Cheese Fondue Fountain: Melting The Right Cheeses

A fondue fountain is a great way to elevate your party, catering to those with a savoury palate. The best cheeses for a fondue fountain are those that melt smoothly and have a buttery, creamy texture. Good-quality fontina, Gruyère, gouda, Emmentaler, raclette, and vacherin are ideal choices. For a classic Swiss fondue, a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses like Gruyere, Swiss cheese, gouda, and Appenzeller is perfect. If you're looking for something different, you can even try a Nacho Cheese, Bleu Cheese, or Ranch Fondue.

Classic Swiss fondue: Gruyère, Emmentaler, and Appenzeller

Classic Swiss fondue is a blend of three traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses: Gruyère, Emmentaler, and Appenzeller.

Gruyère is a sweet and nutty-flavoured cheese that melts smoothly and is a key component of a classic Swiss fondue. Emmentaler, a variety of Swiss cheese, is another essential ingredient, bringing the blend together. The third cheese, Appenzeller, is a firm, alpine-style cheese with a buttery texture, perfect for melting.

For a classic Swiss fondue, grate and toss the cheeses with cornstarch to ensure smooth melting and a lump-free fondue. Heat some dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, in a saucepan, and slowly add the cheese, stirring constantly, until melted. A little lemon juice, garlic, and Dijon mustard can also be added for extra flavour.

Once you have a smooth, creamy mixture, transfer it to your fondue pot and enjoy with an assortment of dipping foods, such as bread, vegetables, or meat.

A fondue fountain is a fun and impressive way to serve this classic Swiss fondue, creating a stunning table centrepiece that your guests will love.

Cheddar fondue: mix with a traditional cheese like Gruyère

Cheddar fondue is a great option for a fondue fountain, but its flavour will be less traditional. To make a classic fondue, you should use a mix of traditional, firm mountain-style cheeses. A good combination is Gruyère, Emmentaler, and Appenzeller.

If you want to make a cheddar fondue, it is recommended that you use a more traditional cheese like Gruyère as well. Gruyère is a classic fondue cheese, known for its sweet and nutty flavour. It is rich and creamy and will ensure your fondue is smooth and indulgent.

When preparing the cheese, make sure to grate it rather than chop it. Grated cheese melts faster and more evenly, leading to a smoother fondue. You should also toss the cheese with cornstarch to thicken the fondue and prevent clumping.

For a classic Swiss fondue, you can use equal amounts of Gruyère, Swiss cheese, and gouda. This combination will result in a lush and complex fondue that your guests will love.

In addition to the cheese, you will need some other ingredients to make your fondue. A dry, high-acid white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, is traditional and will help keep the fondue smooth. You will also need some form of heat source, such as a fondue pot or stove, to melt the cheese and keep it warm.

With the right ingredients and preparation, your cheddar and Gruyère fondue will be a delicious and indulgent treat for any occasion.

Nacho cheese fondue: add stock or chicken broth

A fondue fountain is a great way to elevate your party food and a fun alternative to the usual chocolate fountain. A cheese fondue fountain is a stunning table centerpiece, catering to those with a savoury tooth.

Nacho Cheese Fountain

A Nacho Cheese Fountain is a great, easy dish to serve up for family, friends, co-workers, and other guests.

To make this simple cheese fondue, buy a large can of Queso Nacho Cheese from Costco or Amazon and add stock or chicken broth until you reach your desired consistency. You can also make your own nacho cheese sauce from scratch.

Add the cheese sauce to your fondue fountain and grab a bag of tortilla chips. You can also turn this into a main dish by surrounding the fountain with taco meat, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, chopped olives, refried beans, chopped green onions, salsa, and more tortilla chips.

Tips for Making Nacho Cheese Fondue

• Grate the cheese yourself – pre-shredded cheese has additives to prevent clumping, which can make your sauce grainy.
• Don't overcook the cheese – add the cheese off the heat and let it melt with residual warmth.
• Serve immediately or keep it warm – this sauce will lose its melty texture as it cools. Keep it warm in a crockpot, fondue pot, or saucepan over a warming plate.
• If the cheese fondue gets too thick, just add more liquid and whisk to combine.
• Don't reheat nacho cheese in the microwave.

Bleu cheese fondue: mix with hot sauce and cream cheese

Bleu Cheese Fondue: A Savory Treat

A Bleu Cheese Fondue is an ideal choice for a party or get-together, especially if you're looking for something a little different from the usual chocolate fondue. This fondue is perfect for those who prefer savoury over sweet, and it makes for an impressive table centerpiece.

Ingredients

For this mouth-watering fondue, you will need the following:

• Bleu cheese dressing
• Hot sauce (such as Frank's Hot Sauce)
• Cream cheese
• Chicken broth (optional)

Instructions

Here's a step-by-step guide to creating this delicious fondue:

• Gather your ingredients: 2 cups of Bleu cheese dressing, 5-10 ounces of hot sauce, and 3-8 ounces of cream cheese.
• Melt all the ingredients together: Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and heat them over a medium flame. Stir continuously until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency.
• Adjust the consistency: If the mixture is too thick, slowly add some chicken broth to thin it out. Keep adjusting until you get the desired flowing consistency.
• Test the viscosity: Use a viscosity cup to check if the fondue is ready for the fountain. If the dressing runs through the cup in 8-10 seconds, it's good to go.
• Serve at room temperature: Unlike chocolate fondue, this savoury treat is best served at room temperature. So, there's no need to turn on the heat switch on your fountain.
• Dip and enjoy: Provide a variety of dippers such as wings, celery sticks, tortilla chips, or even some crispy bacon for a savoury delight!

Tips and Variations

• For a spicier kick, you can increase the amount of hot sauce used or add some black pepper to taste.
• If you're serving this fondue as a dip for wings, you can include some classic dippers like French bread and carrot sticks, or even smoked sausage for a heartier option.
• To make it a more substantial offering, surround the fondue with taco meat, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, olives, refried beans, and green onions—perfect for a self-serve main dish or nachos!
• If you want to thin out the fondue without altering the flavour, you can use water or milk instead of chicken broth.

Velveeta cheese fondue: mix with cream cheese and chopped tomatoes

Velveeta Cheese Fondue: A Fun, Easy Treat

Velveeta cheese fondue is a fun and simple dish to make for a party or date night. It's also a great option for those with a savoury tooth! This fondue is a convenient and tasty choice, as the Velveeta cheese has a great consistency for dipping.

Ingredients:

• 2lb (32 oz) Velveeta cheese
• 8oz cream cheese
• 10.5oz chopped tomatoes with green chillies
• Chicken broth, water or milk

Method:

• For best results, blend the tomatoes until smooth. This will help to prevent the chunks from breaking the cheese fountain curtain.
• Melt all ingredients in a saucepan over very low heat, adding chicken broth, water or milk to thin the mixture to the proper consistency.
• Transfer to a preheated fondue pot and enjoy!

Dippers:

Velveeta cheese fondue goes well with a variety of dippers, including:

• Sourdough bread cubes
• Apples
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Pita chips
• Tortilla chips
• Veggies

Frequently asked questions