Name: Classic Cheese Fondue
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1.25 cups dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc); 1 tablespoon cherry brandy; 1 clove garlic, slightly crushed; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg; 4 teaspoons cornstarch; 8 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese; 8 ounces shredded Emmentaler cheese

Classic Cheese Fondue

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Want to make fondue like a Swiss guru? Try this easy, simple, and foolproof method for making the ultimate cheese lover's dish! The combination of acidic wine with the rich, buttery cheeses is a wonder to behold. Besides the amazing taste and texture, there's just something fun about eating things off the end of a really long fork! Half the fun of this is customizing the platter of "dippables" to your taste, such as cubes of crusty bread, sausage, baby potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, apples, or grapes.

Recipe by Chef John

Updated on August 3, 2022

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

Servings:

Yield:

10 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Cheese fondue is one of those iconic recipes that I've received hundreds of requests to do over the years, but for one reason or another, I never got around to filming it. One of those reasons was the lack of a proper fondue set. We didn't get one at our wedding, and unless you're Swiss, who buys a fondue set? But all that changed after a trip to the local secondhand store.

I was walking through aisles piled high with old this and vintage that, when I saw the fondue pot of my dreams in all it's mid-century glory. So that excuse for not doing a fondue video disappeared, and I was down to finding an authentic recipe that would be both easy and foolproof.

I'm happy to report that was easier than finding a cool fondue set. Thanks to all the Swiss fondue lovers willing to share their recipes and techniques online, I was able to peruse several dozen methods. After a little bit of experimenting and tweaking ingredient amounts, I ended up with what I think is the perfect recipe. Of course, I'll let you decide whether that's true or I was just high on cheese. I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

For more Chef John, be sure to subscribe to Food Wishes on YouTube! Click the "Join" button there to get Chef John's bonus video footage and behind-the-scenes pictures, live chats, and other Food Wishes member exclusives.

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 tablespoon cherry brandy
1 clove garlic, slightly crushed
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
4 teaspoons cornstarch
8 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
8 ounces shredded Emmentaler cheese

Directions

Add white wine, cherry brandy, garlic clove, cayenne, nutmeg, and cornstarch to a saucepan. Whisk to combine and place on the stove over medium heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly and you can see wisps of steam in the pan, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add Gruyere and Emmentaler cheeses, one handful at a time, slowly whisking after each addition until melted. Continue whisking until all cheese is melted and sauce is very smooth. Remove from the heat and transfer into a fondue pot to serve.
Keep sauce warm while serving so it doesn't solidify.

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Chef's Notes:

Do not use a sweet cherry liqueur!

Use the finest Swiss cheese you can find. And if you want your fondue a little thinner, use a little less cheese.

If you don't have a fondue pot, you can keep the cheese sauce in the saucepan on the lowest setting on your stove.

As you dip into the fondue pot, go all the way to the bottom and stir as you do, since the cheese on the bottom is hotter than the cheese on the top.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

215	Calories
14g	Fat
3g	Carbs
13g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 10
Calories 215
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 9g	43%
Cholesterol 46mg	15%
Sodium 179mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 3g	1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 461mg	35%
Iron 0mg	1%
Potassium 67mg	1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.