Here's a chocolate fondue recipe from Alice Medrich, the queen of chocolate. I haven't tried this one myself, but every recipe I have tried by Medrich has come out fantastically.
Chocolate Mardi Gras Fondue
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients *(See note below)
10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream
OR
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ideas for dipping
Kumquats or segments of seedless clementines, oranges, or ruby grapefruit
Chunks of pineapple
Chunks of fresh coconut or large curls of dried coconut
Chunks of banana
Dried fruit such as apricot, mango, papaya, pineapple, or Bing cherries
Strips of good-quality candied orange, grapefruit or lemon peel
Cubes of pound cake or angel food cake, or toasted cubes of
brioche or challah
Cigarette cookies, fan wafers, graham crackers or digestive biscuits, or pretzels
Marshmallows or meringues
Toasted shaved almonds (to sprinkle on after dipping)
Tip: If possible, separate the citrus into segments without breaking the membrane. If you set the segments on a rack to dry in a warm place or in the oven, preheated to 200° F., then turned off for several hours, the membrane will dry like crisp paper and the juices will burst in your mouth when you take a bite.
To make the sauce, in a small bowl, combine the chocolate and 1/2 cup milk or cream and melt gently in a barely simmering water bath or microwave on Medium (50 percent) power for about 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add more liquid if the sauce seems too thick or look curdled. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Use warm fondue immediately or set aside until needed and rewarm briefly.
Choose a selection of fruit and other dippables, with an eye to variety of color, flavor and texture. And don’t forget to include some children’s favorites as well, Arrange on a platter or in pretty bowls.
Have forks, skewers, or pretty (or goofy) swizzle sticks available for guests to dip with. If the fondue gets too thick or cool, reheat gently (without boiling) for 1 minute in the microwave on Medium (50percent) power or set in a pan of barely simmering water. Leftover sauce keeps several days in the refrigerator. It is a prefect topping for ice cream.
*Note: This is a versatile recipe that can be tailored to your taste and the type of chocolate you are using. For the most intense chocolate fondue, use milk, rather than half-and-half or cream, and omit the butter. For even greater intensity, choose a bittersweet chocolate labeled anywhere from 66 percent to 70 percent and use the greater amount of liquid called for. Butter or cream results in a softer, mellower chocolate flavor.
From: A Year in Chocolate:Four Seasons of Unforgettable Desserts
By Alice Medrich, 2001, Warner Books, Inc.
Merstarr, thank you so much for this recipe. I like all the tips also that help remember or teach how to do fondue. My daughter thinks her middle name is chocolate!!! She will love it.
