Easy Cheesy Fondue: A Kid-Friendly Recipe For Fun

Fondue is a fun and interactive dining experience that's perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. It's a great way to bring people together and get everyone involved in the cooking process. Fondue originated in Switzerland as a way for families to stretch their resources by mixing cheese with a bit of wine and serving it with stale bread. Today, fondue has become a decadent treat, perfect for celebrating chilly winter nights.

To make fondue at home for kids, you can follow a simple recipe using grated Gruyere and Swiss cheese, cornstarch, chicken broth, lemon juice, and garlic. Combine the cheese with cornstarch and lemon juice, then add to a fondue pot or saucepan and cook over moderate heat. Once the mixture is hot, add the cheese gradually, stirring constantly, until it's melted and creamy. Serve with a variety of dippers like bread cubes, steamed broccoli, apples, chicken sausages, and potatoes.

Fondue nights create lasting memories and are a fun way to enjoy a meal with your family. So, go ahead and give it a try!

Choosing the right cheese

The best all-around cheeses for fondue are Fontina, Gruyère, and Gouda. If you are unsure, use equal amounts of these three cheeses to create a lush and complex flavour profile. For a classic Swiss fondue, a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses is ideal. Gruyère, Swiss cheese, and Gouda are excellent choices.

Other suitable cheeses for fondue include Comté, Emmentaler (a variety of Swiss cheese), Raclette, and Vacherin. You can also experiment with different combinations of cheeses to find your perfect blend.

It is important to grate the cheese instead of chopping it to ensure quicker melting and a smoother fondue. Grated cheese melts faster and more evenly, resulting in a smoother consistency. Additionally, coating the shredded cheese with cornstarch or flour will help thicken the fondue and prevent clumping.

Preparing the cheese

The key to a great fondue is in the preparation of the cheese. Here are the steps to follow:

• Choose the Right Cheese: The best cheeses for fondue are those that are buttery and creamy, melting smoothly. Good options include fontina, Gruyère, gouda, Swiss cheese, Emmentaler, Comté, Raclette, and Appenzeller. You can use a single type of cheese or a combination of cheeses for added complexity.
• Grate the Cheese: For quicker melting and a smoother fondue, grate the cheese instead of chopping it. Grated cheese melts faster and more evenly, resulting in a smoother consistency. You can use a food processor with a grater blade or a coarse box grater or microplane grater for this task.
• Toss the Cheese with Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps to thicken the fondue and prevents the cheese from clumping. Combine the grated cheese with cornstarch, tossing thoroughly to coat all pieces. This step ensures a lump-free, creamy fondue.
• Add the Cheese Gradually: When adding the cheese to the simmering liquid, do it slowly, a small handful at a time. Stir constantly and wait for each addition to melt before adding more cheese. This ensures a smooth, even consistency.

By following these steps and choosing high-quality ingredients, you'll create a delicious, creamy cheese fondue that your kids will love!

What to dip in the fondue

There are many options for what to dip in fondue, especially if you're making it for kids. Here are some ideas:

Sweet Dippers

Fruit is a great option for kids, especially apples and pears. Tart apples like Granny Smith are a great choice, and Bosc pears have nutmeg and cinnamon undertones that bring out the spices in many fondues. Citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines are also good choices, especially if they're cut into thick wedges.

Savory Dippers

Bread is a classic fondue dipper and is great for kids because it's easy to skewer. Go for a French baguette or sourdough and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Crackers are also an option but are less traditional and can be harder to skewer.

Vegetables are another good choice for kids. Try bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, or cherry tomatoes. If you want to get more creative, wrap Brussels sprouts in bacon and roast them, or try grilled or roasted mushrooms.

Meat is a good source of protein for kids, and there are several options that work well with fondue. Try meatballs, cooked sliced hot sausage, grilled cocktail wieners, or cured meats like salami or prosciutto.

Finally, if you want to include some starch, roasted baby potatoes or potato chips are a good choice.

How to serve the fondue

Fondue is a fun and interactive meal that's perfect for a special occasion or a weeknight treat. Here are some tips on how to serve fondue and create a memorable dining experience:

Choose the Right Equipment:

• Use a fondue pot to keep the fondue warm and melty. If you don't have one, you can use a small ceramic dish, cast iron pot, or a chafing dish over candles.
• Electric fondue pots are a popular choice as they allow for easy temperature control. Alternatively, you can use pots warmed with candles or Sterno.
• Ensure you have enough fondue forks or skewers for each guest. It's also a good idea to provide separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination.

Prepare the Ingredients:

• Cut your chosen ingredients into bite-sized pieces. This includes meats, vegetables, fruits, and bread.
• Arrange the ingredients on separate plates around the fondue pot, keeping raw and cooked foods separate.
• If you're serving cheese fondue, grate the cheese beforehand and toss it with cornstarch to ensure a smooth and creamy texture.

Create a Variety of Dippers:

• Offer a variety of dippers to cater to different tastes and dietary preferences.
• For cheese fondue, traditional choices include cubed bread, crackers, apples, baby potatoes, bell peppers, and meat. You can also offer vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or asparagus.
• For dessert fondue, provide fresh fruit, pretzels, cookies, or marshmallows.

Experiment with Sauces:

• Enhance your fondue experience by offering a selection of sauces.
• Try sweet and spicy Thai ginger sauce, creamy horseradish sauce, spicy brown mustard, or Yum Yum sauce.
• You can also provide a simple honey butter sauce for bread or a variety of dips and marinades for meats.

Temperature Control:

• Keep an eye on the temperature of your fondue. If it's too hot, you risk burning your ingredients, and if it's too cool, your food will take longer to cook.
• For oil-based fondues, heat the oil to around 350-375°F before transferring it to the fondue pot. Adjust the temperature as needed during cooking.

Safety First:

• Always prioritize food safety by avoiding cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods.
• Ensure the fondue pot is stable and out of reach of children to prevent accidents.
• Use different utensils for cooking and eating, and don't eat directly from the fondue forks to prevent burns.

Fondue etiquette

The Right Number of Diners

Plan to have between two and four people sharing a pot – more than that and the cheese will get over-stirred and the pot will be crowded with too many forks.

The Right Way to Dip

Believe it or not, there is a right way to dip your bread. This is to scrape it on the very bottom of the pot, either in a slow zigzag motion or in a figure of eight. This means that everyone stirs the cheese, releasing its full flavour. Allow any excess to fall from the bread, which also cools it a little before eating.

No Double-Dipping

You must not double dip, and never put your fork directly into your mouth. You can grab it off with just your teeth, but the best way is to slide it onto your plate and use a regular fork to eat it.

The Right Drinks

If you like a tipple, the good news is that it’s recommended that you drink white wine rather than water with your fondue. It is said that the acidity in the wine helps with digestion and stops bloating. In Switzerland, only two beverages are deemed acceptable to drink alongside fondue: white wine and tea.

Fondue Forks

Everybody has their own fondue fork. When you dip something, it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t take it straight to your mouth. One of the biggest no-nos is to smack your lips around the fondue fork as you pull off the food. You should be treating the fondue fork as a serving item.

Calling Out Bad Behaviour

If someone is double-dipping or eating straight from their fondue fork, you can say something like, 'Oh I always used to think you’re supposed to put the fork in your mouth and then a Swiss person pointed out that you don’t.' That way, you show that you’ve made that mistake before.

Taking More Than a Fair Share

If someone is hogging all the food, crack a joke like, 'Hey, leave some for the rest of us!' You’re kind of shaming them but making it a funny joke.

Illness

If you’re sick, you should say, 'I’m not feeling well, could we just carve out a little bowl for me? I want to make sure I don’t infect anyone.' If you see someone visibly sick and helping themselves to food, make it seem really spontaneous and disbelieving; say something like, 'Wait, are you sick? Should we be sharing food with you?'

Frequently asked questions