https://www.chefspencil.com
  • Login
  • Register
  • Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Dips & Spreads
    • Dessert
    • Pork Recipes
    • Side Dish
  • Chefs
  • Food News
    • News
    • Guides
      • Gifts & Product Guides
      • Food Substitutes
        • Cheese Substitutes
    • Lists
  • Food Atlas
    • Asian Cuisines
    • African Cuisines
    • European Cuisines
      • Central European Cuisine
      • Northern European Cuisine
      • Eastern European Cuisine
      • Southern European Cuisine
    • Middle East Cuisine
    • South American Cuisine
    • North American Cuisine
    • Central American Foods
    • Caribbean Cuisine
    • Food Alphabet
  • Culinary Schools
  • About Us
  • Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Dips & Spreads
    • Dessert
    • Pork Recipes
    • Side Dish
  • Chefs
  • Food News
    • News
    • Guides
      • Gifts & Product Guides
      • Food Substitutes
        • Cheese Substitutes
    • Lists
  • Food Atlas
    • Asian Cuisines
    • African Cuisines
    • European Cuisines
      • Central European Cuisine
      • Northern European Cuisine
      • Eastern European Cuisine
      • Southern European Cuisine
    • Middle East Cuisine
    • South American Cuisine
    • North American Cuisine
    • Central American Foods
    • Caribbean Cuisine
    • Food Alphabet
  • Culinary Schools
  • About Us
  • Home
  • Appetizer
  • Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue

Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue

Posted on Apr 22nd, 2015
by Thomas Wenger
Categories:
  • Appetizer
  • Central & Eastern European
Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue

Having left Switzerland some 20 + year ago, fondue and raclette are still one of the top traditional Swiss foods that miss most and usually have as soon as I return for holidays. I am not too sure if it is just the food that I miss at times, as Fondue dinner, at least in our family, always was a great family affair.

Everybody had to be at the table ahead of mother bringing out the fondue from the kitchen, as it needed to be stirred at all time as soon as it got on the table to avoid it getting burnt.

The cheese used in the fondue is of vital importance. Every cheese store or “Fromagerie” in the French part of Switzerland has its own “house” mixture, but you will be most welcome and order your own recipe and the staff will grate the cheese for you.

Almost all Swiss are considered cheese experts and will be glad to part with a recipe of “the best Fondue”, but firstly no two persons will agree on a single best recipe and secondly, regional cheeses and fondue mixtures are all but unavailable to me here in Asia. This recipe is calculated on 180g (61/4 oz) cheese per person.

This is perhaps suitable for good cheese eaters, but you may just want to cut down a little, if your family or guests are not really used to eat cheese fondue.

It is important that you do have a fondue pot, especially the crockery cooking pot called “Caquelon” and the “Rechaud” (heater) is a must. Also, check out this article on the top 10 tips for making the perfect cheese fondue shared by top Swiss chefs.

Enjoy this classic cheese fondue recipe below!

Cheese Fondue

Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue

Thomas Wenger
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Swiss
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 600 millilitres dry white wine
  • 800 grams gruyere cheese
  • 200 grams Emmental cheese
  • 100 grams Vacherin Fribourg cheese (or Fontina)
  • 100 grams Tilsit cheese (or Muenster)
  • 30 grams corn starch
  • 30 millilitres kirsch
  • 1 pinch nutmeg powder
  • pepper from the mill
  • 1 pinch paprika
  • 1200 grams crusty bread

Instructions
 

  • Mix the cornstarch with the kirsch.
  • Break the garlic cloves and rub the crockery fondue pot (caquelon) with it. Add the white wine and bring to boil.
  • Sprinkle in the cheese mixture gradually, stirring the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon.
  • Slowly bring the cheese to temperature (do not boil). At this stage it is important that you keep the cheese hot, but not boiling and stir it to a homogeneous mass. If the cheese mass would split or separate, it can often be mended by adding a little lemon juice.
  • Season the cheese with pepper, paprika powder and freshly grated nutmeg.
  • Thicken with the kirsch diluted cornstarch, bring one more time to boil and serve immediately on the prepared Fondue Rechaud (in general a Fondue set includes a Rechaud, meaning a alcohol burning heater where the fondue is set on top of it. The fondue will continue to keep warm on it until the end of the dinner.
  • Serve the bread cubes separate in a basket.

Notes

A finished cheese Fondue is supposed to be a thick coating, creamy mass.
It is important to get the right wine for an authentic outcome of the dish. The wine can have a high acidity, as it needs to “cut” the rather rich and fatty cheese.
The above recipe uses 4 different semi hard cheeses, but you may alter the cheeses as you please, but it is wise to keep Gruyere as your main cheese. Too much Emmental cheese will make the Fondue very stringy. Depending on the cheese used, the amount of thickening agent (cornstarch/kirsch) needs to be adjusted.
Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
  • Easy Meals
  • Gluten-Free
  • Quick Meals
  • Vegetarian

Thomas Wenger

Born in Bern, Switzerland, Thomas followed in the footsteps of his mother and entered a three-year cooking apprenticeship program and graduating it at the age of 20. Working a few short stints in a winter ski resort and a city hotel in Basel/Switzerland during the following years he took the opportunity to work in New York in 1986. What was originally planned as a one-year experience in New York lasted three years and went on to a global career, which led him to Australia and on to Hong Kong in 1990. For the past 15 years, Thomas has explored South East Asia and it’s cuisines and regional specialties. He worked in some of the most exciting cities in the world - Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok and his culinary style reflects the many experiences and the people he worked with. Throughout his career, Thomas liked the challenges and diversity of hotel operations. He recently joined a Hotel & Restaurant Management school in Manila, Philippines as Senior Culinary Faculty.

Add Your Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




Featured Recipes

Red Velvet Waffles
Red Velvet Waffles
Greek Chicken Soup
Greek Chicken Soup
Healthy Berry Bowl
Power-Packed Berry Yogurt Bowl
Zucchini Quick Bread w Garlic Labna
Zucchini Bread with Garlic Labneh
lemon blueberry oatmeal cups
Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Cups

2009-2024 © Chef's Pencil   Privacy Policy & Terms of Service  Contact us

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required