Have you ever seen the fondue kits they sell in the grocery store? Now flip the packaging over and read the ingredients....
hmm.
There's a lot of stuff in there that's not all that pronounceable!!
I am not a purist or a food snob in any way --- I'm happy with melting Velveeta down and mixing it with a can of Rotel! :-)
BUT.
Sometimes you want something a bit more sophisticated.
And that's a-okay.
Here is a From Scratch recipe for CrockPot Fondue. AND?
You can use the Little Dipper(aff link) which is totally and completely awesome.
:-)
It's Friday Fondue Day! I've had quite a few fondue recipes bookmarked on the computer and torn out of magazines, but I haven't made any yet. So, for the next few Fridays, I'm going to post a fondue recipe until I run out. I made this in a Little Dipper, but you can use any small crockpot, or insert an oven-safe dish into your big one.
Day 270.
I don't really know why, and since I have less than 100! days to go, I figured I better get cracking.
That means that my Friday Fondue Day will really be on Thursday.
STEPH, what do you mean an "oven safe" dish? Use anything you'd feel comfortable throwing into an oven, the microwave, or dishwasher. Usually a heavy ceramic dish like Corningware or thick glass like a Pyrex (aff link).
Or you can quadruple everything and have a big vat of cheesiness.
:-)
How to Make Homemade From Scratch Cheese Fondue
The Ingredients.
serves 4 to 6
3/4 cup TOTAL of "fancy cheese"
--> I used 1/4 cup goat, 1/4 cupgruyere, and 1/4 cupswiss <--
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
PS: mix up the cheeses however you'd like --- sharp cheddar, brie, pepper jack --
what's great about this particular recipe is that it will melt nicely and still be thick without needing to add flour.
This keeps this fondue keto and low carb friendly, along with being naturally gluten free.
The white wine provides a bit of a "bite" -- but if you do not want to add alcohol, use apple cider instead.
The Directions. Shred the hard cheese and put them in the Little Dipper.
Add the goat cheese.
Plug in the Little Dipper. Cook for 45 minutes, then stir. Serve with bread, croutons, crackers, or your favorite dipping vegetables. I made large croutons out of a loaf brown rice bread since we are gluten free.
Pour in the white wine and sprinkle the nutmeg on top.
No need to stir---it will melt together.
Cover again and heat until cheese is melted and bubbly.
All I did was brush olive oil on both sides, and sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper.
Then bake at 400 until golden, flipping once.
HEY STEPH: I don't like gruyere!
then use something you DO like! :-)
Very tasty.
The Verdict.
The kids really liked this more than I wanted them to. I kind of thought this was going to be a grown-up snack, but they ate a LOT.
I'm envisioning a fondue party in our future.
Posted by: Stephanie O'Dea | A Year of Slow Cooking at September 26, 2008
Labels: appetizers, dip, fondue, gluten free, mini crockpot, snacks,
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What they say about this article
Micha @ Cookin' Mimi9/26/2008
Mmmmmm.... cheese. I've not had cheese fondue before but could just about eat my weight in chocolate fondue. I'll have to try this for our Christmas Eve "dinnertizer". Christmas Eve dinner is just a bunch of appetizers and this would be wonderful.
~micha
Gretchen Magruder9/26/2008
okay, let me show my cheese ignorance....there was another recipe I wanted to try with gruyere, and I couldn't find it at 2 different stores....is there another name it might go by?
Stephanie ODea9/26/2008
I don't know, Gretchen! I've found it in the "fancy" cheese part of the grocery store, which is usually not where cheddar, string cheese, etc. is sold, but in a separate dairy case with brie and laughing cow cheese.
Gruyere tastes like a hard swiss with more of a nutty flavor. It's quite tasty! It is the cheese that makes French Onion soup so yummy. (psst. you can make that in a crockpot...) ;-)
xoxo
stephJessie Weaver9/26/2008
We used to have fondue parties at home--just me, my parents, and sister. We would rent a movie or play a game and it was a big old time! Wonderful memories. :) In later years after I was married they sometimes did fondue with friends for Christmas Eve. It's something that seems fancy even if it's not hard!
Jessie Weaver9/26/2008
Gretchen, Sometimes they have Gruyere in the deli--you could have them cut you off a hunk. You can always sub Swiss though, they're very similar.
Karen9/26/2008
ooh YUM...A stupid question/worry of mine...can you cook safely with wine in the crockpot? I always worried it didn't get hot enough to burn off the alcohol....does it?
Anonymous9/26/2008
Kind of new to your blog, but am loving your recipes and ideas. I use my crockpot 3 to 4 times a week otherwise we'd never have a good meal for dinner.
Have you tried those bags they make for the crockpot that you cook your stuff in and don't have the clean up? I've never tried them and figure since you're the crockpot queen maybe you can give me a thumbs up or down as to whether to not to buy them.
Thanks.
ShellyStephanie9/26/2008
To make this a bit better for the kids to eat (or anyone who prefers non-alcoholic), you could probably substitute chicken broth for the wine. I've done cheese fondue very similar to this using broth. So yummy!
I really love your little dipper. It's such a cute little crockpot, and makes so many yummy things!
Stephanie ODea9/26/2008
Kai, that's not a stupid question. I don't really know. I like Stephanie's idea of using broth instead.
Shelly, I haven't personally used those bags. I've heard from TONS of people that they are amazing and save so much time, but currently Adam does all the crockpot cleaning, so I haven't been all that worried about it. ;-)
xoxo
stephMelissa9/26/2008
The only way Fondue Friday could be better is if you posted the ingredients on, say, Wednesday, so I could get them Thursday and make the fondue immediately after you posted it Friday. Because, let's face it, nothing's better at the end of the week then a pot full of cheese. Unless it's a pot full of chocolate.
;)
Unknown9/26/2008
What fun! I think it's a great idea for a party. Thanks!
I hope you'll post a chocolate recipe. Then again, I don't. For the sake of my bottom and thighs.
Abby9/26/2008
Yesterday I received Everyday Rachel Ray in the mail and she had several fondue recipes (I don't know if they are for the crockpot b/c I was just flipping through the magazine).
Also, Sams Club has a 6.5 quart stainless steel crockpot with a little dipper right now for less than $30. Good gravy, I sound like an advertisem*nt. But if any of your readers are looking for a new one, there you have it!
I'm going to make 2 of your recipes this week. I can't wait!
AbbyAnonymous9/26/2008
When you cook with any sort of alcohal it does not take much for the actual alcohal to be cooked away. It is safe for everyone to eat. But it does leave a yummy taste that nothing else can replace! ha ha
Sarah
PS... I am new to your blog and I am so excited to look at all your daily recipes and start cooking! Thanks!!! Great IDEA!
Anonymous9/26/2008
Apple slices are tasty with cheese fondue too! I pretend that Im eating healthy if I eat apples ;)Ha!
Anonymous9/26/2008
I am a crockpot conver thanks to you. I went out and bought my first crockpot and have used it everynight (both) since, with your recipes. Love it!! The lazy chicken tacos and the candy chicken. Wonderful!!
Katie
This Mom9/26/2008
OKay I hope you don't think you get to stop this project after the end of the year. I come by everyday to see what you are cooking and learn new crockpot things. I NEED YOU.
by the way this looks yummy.
Unknown9/26/2008
Oh, wow. I fixed cheese fondue and chocolate fondue for New Year's Eve. We dipped everything--fruit, bread, meat, veggies, poundcake, etc. It was a hit with DD and DH, so that may be a New Year tradition for us! :)
Thanks for the recipe! :)
heatherann9/26/2008
Yeah fondue!! A socially acceptable way to play with your food... not surprised your kids loved it. Mine do. I substitute chicken broth for the wine... not the same but delicious. Thanks Crockpot Lady! I vote for 2009 recipes.
Samara9/27/2008
I was wondering what was the consistency of the cheese? I thought that fondue cheese needed to be lightly coated in flour or corn starch to make it "stick" together, but still make it creamy (so that it's more like a dip and less like stringy cheese sticks).
Fontina and butterkase are mild cheeses that can be used for fondue if you don't really care for the swiss flavor and you can add more exotic flavors in it. (i.e. pineapple juice, sweet peppers, and lime zest)
Shirley9/27/2008
You can also substitute white grape juice for white wine. This recipe sounds wonderful--thanks!
April Barnett9/27/2008
I LOVE your site ... it is my new favorite. You ROCK. So, what is going to happen in 2009? 365 days of the toaster oven? I guess I need to get out more!
Anonymous9/28/2008
This looks excellent!
And I highly recommend the fondue party - you should check out The Melting Pot's recipes for cheese fondue...but send the kids to bed because they might eat it all!!
Kate12/31/2008
I've had my crockpot (with little dipper) for over a year ... decided to try it tonight for the first time with something sounding easy (like this cheese fondue recipe). I don't understand what wrong, but after an hour and a half, the cheese still wasn't melted and bubbly. There were just chunks of cheese in wine.
I gave up and put it in the fridge to hopefully reheat later or something. I used gruyere and swiss ... does anybody have any idea what I could have done wrong??? I'm scared that I'm just awful at crockpotting now since I messed up the easiest recipe :(
Esther1/01/2009
Just made this for NYE, it was a great hit. I went to Trader Joe's and got their goat cheese, Comte and Emmenthal cheese and their 3-buck chuck. We used an artisan bread for dipping, baby carrots, crimini mushrooms, and brocolli. The mushrooms and bread were my favorite. Thanks for the great recipe!
Anonymous7/09/2009
Do you think you could make this with all swiss? Or maybe add cheddar? I live in the middle of nowhere and if I said fancy cheese to my grocer he would hand me Cheez-Whiz.
Unknown2/24/2013
Grew up loving my mom's avocado color crock pot (which will give you an idea how old I am!)We loved doing beef in oil and dipping in a sour cream onion dip, russian dressing and a curry sauce--yum! I can remember when it was my now husband's first exposure to fondue (he came from a traditionally Italian family who didn't have a clue what fondue was)you would have thought he'd died and gone to heaven! We also do shrimp--yum! Cheese my fave is w/apples, but bread will do in a pinch. Bet you could dip potatos though like they do for raclette. (Also bet you could use raclette cheese but haven't tried it in a fondue pot.)
