TikTok is unstoppable at producing alluring but barely grotesque meals. Some of it’s nice. Most of it I simply can’t unsee. I’ve recently stumbled upon the perversion of fondue as a “hot fondue pocket.” It seems to be prefer it ought to be attractive—a ladle of sizzling, melty fondue waterfalling right into a hollowed out, 10-inch baguette pocket—however in observe, there’s simply one thing off. (Ratio, maybe?) Here are just a few methods to make a sizzling fondue pocket that really rocks.
1. Choose your bread properly
In the TikTok video I watched, from Brunchwithbabs, Babs makes use of two “small” baguettes. She cuts them in half however they’re nonetheless roughly 8 to 10 inches lengthy. She hollows them out (a problem in and of itself if you happen to don’t have a brilliant lengthy fork or knife), and fills them with fondue. I estimate that’s 6 to eight ounces of fondue relying on the dimensions of the cavity. While I like cheese as a lot as the following individual, that’s quite a lot of one factor.
It’s essential to have a butt in your bread (some name it a “heel,” however in my a part of Jersey it’s a butt) as a result of the crust acts as a container. There’s a chance the cheese will escape out the again. Decide if you happen to want a full measurement baguette to chop in half for 2 sandwiches. If that’s too massive of a serving, go for a smaller loaf for extra manageable items.
Try demi baguettes, or pretzel rolls. I used one of many mini ciabatta rolls from Trader Joes and it was good. Choose loaves or rolls which can be gentle on the within, however have a discernible crust. Bread that’s too gentle, like Hawaiian rolls, brioche buns, or croissants, will work too, however the texture is so just like the gentle fondue that it loses curiosity, and someway feels much more heavy. The crunchy and chew of a extra lean bread makes for a greater match.
2. Use a fondue recipe that you simply love
Biting into this bread pocket stuffed with fondue seems to be wonderful on the way in which in, after which it’s an excessive amount of of a very good factor. Since a mouthful of fondue is what you signed up for, ensure that it’s rattling good. Babs makes use of one sort of cheese, uncooked milk GrandCru. If you are choosy about your cheese, do not spring for the $18 thriller wedge. Don’t use a fondue recipe with white wine if you happen to hate white wine. If you want cheddar greater than Swiss, use a recipe that features it. Try a mix of two cheeses if you happen to assume a steadiness of stretch and soften shall be extra interesting to you.
I used this recipe from the New York Times, which incorporates gruyère and emmentaler cheese. The ensuing fondue was silky and flowing whereas sizzling, and have become gentle and pillowy because it cooled within the bread pocket. What I like most concerning the recipe is that the underside consists of completely totally different fondue potentialities. It’s subscription locked, however the gist of it’s which you could make a fondue out of completely totally different components to attraction to your palate. Try a pink wine fondue, perhaps one with jack cheese, or a cheddar and whiskey fondue if that’s extra your pace.
3. Add herbs
Herbs aren’t technically conventional for fondue, however what a part of that is? I discovered the flavour of a easy sizzling fondue pocket grew to become tiresome after 5 bites, and I nonetheless had about 20 to go. Add some complexity with contemporary herbs. I added a small sprinkle of thyme to my combination, however there’s actually no restrict to how a lot or what selection you employ. Try some finely chopped rosemary or parsley. A sprinkle of dried herbs, like oregano or herbs de provence, and spices, like cayenne or nutmeg, will even add a a lot wanted layer to your sizzling fondue pocket.
4. You will need to have different fondue elements
This is perhaps probably the most significant factor I modified about my fondue pocket. I do know we’re not shedding sight of this as a completely weird modification of fondue, however simply to be clear, fondue as a dish has many parts. It’s served together with cubed bread, cornichons, cured meats, sausages, contemporary and dried fruit—all designed for dipping within the puddle of cheese fondue. Cheese isn’t simply poured into your mouth, it is a veil that coats a complementary ingredient. It’s balanced.
Although a sizzling fondue pocket takes away the method of dipping different fondue elements, you don’t need to lose them utterly. In reality you shouldn’t. I added chopped pickles, cured meat, and items of apple to mine. This didn’t simply make it higher, it made it incredible. The saltiness from the cured meat and sweetness from the apple excites your palate, and the intense acidity from the pickles is important for balancing out the fats. Make a couple of third of your recipe add-ins. While this may occasionally sound like loads, it means every morsel shall be coated in cheese and also you’ll get a pair scrumptious bits in each chunk.
I chopped my add-ins into small items, about quarter or half-inch chunks and tucked them into the pocket as I poured within the cheese. If you’re making a much bigger batch of pockets for buddies, simply dump the added elements into the fondue pot, stir, and pour the combination into the hollowed out bread. With the following pointers in play, you’re certain to have a extra flavorful and fewer wearisome sizzling fondue pocket than the unique.
