Chocolate Fondue: Slow Cooker Magic In 10 Easy Steps

Making chocolate fondue in a slow cooker is a fun and easy way to celebrate any special occasion, be it Valentine's Day, baby/bridal showers, or just a regular movie night. It is one of the easiest desserts to make and can be prepared in less than 5 minutes. Simply toss your ingredients into the slow cooker, and let it cook on low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until you get a creamy, smooth mixture. You can serve the fondue straight from the crockpot or pour it into a fondue pot with a candle or canned heat. Don't forget to prepare your favourite dippers, such as fruits, cookies, brownies, or even potato chips, to fully enjoy this decadent treat!

Ingredients and prep

Chocolate fondue is one of the easiest desserts you can make. It's perfect for a romantic night, Valentine's Day, or any special occasion. It's also a great dessert for kids.

Ingredients

The ingredients you will need are:

• Chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, milk, or a combination)
• Heavy cream
• Milk (optional)
• Butter (unsalted or salted)
• Corn syrup (optional but recommended)
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

You can also add a splash of liqueur such as bourbon, orange liqueur, coffee liqueur, or hazelnut liqueur.

If you want to get creative, you can try using different types of chocolate, such as white chocolate, peanut butter chips, or mint chocolate chips. You can also add a teaspoon of cinnamon and ancho chilli pepper for a Mexican chocolate fondue.

Prep

Lightly grease your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and gently stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Once the fondue is ready, turn the slow cooker to warm and serve with your favourite dippers.

Some ideas for dippers include:

• Fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, pineapple, mango, apples, pears, cherries, oranges, grapes, etc.)
• Cake (pound cake, angel food cake, brownies)
• Marshmallows
• Cookies (Oreos, peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies, etc.)
• Salty snacks (pretzels, potato chips, bacon, Ritz crackers, croissants)

Cooking method

To make chocolate fondue in a slow cooker, you will need the following ingredients:

• Chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, milk, or a combination)
• Heavy cream
• Milk (optional)
• Butter (unsalted or salted)
• Corn syrup (optional)
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

You can also add a splash of liqueur such as bourbon, Kirsch (cherry-flavoured), Grand Marnier (orange-flavoured), or brandy to give it an extra kick. For a unique flavour, try using a combination of a dark chocolate orange bar and semi-sweet chocolate chips. If you're using bittersweet chocolate, you may want to add a sweetener like evaporated milk, heavy cream, or coconut milk.

Here's a step-by-step guide to making chocolate fondue in a slow cooker:

• Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
• Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker and gently stir them together.
• Cover the slow cooker and cook the mixture on a low heat setting for about an hour. Stir the mixture occasionally to ensure even cooking.
• The fondue is ready when the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. If using a crockpot, turn it to the warm setting.
• Serve the fondue with your favourite dippers.

Some great dipping options include:

• Fresh fruit: Strawberries, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, oranges, apples, pears, and cherries.
• Cookies: Oreos, peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies, etc.
• Treats: Pound cake, donut holes, brownies, marshmallows, granola bars, etc.
• Savoury snacks: Pretzels, potato chips, bacon, Ritz crackers, croissants.

Dippers

When it comes to dippers for your chocolate fondue, the world is your oyster! You can dip pretty much anything into chocolate. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Fruits

Fresh fruits are a classic fondue dipper. Strawberries, bananas, pineapple, mangoes, oranges, apples, pears, and cherries are all excellent options. If you want to prepare your dippers in advance, dried fruits like apricots, mango, papaya, pineapple, and apples also work well.

Cookies and Treats

Cookies are a perfect choice for chocolate fondue. Shortbread, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate sandwich cookies, vanilla wafers, oatmeal raisin cookies, and ginger snaps are all great options. But don't forget about other treats like brownies, donuts, granola bars, and Rice Krispie treats!

Sweet and Savory Snacks

For a mix of sweet and salty, try dipping pretzels, potato chips, or Ritz crackers into your chocolate fondue. Marshmallows are also a classic choice for fondue and go well with the chocolate.

Cakes and Breads

Cakes and breads can also be dipped into chocolate fondue. Angel food cake, pound cake, and carrot cake are all delicious options. If you're feeling extra indulgent, try dipping waffles or scones into your fondue!

Nuts and Sprinkles

After dipping your chosen treat into the chocolate fondue, consider adding some sprinkles or chopped nuts for some extra flavour and texture.

Reheating and storage

Leftover fondue can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, you can either use the microwave at 50% power or a slow cooker on low heat, stirring frequently until warmed through. Then, turn the crockpot to the warm setting.

Fondue can also be frozen for up to a month. To do this, pour the chocolate into an airtight, freezer-safe container and let it cool completely before placing it in the freezer. When ready to use, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat gently.

If you're making the fondue in advance, you can keep it warm in the slow cooker on the "low" setting for several hours, stirring occasionally.

Variations

There are endless ways to customise your chocolate fondue. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Dark Chocolate Fondue: Swap out the bittersweet chocolate for semi-sweet chocolate.
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Fondue: Remove the bittersweet chocolate and add creamy peanut butter. You can add more peanut butter to taste once the chocolate has melted, if desired.
• Mexican Chocolate Fondue: Add cinnamon and ancho chilli pepper.
• Toffee Chocolate Fondue: Add toffee bits to the fondue.
• Peppermint Chocolate Fondue: Stir peppermint extract into the fondue once the chocolate has melted. Add more to taste, if desired.
• White Chocolate Fondue: Swap out the semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips for white chocolate chips.
• Milk Chocolate Fondue: Swap out the semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips for milk chocolate chips.
• Boozy Fondue: Add a splash of liqueur such as Kirsch, Grand Marnier, or Brandy.

Frequently asked questions