Classic cheese fondue

Sandra Bernard has had a passion for food and cooking since she was young. In 2005 she left her native country, Switzerland, and moved to Australia. Rather than opening a restaurant, she decided to give cooking lessons, in particular French cooking classes. Here Sandra shares her recipe for cheese fondue, a specialty from the Swiss and French Alps. While this recipe is served with bread for dipping, you can also serve a selection of vegetables and accompaniments such as steamed baby potatoes, asparagus or cornichons.

Credit: SBS Food

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 loaves crusty French bread or baguettes (allow to dry out a little, approx. ½ a loaf/baguette per person)
• 1 garlic clove
• 800 g Gruyère cheese (or a cheese with a sweet, fruity flavour)
• 375 ml dry white wine
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 4 tbsp Kirschwasser (cherry liqueur)
• White pepper, for seasoning

Instructions

1. Cut the bread into bite-size cubes, each with a bit of crust attached and place in a basket or bowl.
2. Peel and cut the garlic in half and rub the inside surface of your fondue pot.
3. Roughly shred the cheese, after removing any rind.
4. Mix the cornflour and Kirschwasser together to form a paste.
5. Add the wine and stir continuously over a medium simmer, until the ingredients are a smooth liquid.
6. Add the cheese to the pot and simmer a further 2 minutes.
7. Transfer the pot carefully onto a fondue burner to keep warm and serve immediately.
8. Serve with the bread pieces. While dipping the bread into the mixture, make an 8 formation with your skewer as you swirl, to keep the mixture smooth. Reduce the intensity of the flame as the mixture reduces.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.