Cheese Fondue
I got this recipe from a friend I lost touch with over 20 years ago my newly married daughter just started making this and LOVES it as much as we do
I got this recipe from a friend I lost touch with over 20 years ago my newly married daughter just started making this and LOVES it as much as we do
- Carbohydrate 10.995920584 g
- Cholesterol 139.403413791667 mg
- Fat 45.3742820211667 g
- Fiber 0.337500005960464 g
- Protein 29.6077708658333 g
- Saturated Fat 28.7958573367667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (135g)
- Sodium 758.932154425 mg
- Sugar 10.6584205780395 g
- Trans Fat 2.52244645304167 g
- Calories 570 calories
Step-by-step
- Melt butter, mix in the flour and cook for at least two minutes.
- Add the chicken broth a bit at a time, constantly whisking until all is added.
- Bring broth mixture to a boil and reduce heat to simmer, add cheese in small amounts, whisking to melt and blend.
- Continue until all cheese is added.
- Simmer for a few minutes and transfer to a fondue pot.
- Light a sterno under the fondue pot and serve with cubes of french bread for dipping.
Standard ingredient lists omit the chemical reality of melting a pound and a half of sharp cheddar into chicken broth: without a stabilizing starch matrix, the dairy fats will separate instantly into a greasy slick. Cooking the initial butter and flour mixture for exactly two minutes is non-negotiable; this eliminates the raw flour taste while activating the starch molecules necessary to bind the cheese proteins and liquids together.
Scaling this recipe requires precise arithmetic. Doubling the volume increases the thermal mass, meaning the liquid will take significantly longer to reach the simmering point required to melt the cheese without scorching the bottom of the pan. Conversely, halving the batch demands rapid whisking over medium-low heat because smaller volumes lose temperature immediately, causing the cheddar to clump rather than emulsify.
Stirring too quickly introduces air bubbles that ruin the velvety mouthfeel. Adding the grated cheddar in handfuls rather than all at once ensures the temperature of the liquid never drops below 160 degrees Fahrenheit, preventing the cheese from breaking into a stringy mass. Grating the cheese by hand from a block works far better than pre-bagged varieties coated in anti-caking cellulose powders.
Serving this mixture requires a steady heat source like a sterno flame to maintain viscosity over an extended meal. Keeping the pot just below a gentle simmer prevents the proteins from tightening and expelling oil.
