Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:

·       10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (see note)

·       1/3 cup milk

·       1/3 cup heavy cream

·       1 teaspoon vanilla extract (see note for other variations)

·       Lots of dipping options (strawberries, bananas, small rice krispie squares, vanilla cookies, etc.)

Instructions:

1.       In a saucepan, combine the chocolate, milk and cream and heat on low, stirring often, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Don't let it come to a boil; keep it on low heat.

2.       Once melted, stir in the vanilla extract. If needed, stir in heavy cream or milk a tablespoon at a time to adjust for a thinner consistency. Pour the mixture into a fondue pot or small slow cooker to keep warm while serving.

3.       Serve with dippers of your choice.  Recommend: marshmallows, vanilla cookies, strawberries, rice krispie treats cut in little squares, bananas.

Notes:

v  Let's talk chocolate for a second. I almost always use Ghirardelli's bittersweet chips for our chocolate fondue - sometimes Ghirardelli's semisweet chips in a pinch, but we like it darker and richer with the bittersweet. I will warn you that I tried Nestle chips once and they didn't melt well (and the taste was off) so choose your chocolate carefully. If you aren't using a higher-end chocolate chip like Ghirardelli's or Guittard, I'd use a baking bar of chocolate (usually above the chocolate chips in the store aisle) since it tends to melt better than chocolate chips.

v  If you aren't a dark chocolate fan and want it rich and chocolatey without being too dark, several times when we've made this for friends that aren't as hip on dark chocolate as we are, at the end I dropped in about 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate (or Guittard white chocolate chips which melt better than other white chocolate chip brands) to melt for a creamier, lighter version. You'll probably want to add a touch more heavy cream to thin it out a bit if doing that - just play around with amounts and consistency.

v  Also, you can vary the flavor with the extract. We usually stick with vanilla but you could try adding orange extract or peppermint for a twist on the chocolate fondue.

v  A final note - depending on the type of fondue pot you have, you may be able to make the fondue start to finish in the pot; be sure to consult manufacturing directions if doing so.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

From: Mel’s Kitchen Café - https://www.melskitchencafe.com/perfect-chocolate-fondue/