Fondue Sets
Fondue became popular in the 1970s for dinner parties, and it continues to be a fun way to eat with a group. Fondue is easy to prepare and the options for dipping are nearly endless. Choosing a fondue set will provide you with more meal options for dinners, appetizers, snacks, and desserts.
What are the types of fondue sets?
- Fondue pot - A fondue pot may be made from ceramic, iron, or stainless steel. It has side handles and a base that delivers heat to the pot.
- Fondue set - A kitchen fondue set includes a pot and skewers or fondue forks for picking up the morsels and dipping them in the sauce or melted chocolate. A fondue set may be powered by a candles heat, butane, or electricity.
- Electric set - The electric fondue pot uses an electric coil or portable burner to keep the chocolate, sauce, or oil warm.
- Fondue fountain - The fountain style of fondue kit is for chocolate. It is sometimes called a chocolate fountain. The chocolate fondue pot may have one or more tiers and a reservoir at the bottom to propel the melted chocolate back up to the top. It is often used for parties.
What kinds of food can be cooked in fondue sets?
Many kinds of food can be cooked with a fondue pot. If you want to have a full meal of fondue, you will need to include three pots in your kitchen for the cheese, chocolate, and oil or broth.
- Cheese - Cheese fondue is common as an appetizer. Heating Gruyere, brie, Swiss, and other cheeses and blending them with other ingredients is a popular form of fondue. The cheese sauce can be used for dipping pieces of bread, vegetables, noodles, and other starchy foods.
- Oil or Broth - Oil or broth heated in a fondue pot is for cooking meat. Color-coded forks should be used. All forks should be cleaned between touching uncooked and cooked meats.
- Chocolate - Chocolate fondue is typically for dessert. Marshmallows, graham crackers, fruit slices, pretzels, cookies, cubed cake, or doughnuts could be dipped into the chocolate fondue pot with a fork.
How do you keep the fondue warm?
A fondue pot that uses a small flame to keep the food in the crock warm typically stays warm for as long as the flame is burning. If the food gets too hot, the candle can be extinguished. The crock could be placed onto a kitchen trivet to maintain a warm temperature for a period of time. For a butane powered set, the burner should have a low or warm setting. With an electric fondue pot, the cooker should indicate a warmer setting. A slow cooker style of electric pot typically has a dial to set the temperature. Those that are electronically controlled may have an automatic warming function that it reverts to after the cooking time has elapsed. A cast iron set will retain heat even after the heat source is removed, helping the cheese, oil, or chocolate fondue to remain warm for an extended period of time.