The Perfect Fondue Bread: Toasting Tips For Beginners

Fondue is a Swiss dish of melted cheese served in a communal pot, and it's hard to beat dipping toasted bread into this warm, gooey goodness. The best bread for fondue is a French baguette, sliced into cubes or thick slices, slathered with butter, olive oil, or garlic salt. For the perfect toast, bake the bread in an ungreased pan at 450 degrees for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly crisp. You can also grill the bread, keeping a close eye on it to ensure it's toasted to perfection. Once you have your toasted bread, simply dip it into the fondue and enjoy!

How to Toast Bread for Fondue

Bread type: white, half-white, wholegrain, or wholemeal

When it comes to choosing the right bread for fondue, you have several options, including white, half-white, wholegrain, or wholemeal. Each type of bread offers a different experience, so here's a detailed guide to help you decide:

White Bread:

White bread is a classic choice for fondue and is often used in traditional recipes. It has a light texture and a mild flavour, making it a versatile option for dipping. White bread is made from wheat kernels that have been processed to remove the bran and germ, resulting in a finer texture. However, this processing also removes some of the nutritional value, as white bread has lower fibre content and fewer vitamins and minerals than other options.

Half-White Bread:

Half-white bread, also known as white whole wheat bread, offers a good balance between taste and nutrition. It is made from albino whole wheat grain, which gives it a lighter colour and flavour than traditional red wheat. Nutritionally, it is similar to whole wheat bread, offering the same benefits but with a milder taste that some may prefer.

Wholegrain Bread:

Wholegrain bread contains the entire grain, including the bran, endosperm, and germ. It is a rich source of carbohydrates, protein, unsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. The inclusion of the bran layer adds dietary fibre, which can help promote a feeling of fullness and support bowel health. Wholegrain bread also has a lower glycaemic index (GI) than white or wholemeal bread, meaning it releases glucose into the bloodstream more slowly and provides longer-lasting energy.

Wholemeal Bread:

Wholemeal bread is made from wholegrains that have been milled to a fine texture, resulting in a plain brown appearance. While it has a higher GI than wholegrain bread, it still contains more fibre, vitamins, and minerals than most white breads. The milling process gives it a finer texture than wholegrain bread, but it retains more nutritional value than white bread.

In summary, white and half-white breads offer a milder flavour and lighter texture, while wholegrain and wholemeal breads provide more nutritional benefits and a denser texture. Ultimately, the choice depends on your personal preference for taste, texture, and nutritional content.

Bread preparation: grilled, fried in butter, or baked

Bread is the most popular dipper for cheese fondue. A simple French baguette slathered with butter or olive oil and garlic salt is a perfect choice. You can also use a rustic cranberry walnut loaf or white bread, which are fantastic when dipped in cheese. If you like, you can also use wholemeal bread, breadsticks, croutons, multigrain bread, rye, sourdough, pumpernickel, or even bagels.

When grilling bread, spray both sides of bread slices with olive oil or butter spray and sprinkle with garlic salt to taste. Place the bread on a grill pan and watch closely, flipping when the first side is toasted (about 2 minutes).

If you prefer to fry your bread in butter, a French baguette is a good choice. Cut the baguette into cubes and fry them in butter. You can also bake the bread cubes in an ungreased pan at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly crisp.

Fondue preparation: on a stove, grill, or in a microwave

Fondue is a delightful dish to share with family and friends, and it's easy to prepare. Here's a guide to help you prepare your bread for fondue, using a stove, grill, or even a microwave.

On a Stove

If you're using a stove, you can follow these simple steps:

• Cut your chosen loaf of bread into cubes.
• Place a pan on the stove at medium heat.
• Add a small amount of butter to the pan and let it melt.
• Place the bread cubes in the pan and toast them until they are lightly browned and crispy. Stir them occasionally to ensure even toasting.

On a Grill

Using a grill is another option for toasting your bread:

• Preheat your grill to a medium setting.
• Cut your loaf of bread into slices or cubes, depending on your preference.
• Place the bread on the grill and keep a close eye on it to avoid burning.
• Grill the bread until it is toasted to your desired level of crispness.

In a Microwave

If you don't have access to a stove or grill, you can also use a microwave to toast your bread:

• Gather your supplies: bread, a paper towel, and optional toothpicks or a microwave-safe rack.
• Place the paper towel in the microwave, directly on the turntable or the bottom of the microwave.
• Lay your bread slices on the paper towel, ideally toasting one slice at a time to ensure even heating.
• Elevate the bread using toothpicks or a microwave-safe rack to ensure even toasting on both sides.
• Microwave for 30 seconds and then check the bread for doneness by poking the top.
• Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until the desired crispness is achieved. Be careful not to overcook, as this can result in hard bread.

Fondue consistency: adding cornstarch to thicken

Cornstarch is often added to fondue to thicken it and improve its viscosity. It is also used as an anti-clumping agent to prevent the grated cheese from sticking together. When using cornstarch, it is recommended to mix it with the cheese before melting. This helps to ensure that the cornstarch is evenly distributed and prevents lumps from forming.

The amount of cornstarch to be added depends on the amount of cheese used. A good rule of thumb is to use one tablespoon of cornstarch per pound of cheese. However, it is important to note that too much cornstarch can affect the taste of the fondue, so it is usually combined with other ingredients like flour or rice flour.

If cornstarch is not available, flour can be used as a substitute. Some recipes even specify the use of flour instead of cornstarch. When using flour, it is recommended to use 20-30% more than the specified amount of cornstarch. This is because flour has a lower starch content, and using more helps to make up for the difference.

When adding cornstarch or flour to fondue, it is important to gradually add the cheese to the mixture to achieve a finer, smoother consistency. Additionally, the fondue should be carefully monitored, as the amount of cheese used may need to be adjusted to reach the perfect consistency.

In conclusion, cornstarch plays a crucial role in thickening fondue and improving its texture. When combined with other ingredients and added in the right proportions, it helps create a smooth and lump-free fondue that is perfect for dipping.

Fondue temperature: keeping it warm, not too hot

Fondue is best served warm, not too hot. The ideal temperature for fondue is around 140 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. This is important because if the fondue gets too hot, the cheese proteins will break down and the fondue will become stringy and clumpy. On the other hand, if it cools down too much, it will thicken and set.

To maintain the ideal temperature, it is recommended to use a fondue pot or caquelon, which is a traditional fondue pot made from cast iron, enamelled steel, or ceramics. The pot should have a capacity of at least two litres for serving fondue to six people. If using an induction stove, a cast iron caquelon is the best option.

For keeping the fondue warm, a small fuel burner or a portable burner (electric or gas) can be used. Alternatively, a fondue set with a ceramic bowl and a tea light can be used, with at least four tea candles to maintain the temperature for about an hour and a half. Preheating the pot before adding the fondue is also recommended.

When making the fondue, it is important to keep the heat low while melting the cheese. This prevents the fondue from breaking. The natural tartaric acid in wine also helps prevent the cheese proteins from clumping, so it is important to add the wine first and bring it to a gentle simmer before gradually adding the cheese. Lemon juice can also be added to stabilise the emulsion of melted cheese and wine, and to add a bright flavour that balances the richness of the dish.

In addition to the temperature, the type of bread used for dipping is also important. Typical fondue bread cubes are cut from white bread, but half-white or wholegrain bread also works well. The bread should be at least a day old, as cheese sticks better to stale bread than to fresh bread.

Frequently asked questions