Sweet Nothings

Chocolate Fondue For Two…..

It’s kitschy. It’s retro. It’s romantic. It’s delicious. And it’s so simple to prepare that it barely requires a recipe. We’re talking about chocolate fondue and February is the perfect month to give it a try.
February is National Chocolate Month and Feb. 5 is National Chocolate Fondue Day. And, of, course, Valentine’s Day is Feb. 14. So you have ample reason to satisfy your sweet cravings and celebrate with a dipping dessert for two.

You don’t need a fondue pot, but you can buy one for less than $25. If you’re like me, you probably don’t need yet another kitchen gadget, but a fondue pot can be used for making soup, keeping appetizers warm, aromatherapy and other kitchen hacks. My advice is to make the mini-splurge and get a fondue pot. It makes for a more festive occasion.

So now you’re ready. You have a date. You have your fondue pot. Now let’s talk about ingredients and how to make the decadent dessert. If you use half-and-half in your coffee and have some chocolate chips in your pantry, you have all the makings for the fondue. And if you have cookies or crackers or pretzels or marshmallows or fresh fruit, you are all set for the “dunkers.”

But, c’mon! If your goal is a special night of romance, upgrade your ingredients. Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips, shop around for some high-quality semi-sweet chocolate. It could be a chocolate bar or discs or a chunk or chips. Most grocery stores have a decent selection. I’ve always enjoyed Ghirardelli chocolates, but the key is to look for chocolate that has a higher ratio of cocoa butter to cocoa, such as “couverture” chocolate. Gourmet-grade white chocolate also works.

Keep that half-and-half for your coffee and upgrade your fondue experience with heavy cream. This is supposed to be a special occasion; a few extra calories will be worth it.

As for the “dunkers,” it really depends on what the two of you enjoy with chocolate. Here are a few ideas: Fresh strawberries, Fresh pineapple chunks, apple slices, banana slices, pretzels , wafer cookies, marshmallows.