Your Best Fondue

For the fondue, you'll need: chocolate, rum, vanilla, coconut milk, brown sugar, and salt.    

This makes a lot of fondue -- you start with two cans of coconut milk.  

Brown sugar adds depth and color to the caramel.  

Quick computer check!  

The cajeta takes about 15 minutes to thicken.  

It goes through several stages as it cooks.  

Amanda preps a variety of stuff for dipping: pound cake, clementine and pear slices, and extra-dark pretzels.  

Assessing her work. Apparently, Kristen approves.  

The cajeta is done when you can draw a line with your spoon, and it takes a second to "heal."  

This is more of a caramel fondue than a chocolate fondue -- the chocolate is there more for flavor than texture.  

A little rum never hurts...  

We used Goslings, of Dark 'n' Stormy fame.  

Transferring the fondue from saucepan to fondue pot.  

Pound cake!  

Pear.  

And our favorite, the extra-dark pretzels.  

The Vacherin Fribourgeois reminded us of Roman ruins in this photo. It's joined by garlic, nutmeg, cornstarch, lemon, white wine, kirsch and Gruyère.  

Amanda's SUPER excited for fondue!    

A dark rye loaf we found for dipping -- isn't it prehistoric looking?  

Preppin'.  

Amanda diced the Vacherin into beautiful cubes. We grated the Gruyère, but the Vacherin was a little too soft to grate.  

The dark rye, and some baguette.  

A whisper of garlic to start things off.  

We used a crisp, French white wine for the base.  

A watched pot...  

Gradually whisking in the cheese.  

Patience pays off: our fondue was smooth as silk.  

A little nutmeg, and some black pepper to freckle the cheese.  

The cornstarch and Kirsch slurry goes in last, to thicken the cheese a little.  

Yum.