Cheese for fondue: features of selection and preparation

Cheese fondue with champagne

In general, the Swiss use cherry vodka to prepare this dish, which they call “Kirsch”. Corn starch is stirred in a small amount of this alcohol (42%) and poured into the cheese mass. There are many options for how to prepare cheese fondue and what kind of cheese to use. However, the basics here remain the same: cheese, bread and white wine. But everything is not as simple as it seems at first glance!

Ingredients

- 200 g salted cheese

• - 400 g sweet cheese
• — 1 glass of dry champagne
• - crackers, croutons, bread
• - 1 clove of garlic
• - 1 tbsp starch
• - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• - ground black pepper and salt.

Preparation

How to prepare cheese fondue from two types of cheese with the addition of champagne? To do this, rub the inside of the dish in which the fondue will be prepared with a clove of garlic cut in half. You can cook directly in the fondue pot, which you then need to transfer to the burner and place on the table. Grate both types of cheese, mix and transfer to a fondue pot. Then you need to fill the cheese with champagne. Stir the starch in a small amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice and then pour it into the cheese. Mix everything well, add salt and pepper to taste. Place the fondue maker on the stove and melt the cheese, stirring over low heat. Transfer the fondue pot to the burner and serve. The fondue should not cool down. What do you eat cheese fondue with? Usually white bread with a hard crust is used, but you can also serve crackers or croutons.

Classic cheese fondue

The classic nature of cheese fondue lies in its ingredients. These are Swiss cheeses, cherry kirsch vodka and French baguette.

Ingredients

• - Gruyere cheese 200 g
• - emmental cheese 200 g
• - 2 tbsp cornstarch
• - 200 ml white wine
• - 1 clove of garlic
• - salt, ground pepper
• - Kirsch vodka 2 tablespoons
• - 1 French baguette.

Preparation

The basis for cheese fondue is Swiss Gruyère cheese. You can also use another Swiss cheese for emmental fondue. Everyone will decide for themselves which cheese to use for fondue. Some will even find these cheeses with an unfamiliar aroma and taste unpleasant and will begin to prepare such a fondue from the cheeses familiar to us in Russia - Dutch, Russian, Kostroma, etc. It is better to prepare cheese fondue in a small saucepan, and then pour it into a fondue pot. And for those who have a slow cooker, cheese fondue can be perfectly prepared in a slow cooker. Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub the inside of the pan. Pour white wine into the pan and turn on the heat. Grate two types of cheese and place in a pan with wine. Melt the cheeses over low heat, stirring occasionally. Dissolve the starch in kirsch cherry vodka and add to the cheese, add salt and pepper to taste, stir, pour into a fondue pot and serve.

Cheese fondue at home can be prepared from ordinary white bread by drying the cut pieces in the oven. Or cut a French baguette into pieces and prick each piece onto a fork, dip it into a fondue pot with melted cheese and put it in your mouth. In general, it is best for each guest to have two forks from the fondue set. With one you prick the bread and dip it into the general cheese mass, where everyone present dips their forks. And the other one you eat ready-made fondue.

Cheese fondue without wine

The birthplace of fondue is Switzerland. This dish was invented by Alpine shepherds who took cheese, white wine and bread with them to the mountains. Translated from French, fondue means “molten.” If previously only pieces of bread were dipped into cheese fondue, now it can be various vegetables: bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, gherkins, grapes, pitted olives, etc.

Ingredients

• - 1 clove of garlic
• - 200 g Gouda cheese
• - 200 ml milk
• - 200 g Edam cheese
• - nutmeg, grated
• - corn starch 2 tbsp
• - ground black pepper, salt
• - lemon juice 2 tbsp
• - White bread.

Preparation

Cheese fondue recipe without alcohol is perfect for children. The best way to go with cheese fondue is to buy a French baguette. It is soft on the inside and has a hard, crispy outside. When pieces of bread are dipped into melted cheese, it is precisely because of this crust that the bread does not become soggy. If you don’t have such a baguette, then you need to dry the pieces of white bread in the oven. Such pieces will become hard on the outside and soft on the inside.

Rub a small pan where the fondue will be prepared with a clove of garlic, cutting it in half. Then pour in the milk and bring to a boil. Of course, you can also use cream to make fondue. But cheese fondue with cream will have more calories than with milk. Then gradually add cheese and stir. The cheese should melt and acquire a uniform consistency. Mix cornstarch with lemon juice and pour into the cheese mixture. Add a little nutmeg, grating it on a fine grater. Add salt and ground pepper to taste, cook, stirring, for another 2-3 minutes and pour into the fondue pot. The cheese fondue recipe has its own peculiarity. The cheese mass should thicken so that the cheese does not drip; then you will prick pieces of bread onto forks, dip them into the fondue and bring them to your mouth.

Tags: calories, lemon, cheese, fondue, garlic

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Choose the right cheeses

When preparing traditional Swiss fondue, housewives pay great attention to each of the ingredients. It is usually based on two cheeses - Gruyère and Emmental. This combination is ideal for making fondue.

However, many chefs believe that the more different types of cheese you combine, the more interesting your dish will be. What cheeses are also suitable?

• Appenzeller
• Vashren
• Cheddar
• Fontina
• Pleasant Ridge Reserve
• Cantal
• Hochibrig
• Saler
• Raclette

Don't be afraid to experiment

Each Swiss city has its own fondue recipe. For example, in Geneva this dish is prepared from three types of cheese. But the secret of Geneva fondue is different - in the addition of mushrooms, which give the dish an extraordinary aroma.

Sometimes cooks add plums and cider to the fondue. But these ingredients are not as common as, for example, garlic, which is added for its special aroma. Chopped garlic is rarely thrown into fondue; more often, a clove cut in half is used to thoroughly wipe the bottom and walls of the pan.

What else can you add? Fresh thyme, oregano, red hot and white pepper, paprika, nutmeg, ginger.

Don't go wrong with alcohol

According to Swiss tradition, preference is given to dry white wine. Picpoul de Pinay wines with rich fruity aromas or Muscadet are perfect. Also in use, but in lesser esteem are Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Another important component is the so-called Kirsch, also known as Kirschwasser. This is pure cherry brandy, which is added to cheeses, often to young ones. Quite often, recipes indicate that kirsch is an optional ingredient. But don't deprive yourself of the pleasure of trying fondue with this fortified drink.

Find the perfect match

Initially, back in the 18th century, fondue was not a gourmet dish, but a way to save food: old cheese and stale bread were used. Dried bread dipped in melted cheese didn't seem so unfit to eat.

Today, cheese fondue is usually served with boiled potatoes, gherkins (or other pickles) and olives. And, of course, with white bread. Ideally, with a crispy French baguette or Italian ciabatta. Nut bread (preferably with walnuts) is also great. Blanched vegetables (especially tomatoes) and fruits (for example, pears and grapes) are also suitable for cheese fondue. Don't forget to serve the best drink for a fondue dinner - white wine.

We plunged a little into history, got acquainted with cheeses and wines suitable for fondue, and now it’s time to get into the kitchen. Let's try to make our own perfect fondue!

Cheese for fondue: features of selection and preparation

Fondue is the Swiss national dish. The name of the dish is translated from French as “to melt,” which perfectly describes the cheese sauce in all its possible variations, which uses a certain fondue cheese. Currently, there are different types of this dish:

• based on cheese – “Neuchâtel”;
• based on oil - “Burgundy”;
• based on broth - “Chinois”;
• based on chocolate - "Toblerone".

In addition to bread, meat, vegetables, fish, and fruits can be served with the sauce, depending on the type of dish. Also, the ingredients of the dish are chosen in accordance with the taste preferences of the person preparing it.

Features of preparing cheese fondue

The saucepan for preparing the sauce is made of ceramic or clay. It's called kakelon. The material is capable of excellent heat conduction, but it gently heats the mass. In some cases, cast iron or enamel pans can be used.

Choosing cheese is not so easy because in this case, different types are suitable. Here the question arises: which cheese is most suitable for fondue? Swiss and English cheeses are most often used. By using different types and mixtures of cheeses, you can create a new and interesting sauce every time. However, just in case, you should consult with the seller.

The dish is simple to prepare. For example, 1.5 cups should be poured into a special container. dry wine heated using a spirit lamp. Next, 600 grams of grated cheese are added to the wine, and everything is thoroughly stirred until the cheese is completely dissolved. 4 teaspoons of starch are added to the pan, which must first be diluted in wine. This will help thicken the sauce more.

Everyone sitting at the table puts a piece of bread on a special fork and dips it into the foaming sauce. A piece of bread is covered with a “cheese shirt”. In addition, all kinds of spices can be added to the sauce. Basically, garlic, nutmeg, pepper, etc. are added. In this case, it all depends on the type of cheese used, as well as personal preferences.

To make a proper fondue, at least 2 people must be present at the meal. However, you should try not to place more than 6 people near the fondue pot, otherwise there will be nowhere to put the forks, and you will need to prepare such a large amount of sauce that it will cool quickly. And cooled fondue loses its amazing taste characteristics.

Pepper, appetizers and sauce are placed on the table. The dish is usually accompanied by the wine that was used for cooking. In Switzerland, there is a tradition that a person who has lost a piece in a container with sauce and takes out an empty fork will fulfill some wish of all those gathered at the table. In the US, if a woman drops bread in the sauce, she will have to kiss the man to her right. When a man loses bread, he needs to give his hostess a kiss.

Several lights

Basically, in the process of preparing a dish, failures happen very rarely. However, to avoid them, you should use a few tips:

1. If the cheese mass is excessively thick, you need to pour into it, while constantly stirring with a whisk or spoon, heated white wine, a couple of drops of lemon juice or cherry vodka.
2. If lumps form in the mixture, you should stir it constantly and add a little grape vinegar or lemon juice.
3. If the mass turns out to be very liquid, you should add grated or diced cheese to it. In some cases, starch helps.
4. When dipping bread into the mass, you need to not just dip a piece, but stir the mass. This way the cheese will not settle, the mass will be homogeneous and elastic.

Basically, pieces of white bread are used for fondue. This bread has a neutral taste, highlighting the amazing taste characteristics of the cheese sauce. However, some in this case use bread made from dark flour, bread with spices. For example, some people like bread with nuts.

What kind of cheese is needed for fondue?

The recipe for cheese-based sauce is traditional in preparation. However, most novice gourmets are faced with the problem of choosing cheese. We should go into more detail about what kind of cheese is used for fondue.

First of all, you need to know that a mixture of different types of cheese is used to prepare a cheese-based sauce. What kind of cheese is needed for fondue? There is never just one specific type of cheese. Cheeses should differ in taste, but they must be hard or semi-hard.

Further, each person has his own taste preferences. Some people prefer fondue, which has a sharp cheese taste, while others prefer a sauce with a milder taste. The choice of cheese for a dish mainly depends solely on who will be preparing the sauce.

If you want to make an original fondue, in this case you need to take 2 types of cheese, namely Gruiner and Emmental. These cheeses are more often found in cooking.

In our country, largely due to the high cost of the main cheese varieties, other types are used to prepare the dish. The most common are Dutch, Russian and others.

When it comes to the question of what cheese to use for fondue, in addition to Swiss ones, Mozzarella and Parmesan are also leaders. These cheeses are slightly more expensive than other Russian varieties, but they differ significantly in taste.

For those who don’t want to go out and choose cheeses to prepare a dish, stores sell cheese fondue sets. They contain different cheeses, which when combined give a wonderful taste.

In addition, from the available types of cheese you can take Tilsiter, Gouda, Eddam, naturally, in combination. Many people make do with processed cheese.

You need to choose the right cheese for fondue; you shouldn’t stop at 2 or 3 cheeses; in this case, you can experiment.

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Traditional cheese fondue

Ingredients:

• Emmental cheese (grated) 220 g
• Gruyère cheese (grated) 220 g
• Dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) 1 glass
• Garlic1 clove
• Corn starch 1 tbsp. l.
• Lemon juice 1 tbsp. l.
• Kirsch (optional) 1 tbsp. l.
• Salt, ground white or black pepper to taste

Cooking method:

1. Wipe the bottom and sides of a stainless steel pan with a clove of garlic cut in half. 2.Place the pan in a water bath, avoiding contact of the bottom of the pan with boiling water. 3. Add wine to the pan and wait until it warms up. 4. Place grated cheese and cornstarch in a deep bowl and mix. 5. Reduce heat and add cheese to the pan, one handful at a time, stirring. Until the previous cheese has melted, do not add the next handful to the pan. 6. Stir until all the cheese has melted into the wine, creating a smooth, glossy cheese sauce. This will take about 10 minutes. It is important to monitor the temperature - the fondue should not boil. 7. When all the cheese has melted, add lemon juice and kirsch and stir. 8. Season with salt and pepper. 9. Serve with toasted bread cubes and lightly blanched vegetables.

Popular recipes

Even in the homeland of the dish there are no strict regulations regarding the types of cheese. Only the condition of good melting of the product applies, and the spiciness and salinity are chosen to taste:

1. According to the classic recipe, for 400 ml of white wine you will need about 1 kg of Swiss cheese (Gruyère and Friborg Vacherand are taken in equal proportions), a little starch, a clove of garlic, kirsch, nutmeg and pepper.
2. Rub the pot with garlic, add wine and cheese. Slowly stir the boiling mixture with a spatula, add starch, kirsch and spices. If desired, acidify with lemon juice. The container is transferred to a stand equipped with a candle or burner. Serve with toasted baguette cubes.
3. The recipe can be varied by adding chopped mushrooms to the boiling mixture. The most sophisticated option with truffles, more economical - with porcini mushrooms, champignons or morels.
4. If you replace wine with champagne, you get a dish for a festive feast. Use 400 grams of Gruyère and Vacheran, 300 ml of champagne, starch, garlic, a mixture of peppers, and spices.
5. Rub the container with crushed garlic cloves. Boil champagne in a container with the remaining garlic and starch, add cheese, continuing to stir. At the last stage of cooking, spices and a mixture of peppers are added. Carefully transfer the pan to a stand and enjoy the fondue with toasted pieces of bread.

The savory dish is made from goat cheese. For 600 grams of product, take 300 ml of wine, garlic and chives. Wine is poured into a pan rubbed from the inside with garlic, and goat cheese is added after the boil begins. The amount of wine is adjusted according to the thickness of the finished dish, and finally flavored with chopped onions. All that remains is to place the container on a stand with a candle or burner, and dip dried pieces of bread on skewers into the melted mass.

Any of the classic recipes is improved by adding paprika, white pepper, ginger or oregano. Sometimes cooks add cider and chopped plums.

Creamy fondue with baguette

Although traditional cheese fondue is not complete without wine, there are many non-alcoholic recipes. Here's one of them. It is also notable for its unusual serving - the baguette is cut into cubes and immediately dipped in cheese.

Ingredients:

• Heavy cream 350 g
• Cheese L'Etivaz (L'Etivaz) 200 g
• Baguette 1 pc.

Cooking method:

1. Grate the cheese. 2. In a medium saucepan, thoroughly mix the cream and cheese. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese is completely melted. This will take about 5-​7 minutes. 3. Cut the baguette into small cubes. 4. Gently mix the sliced ​​baguette with cheese. 5. Serve immediately.

Poultry fondue

Ingredients:

• Minced chicken 100 g
• Minced turkey meat 100 g
• Grated cheese (preferably three types) 500 g
• Butter 2 tbsp. l.
• Yolks2 pcs
• Dry white wine1 glass
• Flour 1 tbsp. l.
• Cream ½ cup
• Loaf, cut into cubes 150 g
• Pitted olives 350 g
• Salt to taste

Cooking method:

1. Melt butter in a frying pan and fry the minced meat. 2. Rub the fried minced meat through a sieve into a bowl, add the yolks and cream, mix thoroughly. 3. Melt the cheese in a water bath, stirring constantly, add the meat mixture, then pour in the wine and, stirring, add the flour. 4. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Transfer the boiled mixture into the fondue pot and place it on the table over the burner. 6. Serve the fondue with diced bread (you can lightly fry it in the oven before serving) and olives.

What is fondue and what cheese should you choose for it?

Fondue is a modern Swiss dish that can be found on any holiday table these days. It cooks quite quickly and turns out incredibly tasty.

Many modern housewives have probably wondered: how to properly prepare fondue and what cheese is best suited for it? In fact, there is nothing complicated here, the main thing is to find the right recipe that will turn out delicious and appetizing.

It is important to note that the traditional fondue recipe is cheese. Therefore, before preparing the dish, it is necessary to choose this ingredient correctly so that the resulting cheese fondue has excellent taste. But, as it turned out, not every housewife knows which cheese is most suitable for a particular recipe, since nowadays there are quite a lot of varieties.

Bree

This variety goes well with all types of cheese, so it can be safely used for making fondue. In addition, it is easy to dip many products that are included in the recipe.

If you are thinking about which cheese to choose for preparing a dish, we advise you to pay attention to Brie, as it is endowed with excellent taste, pleasant aroma and richness.

It is impossible not to notice that the full flavor of this variety is revealed only at room temperature, so this type is best suited for preparing fondue.

Modern Brie is covered with a thin layer of mold, the color reminiscent of velvet. Underneath is a fluid mass that has a nutty flavor.

This cheese goes well with dry white wine, hot dishes, fruit and champagne.

Edam

An equally common cheese for making fondue is Edam. This variety comes from Holland, so it is endowed with bright flavor notes reminiscent of hazelnuts.

The melting point of this type is considerable, but it has an extraordinary taste that goes well with the modern method of preparing fondue.

Tomato fondue with vegetables

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes500 g
• Cheese (grated, preferably three types) 500 g
• Cream ½ cup
• Vegetable oil 2 tbsp. l.
• Flour 1 tbsp. l.
• Garlic (passed through a press) 1 clove
• Dried oregano 1 tbsp. l.
• Zucchini (diced) 200 g
• Cauliflower (boiled florets) 300 g
• Loaf½ pcs.
• Pepper, salt to taste

Cooking method:

1. Peel the tomatoes and cut into cubes. 2. Melt butter in a frying pan and fry garlic. 3. Add tomatoes to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. 4. Cool the mass and rub through a sieve. Transfer it to a fondue pan, add cheese, cream, flour. Stirring, cook over low heat until creamy consistency. 5. Season with ground oregano, salt and pepper. 6. Place the fondue pot on the burner in the middle of the table. 7. Prick pieces of zucchini, cauliflower and bread onto forks, dip into barely simmering cheese mixture and place on plates.

Preparing fondue

Now all we have to do is prepare the cheese fondue. Very carefully and several times rub the fondue pot with the remaining clove of garlic,

We grate all the extra cheese on a coarse grater and put it in the cast iron pot along with a briquette of Swiss fondue (which we simply break in half). Next, we place the cast iron pot on the stove and,

melt the cheese over medium heat, stirring it occasionally so that it does not burn,

preparing gel for fondue,

after which, we place plates with the prepared “pomakushki” around the stand for the fondue pot, you can add crab sticks cut into large pieces as an experiment (I assure you, this is also very tasty!), and….

light the fondue gel, place the cauldron with melted cheese fondue on a stand, and there it is! That very moment of tasting this wonderful, but already filling dish! My wife loves to dip bread, cabbage and sometimes chicken into cheese fondue, but I just love the taste of pieces of fried meat and poultry dipped in melted cheese! Bon appetit, guys! Be sure to try to turn a romantic dish with typical masculine spontaneity and practicality into a normal hearty dinner!

Caramel fondue

In addition to traditional cheese fondue, chocolate fondue is very common in the world. We offer you a caramel version. It will take you less than 15 minutes to prepare an original dish. Caramel fondue is recommended to be served with cookies, berries, fruits, marshmallows and candied ginger.

Ingredients:

• Sugar 2 tbsp
• Cream 1 tbsp
• Water60 ml
• Vanilla½ tsp.

Cooking method:

1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Stirring with a wooden spoon, cook until the sugar dissolves. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Cook for another 1 minute. 2. Increase the heat, remove the lid and cook, constantly rotating the pan by the handle until the caramel darkens. 3. Add cream and vanilla, stir with a wooden spatula. 4. Pour the caramel into the fondue pot and place it on the table over the burner.

How to cook without a fondue pot?

So, you already know how to prepare cheese fondue at home. Consider the following recipe. To make the dish we are considering without a fondue pot, you need to have:

• 0.25 ml white wine;
• 0.3 kg of hard cheese;
• a couple of cloves of garlic;
• starch (as much as needed);
• spices.

Place a small saucepan over medium heat and rub the bottom and sides with garlic. Pour wine into it and boil it. Now grate the cheese on a fine grater, mix it with one tsp. potato starch. Pour the cheese into the wine in small portions and, stirring, wait until it melts. Bring the fondue to your desired consistency using starch.

Heat ceramic or clay pots for roasting in the microwave or oven, fill them with fondue and place on the table. This simple cheese fondue recipe is one of the most accessible. Here you don’t even need a fondue pot, which not everyone has in their kitchen.