Chocolate Fondue

Melted Swiss chocolate loosened with cream, kept warm over a flame for dipping fruit, marshmallows and cake.

Chocolate fondue was created in the mid-20th century by Swiss-owned New York restaurant chain Chalet Suisse as a dessert companion to their savory cheese and meat fondues, capitalizing on Switzerland's established reputation for both fine chocolate and communal fondue dining. Though newer than its savory counterparts and not rooted in older Alpine tradition, it caught on quickly, particularly through Toblerone-brand promotions in the 1960s, and became firmly associated with Swiss dessert culture worldwide.

Good Swiss chocolate fondue uses high-quality Swiss chocolate melted gently with cream, kept warm but never boiling, which would cause the chocolate to seize or split.