How to Make Cheese Fondue at Home
Fondue has a reputation as a fussy, retro dinner-party dish. In truth it is one of the most forgiving and sociable meals you can put on a table: a pot of melted cheese, a basket of bread and a group of people. Once you understand the traditional ratio, it never fails.
The traditional base
Classic fondue is made from two cheeses from the Swiss Alps: Gruyère for nuttiness and Emmental for stretch. A common starting ratio for four people:
- 200 g Gruyère, grated
- 200 g Emmental, grated
- 1 clove garlic
- About 250 ml dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- Nutmeg and white pepper
Why the wine and the cornflour
Wine brings acidity, which helps the cheese melt smoothly and adds flavour. The cornflour is the insurance policy: tossed with the grated cheese before it goes in, it stabilises the melt and stops the fondue separating. You can also use a little kirsch, the traditional eau-de-vie, for authenticity.
Method
- Rub the inside of a heavy pot with the cut garlic clove, then discard it.
- Add the wine and lemon juice and warm gently until it just begins to simmer.
- Toss the grated cheese with the cornflour.
- Add the cheese in handfuls, stirring in a figure-eight motion with a wooden spoon. Keep the heat low — a hard boil will split it.
- Season with nutmeg and pepper. Add more wine if it is too thick.
- Move the pot to a fondue stand over a low flame and serve.
What to dip
- Crusty bread cubes, a day old and slightly stale is ideal
- Blanched broccoli and cauliflower
- Baby potatoes, boiled and cooled
- Apple and pear wedges
- Cornichons for a sharp counterpoint
Troubleshooting
Too thick? Stir in a splash of warm wine. Too thin? Add a little more grated, cornflour-tossed cheese. Split or grainy? Lower the heat immediately and stir in a teaspoon of lemon juice or cornflour slurry to bring it back together.
The crust
If you leave the fondue to cook a little longer at the bottom of the pot, you build the la religieuse — the toasted crust of cheese at the base. It is considered the best part, prized enough that there are traditions about who earns it.
A note on food safety
Fondue involves raw egg only in some dessert versions, not the cheese itself, so it is straightforward. Keep it warm, not boiling, and do not let it sit out for hours. See our baked Camembert for a simpler melted-cheese centrepiece.
Choose your cheeses with our guides to Gruyère vs Emmental and Comté.
