Chocolate Fondue & Swissmar Cast Iron Fondue Set Giveaway

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I was hoping to come up with a really tempting fondue recipe, like Chocolate Fondue with Bailey’s Irish Cream or Nutella Fondue, but you know what? I tried a bunch of variations and not one of them beat out plain ol’ chocolate fondue. I guess certain things are better left alone and chocolate fondue is one of them. I also realized that fondue is not just a romantic dessert for grown-ups—it’s actually the ultimate family dessert. There’s nothing like a bowl of melted chocolate surrounded by cookies and marshmallows to keep antsy children (who inhale lovingly prepared meals in a matter of minutes and then tell you they’re bored) lingering at the dinner table for a very long time. It also happens to be the easiest thing in the world to make. Only four ingredients and you do it all in the microwave.

You don’t need a fondue set for this recipe but it certainly adds to the whole experience, which brings me to this week’s giveaway: a beautiful Cast Iron Fondue Set by Swissmar. I happen to have the exact same one and love it. In the spirit of good fun, simply name your latest celebrity crush in the comment section below to enter the contest. I’ll start it off by admitting that I’m hopelessly smitten with Jon Hamm, otherwise known as Don Draper from Mad Men. (But then again, who isn’t?)

More details on the contest below, but first here’s how to make the fondue…

Begin by finely chopping 2 bars of premium quality semi-sweet chocolate. (If you’re wondering, I also tried the recipe with milk and bittersweet chocolate, but semi-sweet was the best—it’s intense without being too dark.) Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and add heavy cream, sugar and butter.

Microwave on medium heat for one and a half minutes. It will look not so pretty, like this…

Stir, then microwave again for 30-60 seconds until almost melted. There should be enough residual heat in the bowl to stir until completely smooth. The idea when working with chocolate is to keep the heat gentle, otherwise it might scorch and break. You could also do this over very low heat on the stovetop or in a double boiler, but I think the microwave is the easiest and most foolproof method. Here’s the beautiful finished product…

All that’s left is to transfer the melted chocolate to a fondue pot or pretty bowl and set it on the table.

As for what to serve it with, sky’s the limit. With the exception of strawberries, I’m not much of a fruit with chocolate kinda gal, but if that’s your thing there are endless possibilities (dried or fresh). I prefer cookies, especially almond biscotti, shortbread or European biscuit cookies (look for the Petit Lu or Walker’s brands in the international or gourmet cookie section in your supermarket). Other ideas are pound cake cubes, pretzel rods or madeleines. Of course, kids love caramels, graham crackers and marshmallows…although you’ll need to remind them that the idea is to “dunk” rather than “drown.”

Don’t forget to share your crush and Happy Valentine’s Day

Giveaway Details

-You must be a Once Upon A Chef email or feed subscriber to participate. (Clickhereto sign up)
-Contest ends at noon on February 16th.
-Winner will be selected by a random number generator and notified via email on February 17th.
-Contest open to residents of contiguous US or Canada.
-If you are receiving this post by email, click this link then scroll down to leave a comment.

Chocolate Fondue
Printable Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces premium semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (I like Ghirardelli)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions

Place all ingredients in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cook in microwave on medium power (50%) for 1½ minutes. Take out and stir. Microwave on medium power for 30-60 seconds more, then stir until smooth. (You want to take it out when it is almost melted; there should be enough residual heat to melt any remaining bits of chocolate.)

Transfer mixture to fondue pot or bowl and serve with assorted dippers. It’s a good idea to stir the fondue occasionally to avoid scorching. If you don’t have a fondue pot, you can re-warm the fondue over medium heat in the microwave if necessary.