I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but when the kids ask for a dessert, I want to make sure it’s a healthy version. Dark chocolate fondue is simple to make and it’s fun to dip fresh fruit and even homemade marshmallows in. Because it’s fast to pull together, we can have a delicious treat in about 10 minutes!
What is Fondue?
Fondue comes from the French word fondre, which means to melt. Traditionally it’s made with a variety of melted cheeses to make a cheese fondue. More recently the recipe has been adapted to use melted chocolate for a delicious dessert option. It’s often made with milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, or even white chocolate and is thinned with heavy cream.
This version is lower sugar and dairy optional since it uses dark chocolate and coconut oil. And you can add a little peanut butter, or peppermint extract instead of the vanilla if preferred.
How to Make Chocolate Fondue
First, you want to start with quality chocolate to make your chocolate fondue. High-quality chocolate bars taste so much better than the cheap stuff, and they’re often healthier. The best chocolate will be something that’s at least 72% cocoa and organic. If you can’t find dark chocolate you could mix some bittersweet chocolate with a sweeter one.
It’s also important to heat the chocolate slowly, or it will start to seize and burn. If you have an electric fondue pot that works great, but it can be hard to find a non-toxic one. Some of them are stainless steel, but they still have a non-stick coating on the inside.
I transferred the hot chocolate fondue to my small crockpot and kept it on warm for dipping. You can also use a serving bowl and reheat as needed.
Dippers for Chocolate Fondue
My favorite options to dip in chocolate fondue are fresh fruit, dried fruit, and homemade marshmallows. Typically you’ll see people also like to dip things like graham crackers, pretzels, rice krispie treats, oreos, pound cake, and even potato chips! Our family doesn’t really eat those things, but there are still plenty of delicious and healthy fondue dippers.
You could even drizzle some of the chocolate fondue over cheesecake, ice cream, angel food cake, biscotti, and brownies (all healthier versions of course!).
Chocolate fondue is great for New Year’s Eve (even if you’re staying in for a movie night!). It also makes a decadent treat for Valentine’s Day or an in-home date night. It’s very simple to make and kids especially love dipping things in it!
Dark Chocolate Fondue Recipe
Servings
Equipment
- Small slow cooker (or fondue pot)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dark chocolate (72% cocoa or higher, chopped)
- 2 TBSP coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan on the stovetop, melt the chopped chocolate and coconut oil over low heat, stirring until smooth. Heat gently and stir constantly to avoid burning. You can also use a double boiler over medium heat.
- Remove the hot chocolate from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Transfer the chocolate mixture to a fondue pot, a small slow cooker, or a serving bowl.
- To reheat gently warm again on the stove or a crockpot until it’s the desired consistency.
Nutrition
Notes
What’s your favorite thing to dip in chocolate? Anything you would add to the list? Leave a comment and let us know!
Leave a Reply