Cooking Like Heston: The Ultimate Cheese Fondue

In episode 5 of his TV series How to Cook Like Heston, Heston Blumenthal takes on one of the most popular ingredients in the UK: cheese. He reveals the key ingredient for the ultimate fondue, which is cornflour and white wine. Cornflour prevents the proteins in the cheese from coagulating, while the acidity in the wine keeps the cheese stringy. Heston's recipe for super stringy cheese fondue includes 30ml of manzanilla sherry, 3 cloves of garlic, 450g of comté cheese, 5g of English mustard powder, and a pinch of ground cloves. The preparation method involves simmering the sherry with thyme and garlic, grating the cheese and mixing it with cornflour, boiling white wine and lemon juice, and then whisking in the cheese, sherry, mustard powder, and cloves. The fondue can be served with crudités, roasted baby potatoes, apples, broccoli, or bread.

Cheese fondue with sherry and cloves

Ingredients:

• 450g Gruyére cheese, grated
• 450g Comté cheese, grated
• 15g cornflour (cornstarch)
• 30g Manzanilla sherry
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 500g dry white wine
• 20g lemon juice
• 5g English mustard powder
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Cornichons, cubes of sourdough bread, and crudites, to serve

Method:

• Mix the grated cheeses with the cornflour in a bowl.
• Simmer the sherry in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and garlic, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain and allow to cool.
• Bring the wine and lemon juice to the boil in a medium saucepan.
• Add the cheese to the wine and lemon juice a handful at a time, whisking continuously until smooth and creamy.
• Add the infused sherry, mustard powder, and ground cloves to the cheese and wine mixture, and continue to stir until the fondue thickens.
• Transfer to a fondue pot and serve with cornichons, cubes of sourdough bread, and crudites.

Tips:

• For a classic Swiss fondue, a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses is best. Gruyere, Swiss cheese, and gouda are all good options.
• Grate the cheese for quicker melting and a smooth fondue.
• Cornstarch helps thicken the fondue and prevents the cheese from clumping.
• For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the wine with chicken or vegetable stock.

The key ingredient for the ultimate fondue

Heston Blumenthal reveals the key ingredients for the ultimate fondue in his TV series, *How to Cook Like Heston*.

Cornflour and white wine

Cornflour and white wine are the key ingredients for the ultimate fondue. Cornflour prevents the proteins in the cheese from coagulating, while the acidity in the wine keeps the cheese runny and stringy.

Cheese

The best cheeses for fondue are those that melt smoothly, such as fontina, Gruyère, and gouda. For a classic Swiss fondue, a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses is best: Gruyère, Swiss cheese, and gouda.

Other ingredients

Other ingredients to add to your fondue include mustard powder, garlic, thyme, and cloves.

How to make a four-metre-long cheese string

In episode 5 of "How to Cook Like Heston", Heston Blumenthal reveals how to turn a block of cheddar into a four-metre-long cheese string. While the full recipe is not available, I have gathered some information on how to make a long cheese string from other sources.

Firstly, it is important to use a good-quality cheese that melts smoothly. Cheddar is a good option, as its flavour is less traditional and can be used to create a stunning visual effect. The key to achieving a stringy texture is to use cornflour and white wine. Cornflour prevents the proteins in the cheese from coagulating, while the acidity in the wine keeps the cheese stringy.

To begin, grate your chosen cheese and mix it with cornflour. Next, simmer some sherry in a small saucepan over medium heat, adding thyme and garlic. Allow this mixture to infuse for about 10 minutes, then strain out the solids. In a separate saucepan, boil white wine and lemon juice, then lower the heat to medium. Now, slowly add the cheese to the wine and lemon juice mixture, whisking continuously until it becomes smooth and creamy. Finally, add the infused sherry, along with any desired spices or seasonings, and continue whisking until the mixture thickens.

Once your fondue is ready, serve it immediately with your choice of dippers. With a good technique and a bit of luck, you should be able to create a four-metre-long cheese string!

The best cheeses for fondue

The best cheese for fondue is a buttery, creamy cheese that melts smoothly. The best all-around cheeses for fondue are fontina, Gruyère, and gouda. If you aren't sure what to pick, use even amounts of these three. Together, they are lush and complex.

For a classic Swiss cheese fondue, a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses is best. Gruyere, Swiss cheese, and gouda all qualify.

Cheddar fondue would work well, though its flavour would be less traditional. In this case, a blend of cheddar and a more traditional cheese like Gruyère would work well.

Other good cheeses for fondue include Comté, Emmentaler (a variety of Swiss cheese), raclette, and vacherin.

For a fondue with a more intense flavour, a blend of Gruyère and Comté cheese is a good option. This combination provides a strong, nutty flavour that is well-suited to fondue.

When preparing the cheese for fondue, it is important to grate the cheese rather than chop it. Grated cheese melts faster and more evenly, resulting in a smoother fondue.

How to serve fondue

To serve fondue, you'll need to prepare some dippers or crudites. These can include:

• Bread, such as French bread or baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Tart apples like Granny Smith, cut into cubes
• Crudites, such as cherry tomatoes, sliced red bell pepper, and carrots
• Bacon, baked until crisp
• Roasted baby potatoes
• Steamed broccoli
• Pickles, such as cornichons

You can also serve the fondue with cornichons, cubes of sourdough bread, and crudites.

Heston recommends transferring the fondue to a fondue pot, but if you don't have one, you can eat it straight from the pot.

Frequently asked questions