Keep Your Fondue Smooth: Tips To Avoid Clumping

Fondue is a fun and delicious dish, but it can be tricky to get right. The key to preventing clumping is to use low, consistent heat and to stir constantly. The type of cheese you use is also important: well-aged, firm, natural cheeses are best as they blend more easily than mild cheeses. When cheese gets too hot, its protein, called casein, can coagulate into a toughened mass, so it's important to heat your fondue slowly and carefully. Adding a little cornstarch can also help bind the cheese with the liquid and prevent clumping. Wine is another important ingredient, as its acids encourage the softening of cheese and prevent clumping. By following these tips, you can enjoy a smooth and creamy fondue!

How to Keep Fondue from Clumping

Use well-aged, firm natural cheese

When making fondue, it's important to start with well-aged, firm natural cheese as it blends more easily than mild cheese. This is because, as cheese ripens, the protein in the curd is more easily dispersed. The riper the cheese, the higher the temperature it can also tolerate as it melts.

Fondue is typically made with a combination of fontina, Gruyère, or gouda cheeses. However, traditional recipes may use Swiss Gruyère, Comté, Emmentaler, or Appenzeller cheese. These cheeses have a good flavour profile and are less prone to clumping.

Fresh cheeses such as paneer and queso fresco are not suitable for fondue as they have not undergone much, if any, ripening.

When selecting a cheese, it's also important to consider the amount of fat, water, and salt it contains. Fat acts as a lubricant between casein proteins, helping to prevent a network from forming. Water and salt have a similar role, keeping the casein proteins apart. Most ripened cheeses contain a good amount of salt, but it's still an important characteristic to consider.

Additionally, the type of cheese-making process can impact the likelihood of clumping. Some methods involve adding acid to the milk to help it curdle. This removes some of the calcium, resulting in cheese that contains less calcium and is therefore less prone to stringiness.

Add cornstarch

Cornstarch is a great way to keep your fondue from clumping. It is a classic thickening agent in cooking and will help to bind the cheese with the liquid.

You can add cornstarch to your fondue in two ways. Firstly, you can add a tablespoon of cornstarch for each pound of grated cheese at the beginning of the fondue-making process. Alternatively, you can blend a tablespoon of cornstarch with a little kirsch (a clear spirit made from distilled cherries) and add this to the fondue once the cheese has melted.

If your fondue has already split, you can add extra cornstarch to help re-emulsify the mixture. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir this into the fondue a little at a time. You can also toss grated cheese with cornstarch before making the fondue, as this can help to keep the mixture more stable.

Cornstarch is not the only way to prevent clumping. It is important to use the right type of cheese, such as Gruyère, Comté, Emmentaler, or Appenzeller, and to grate the cheese before adding it to the fondue. You should also use a low heat setting and stir constantly.

Warm the fondue on low heat

Warming your fondue on low heat is an important step in preventing clumping. Fondue should be kept below the boiling point but above the melting point. It is best to warm the fondue pot on a stove and then transfer it to a tabletop heat source to keep it warm. You only need the pot hot enough to melt the cheese, not boil it.

When warming your fondue, slowly add your cheese mixture into the wine mixture, stirring slowly in a zig-zag pattern. Prevent the cheese from boiling by keeping the heat low and consistent. Sudden changes in temperature will cause the cheese to ball up or become stringy.

If your fondue has already clumped due to overcooking, bringing it back to a warm temperature on low heat can help to revive it. This makes it easier to stir and incorporate ingredients.

Remember, the key to successful fondue is to use low heat to melt the cheese gradually and avoid boiling.

Add lemon juice and white wine

Lemon juice and white wine are key ingredients in cheese fondue as they help to prevent the cheese from clumping together. The acid in the wine and lemon juice stops the proteins in the cheese from clumping together, helping to dissolve any lumps that have already formed.

To get the best results, warm your fondue on low heat. Then, add a teaspoon of cornstarch to a tablespoon of lemon juice and white wine. It is important to mix these ingredients together first, rather than adding them individually to the fondue. For best results, use warm ingredients. Then, add the mixture to the fondue and stir.

The wine you use doesn't have to be expensive, but it should be dry and slightly acidic. This will help to denature and separate the proteins in the cheese, giving the fondue a stringy quality. The alcohol in the wine will mostly evaporate when heated, so it won't affect the fondue in this way.

If your fondue is too thick, you can add a splash of white wine or lemon juice to thin it out.

Bring to a gentle boil

To prevent your fondue from clumping, you'll need to bring it to a gentle boil. This is an important step in the process of making fondue, as it helps to ensure your fondue is smooth and creamy.

Start by adding your liquid—traditionally, this is wine, but you can also use lemon juice or water—to your fondue pot and heating it up. You want to aim for a temperature of around 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to melt the cheese without burning it. A double boiler can be a great way to heat your liquid gently and prevent the cheese from scorching.

Once your liquid is warm, it's time to add your cheese. Go for a handful at a time, stirring gently as you go. Make sure you grate your cheese beforehand to ensure it melts evenly and quickly. Keep adding cheese and stirring until it's all melted and combined.

At this point, your fondue should be starting to bubble gently. This is the gentle boil we're looking for. Give it a slight temperature nudge if needed, but remember, we're not looking for a vigorous, rolling boil.

As your fondue reaches this gentle boil, keep stirring constantly. Work out any remaining lumps with a spoon or spatula. You may need to keep stirring for several minutes to get that perfectly smooth, creamy consistency.

And that's it! Your fondue is now ready to serve. Remember, fondue is best enjoyed fresh, so don't let it sit for too long before diving in with your favourite dippers.

Frequently asked questions