An easy recipe for chocolate fondue, made with 70% dark chocolate and flavored with vanilla. Only three ingredients!
This healthy dark chocolate fondue recipe is made with just three ingredients: dark chocolate, half-and-half, and vanilla. It’s one of my favorite desserts these days.
A healthier fondue
I enjoyed myself immensely at a fondue restaurant a couple of weeks ago (cheese fondue first, then chocolate fondue for dessert). So I just had to purchase my own fondue pot!
After some experimenting, I settled on this recipe. I use extra dark chocolate and I lighten it up by using half and half instead of heavy cream. It’s simply flavored with vanilla.
I wrote this recipe specifically for the Cuisinart electric fondue pot, which I own. But you can probably use it with any electric fondue pot.
The ingredients needed for this recipe
You’ll only need three ingredients to make this tasty dessert, plus strawberries for dipping (exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below):
- Half and half
- Dark chocolate, chopped
- Vanilla extract
- Fresh strawberries
How to make chocolate fondue
It’s really easy, which is nice because it’s such a fancy dessert. The detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
- Pour the half-and-half into the fondue pot and bring to a simmer.
- Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted, then add the vanilla.
- Reduce the heat to low and serve with fresh strawberries for dipping.
What are good dippers for chocolate fondue?
Many like to use sweet dippers such as marshmallows or angel cake cubes. But I find that strawberries are not just healthier, but also best complement the melted chocolate in terms of flavor and texture.
They provide a nice contrast between the slight tartness of the fruit and the creamy sweetness of the chocolate.
I think that when you use sweet dippers you’re actually missing out, because the whole thing just becomes too cloyingly sweet (even with dark chocolate).
It’s also nice to dip halved apricots and large cubes of peaches in the melted chocolate. Or even apple slices – especially tart apples such as Granny Smith. Just resist the temptation to use junky sweet dippers. It’s so not worth it!
Is this a healthy recipe?
Well, it’s not broccoli. 🙂 But for a dessert, I do think it’s quite healthy. Dark chocolate is healthy. Obviously, the darker the better, so if you like 90% cacao chocolate, go for it!
As for the half-and-half, happily, current research says that for most healthy people, full-fat dairy is pretty much harmless and might even be beneficial.
However, this is still a dessert, so I try to enjoy it only once in a while and I don’t let it displace other, more nutritious foods in my diet.
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Chocolate Fondue Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup half and half
- 4 oz dark chocolate, 70% cacao, chopped
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (or Amaretto liqueur)
- 1 lb. fresh strawberries, halved
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour the half-and-half into the fondue pot. Bring to a simmer at setting 4 (medium).
- When the half and half is bubbling lightly, lower heat to setting 3 (medium-low) and add the chopped chocolate, 2 oz at a time, whisking with a silicone whisk until smooth.
- When chocolate is completely melted, whisk the vanilla into the fondue.
- Reduce the temperature to setting 2 (low) and serve with fresh strawberries.
NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
