianco (Italian Spaghetti Dish)
dry white wine