Fondue is one of the all time fun party foods. While it is nice to have a special pot to make this tasty treat, it is not necessary. You probably already have the perfect fondue pot in your kitchen right now- your crockpot. Follow these easy tips and make great slow cooker fondue at home anytime.
Fondue Basics
There are three basic types of fondue: chocolate, cheese and oil. All three work great in the crockpot because slow cookers are champs at keeping foods evenly heated at a steady temperature for long periods of time. Crockpots also heat without the exposed flame of a fondue pot, making it safe for kids to get in on the fun. The low steady temperature of a slow cooker makes it perfect for chocolate fondue, which can scald or scorch if heated too quickly or at too high a temperature.
Select a Fondue Recipe
When you make fondue in a crockpot, you don’t need a slow cooker specific recipe as most fondue recipes translate nicely to the crockpot. You will want to keep the amount of the finished product in mind however. You need to make sure the pot is at least half full or the fondue may burn. You also want to make sure to leave enough room so that you can stir the fondue. As a general rule, you can feed four adults for each 1.5 quarts of fondue.
Basic Fondue Recipes
For a basic chocolate fondue, mix 18 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips, 16 ounces of half and half and 1/2 cup of corn syrup in a crockpot. Cook on low for 1 to 1 1/2 hours and then turn to warm. Chocolate fondue may tend to seize up as it sits in the slow cooker, meaning that it can become a bit hard. A small amount of heavy cream stirred into the chocolate fondue will help to loosen it up. For a basic cheese fondue, mix 1/4 cup of three different cheeses and 1/4 cup white wine in a crockpot. Cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours and then turn to warm. Great choices for cheese fondue are sharp cheddar (both white and orange), goat cheese, Gruyere and Swiss. Don’t be afraid to take the top off the crockpot and stir the fondue during the warming process.
For oil fondue, fill the crockpot half full of oil. Heat on high for 1 hour, then reduce heat to low. Then plunge in the lean cuts of beef, small shrimp, whole mushrooms and fresh vegetables. Always allow cold foods to warm up a bit before plunging them into hot fondue oil, as they can cause the temperature of the oil to drop. This can lead to soggy or undercooked food. Looking for a healthier alternative? Try using broth instead of oil.
Choose the Best Crockpot for Your Fondue
When you make fondue in a crockpot, it is best to use a small pot. While any small cooker will do, I have found that a 3 or 3 1/2 quart crockpot works best. The Little Dipper pots are fine, but be aware that they have a smaller 16 ounce capacity so it may be necessary to halve your recipe to make it fit. If you don’t have a small crockpot, you can improvise by placing an oven safe dish inside your larger slow cooker. You could also multiply your fondue recipe to fill up the bigger pot.
Gather the Perfect Fondue Dippers
Some great dippers for chocolate fondue are strawberries and other fruit, marshmallows, angel food cake, pound cake, cookies or pretzel rods. Cheese fondue is great with bread chunks, fresh vegetables, chips or Granny Smith apples. The possible fondue dippers are limited only by your imagination. Get creative and have fun after all, this is fondue!
More from Jennifer LeMaire
How to Make Gourmet Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods
How to Make Butterscotch
How to Make Pickled Bologna
