Cheese Fondue
Original Recipes by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 10 minutes (fondue only, accompaniment prep time depends on what you choose to serve)
Cooking time: 10 minutes
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced in half on the diagonal
- 300g/10.6ozs. Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 300g/10.6ozs. Emmenthal cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon cornflour/fine cornstarch
- 1 cup dry white wine or cider
- Suggested accompaniments: steamed or roasted potatoes, cubes of bread, cherry tomatoes, meatballs, felafel, blanched snow peas, blanched baby corn, blanched broccoli florets, radishes, dolmades, olives, pork crackling or pork belly cubes.
If you have trouble finding gruyere or emmenthal, you can also use Edam and Jarlsberg cheeses
Step 1 - Rub the cut garlic clove cut side down around the fondue bowl. I also leave it in the bowl for extra flavour. Heat the wine or cider until boiling. Meanwhile toss the cornflour with the shredded cheeses. Add to the wine/cider and then melt the cheese on medium heat. Once melted, transfer to the fondue pot with tea lights or heat source.
Chocolate Fondue
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
- 200g/7ozs. dark chocolate, chopped
- 200g/7ozs. milk chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Suggested accompaniments: strawberries, cherries, sliced banana, large blueberries, Belgian waffle pieces, palmier cookies, Turkish delight cubes, champagne truffles, mandarin segments, medjool pitted dates, seedless grapes, spiced wild figs, and sliced pear
Step 1 - Place the chocolate in the fondue bowl. Heat the cream until boiling. Pour over the chocolate and stir the chocolate until melted. Add the vanilla and place over the tealights or heating source.
Hot Buttered Rum
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
- 80g/2.8ozs. butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup spiced rum
- A few drops of chocolate bitters (optional)
Step 1 - Beat the butter, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves for 5 minutes. You can do this step ahead of time and it will keep, covered well in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Step 2 - When you want to serve it, mix the spiced butter in a jug with 2 cups boiling water, 1 cup spiced rum and chocolate bitters to taste and stir to dissolve. Serve immediately (you can top it with cream and spices too).