Chocolate fondue

[luv2run]

I am looking for a relatively low-fat chocolate fondue for Super Bowl Sunday. I may add caramel and pecans for a turtle fondue after I find the right base.

I tried the WW chocolate fondue but it seemed sort of chalky and not what I had in mind. I had the "Flaming Turtle" fondue at the Melting Pot and fell in love.

All the recipes I have found include heavy whipping cream or half and half. Has anyone tried fat-free half and half in a fondue?

TIA,
Debbie

[Grace]

Have I got a recipe for you! This stuff is amazing. I've made it several times already, and it always gets raves (especially from ME! ). It does call for 1/3 cup of half and half, but remember, half and half only has 3 g of fat per 2 tblsp. or something like that, so it's not nearly as bad as regular cream. But I would imagine that the fat-free stuff would work just fine, I would probably use it if I had it on hand. You could also leave out the Frangelico if you wanted to without "ruining" it - the Frangelico does not "make" the recipe, the quality of the chocolate does. I used Valhrona or Callebaut when I made it. You could also substitute any other flavored liqueur you want, if you're so inclined.

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Chocolate-Frangelico Fondue

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: October 2000 PAGE: 186

INGREDIENTS FOR 8 SERVINGS:
1/3 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup fat-free milk
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut-flavored liqueur)
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
4 cups (1-inch) cubed angel food cake (about 3 ounces)
2 cups sliced banana
2 cups quartered small strawberries

INSTRUCTIONS:
This creamy chocolate fondue will coat best if the banana and strawberries are briefly chilled before serving. You can substitute your favorite liqueur for the Frangelico.

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until smooth, stirring constantly. Stir in the sugar, water, liqueur, and syrup. Cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Pour into a fondue pot. Keep warm over low flame. Serve with cake, banana, and strawberries. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup cake, 1/4 cup banana, 1/4 cup strawberries, and 1/4 cup fondue).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 322 (30% from fat); FAT 10.6g (sat 6.4g, mono 3.5g, poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 3.4g; CARB 58.9g; FIBER 2.1g; CHOL 4mg; IRON 1.3mg; SODIUM 70mg; CALC 48mg

[nancy_east]

I second Grace's recommendation--we loved, loved, loved this fondue!! Nothing about it tasted low fat!

[emily]

I don't know about subbing fat free half & half though. It seems to me like it might need some fat to help hold it together. However, there have been many posts about subbing fat free evaporated milk for half & half, so that may work as there is something to do with the milk having less water and being harder to break down...

Let us know how it turns out. The recipe sounds wonderful.

em

[luv2run]

Thanks!

I'll try it before this weekend and let you know how it turns out. I think I will try one recipe with fat-free half and half just to see but keep the real stuff on hand just in case.

Debbie

[slknight]

I'll "third" Grace's recommendation. We had it at our Supper Club last fall and it was awesome. Dip chocolate bananas in this stuff=heaven.

[MKSquared]

You guys are the BEST!

I'm planning a Super Bowl party just tonight, and I'm making my lists. I figured I'd do a cheesecake, but fondue sounds even better! And -- I have a fondue pot I've never used!

Question for you: what do you think would happen if I subbed light corn syrup for the dark that's called for?

I'll let you know if drunken revelry and fondue mix well together. I'm pretty sure that BEER and CHOCOLATE don't go well, but both MUST be at this party. No comprimises.

Thanks, guys!

[gperls]

Here's one from Epicurious.com. It might be somewhat lower in fat, since it uses cocoa powder rather than straight chocolate. I just made it, it was very good (even using Hershey's cocoa powder).

CHOCOLATE FONDUE

1 cups premium cocoa powder (Valrohna or Scharffen Berger), sifted
1 1/4 cups spring water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons heavy cream
5 ounces 62% Scharffen Berger (premium semi-sweet chocolate), chopped

Pound cake and fruit (such as bananas, apples, strawberries, and plums), cut into bite sized pieces

Sift the cocoa into mixing bowl and set aside. Place the water, sugar, and corn syrup into a pot and bring to boil. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until sugar solution has reduced by about 30%. Pour the cocoa powder into the solution and blend with a whisk until smooth. Return the chocolate mixture to the stove and continue cooking over medium heat. Add heavy cream, bring to boil and allow to simmer for five minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in chopped chocolate. Pour into fondue pot and keep warm.

Makes 4-6 servings.


Greg

[luv2run]

Thanks, Greg. I think I'll try both. One can never have too much chocolate!!

Debbie

[jrichards]

Luv2run - If you make both, will you post which you find tastier? I am a chocoholic and always after a good tasting, lighter receipe that satisfies my chocolate cravings.

Thanks.

Jennifer

[luv2run]

Jennifer,

Absolutely! A chocolate secret is no fun unless you share it.

Debbie

[Candice]

I made the chocolate fondue recipe that Greg posted from Epicurious.com for Christmas Eve. It was wonderful! I used the Scharffen Berger chocolate and cocoa (at Mustard Seed Market in Cleveland area) that was recommended. I didn't change a thing. We dipped fruit (no cake) and found that chocolate dipped green grapes and ranier cherries were the best!

[lindrusso]

I've been promising my boys that I'd make chocolate fondue for weeks, but hadn't gotten around to it. I settled on the CL recipe that Grace recommended and finally made it tonight. It was very, very good. I think the only thing I would change would be to cut down a bit on the powdered sugar - I like more chocolate and less sweet!

My oh my. I made this, the crab recipe from J/F CL and the chocolate-cherry bread (wasn't for the meal - it was a "just because" kind of thing) from the same issue. What a glorious day for food!

Thanks Grace for recommending this! I probably would have overlooked it otherwise.

Alysha

[newtricks]

OK, we had chocolate fondue at a friend's house last night. She used a delicious chocolate sauce that she bought at Whole Foods . It worked!

But the totally delicious part was the "home made" marshmallows that she bought at Whole Foods. I think they were for the kids but the moms sat and ate most of them!

[jif]

I was thinking of making the Chocolate-Frangelico Fondue recipe posted above for a dinner party we're having this weekend.

I was wondering, though, is this something that could be made a little in advance and then re-heated right before dessert? Or would it ruin the consistency or flavor?

Thanks!

[CompassRose]

Yowza.... Greg's recipe does sound good, but it's a full-on Decadent Dessert, cocoa or no. Per serving, if serving six: 493 calories, 22 grams of fat (13 saturated), 83 grams carb, 4.2 grams protein. Not counting the pound cake. Um... good source of copper, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium and iron, though.

Sigh... my chocolate hopes spring eternal...