Chocolate Fondue with Strawberries

Chocolate Fondue with Strawberries is a delicious and romantic dessert, perfect to finish off a special dinner or for a sweet social moment. I present to you a classic version with a small Italian touch.

Ingredients

• 200 g of high-quality dark chocolate
• 100 ml of fresh cream
• 1/2 a vanilla pod (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)
• A pinch of salt
• Fresh strawberries as needed (to taste), cleaned and cut (if necessary)

Preparation

1. Begin by finely chopping the chocolate and transferring it to a heat-resistant bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the fresh cream with the vanilla pod slit lengthwise to release the seeds (or the vanilla extract if using that).
3. When the cream is warm but not boiling (be careful not to let it simmer), remove the vanilla pod and pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate.
4. Allow the heat of the cream to soften the chocolate for a minute, then begin to whisk by hand from the center of the bowl until you obtain a smooth and uniform mixture.
5. Add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor of the chocolate. If the consistency of the fondue is too thick, you can add a little more hot cream to make it more fluid.
6. Transfer the warm fondue to a special fondue container or a bowl, serving it with fresh strawberries.

For an all-Italian variation, you might also incorporate a tablespoon of orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or a good amaretto to further scent the fondue. Be sure to adjust the amount of liqueur to your taste – you wouldn’t want it to overshadow the chocolate flavor.

Curiosity

Chocolate fondue saw a massive increase in popularity in the 1960s when it was promoted as a sophisticated dessert for elegant dinners. While often associated with Switzerland, where cheese fondue is traditional, this chocolate version has found fans all around the world, becoming a classic at dinners and special occasions.