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This easy chocolate fondue is a fun dessert for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner or party. It is rich and chocolatey and doesn’t even require a fondue pot!
Hey, we made it to February! Â I don’t know about the rest of the country/world, but the PNW is feeling awfully springy these days. Â Which is fine by me, Spring is my favorite season. Â Flowers and sunny days and birds chirping, what’s not to love? Â I know I already posted a Valentine’s Day treat on Friday, but I couldn’t help but share one more. Â As I mentioned in that post, I usually prefer to stay in on Valentine’s Day to avoid the crowds. Â A few years ago I whipped up this easy chocolate fondue as part of our Valentines’ Day dinner, and I couldn’t believe how easy but decadent it was. Â
Since this fondue is so simple, it is important to use high quality chocolate. Â I bought Lindt Sweet Dark Chocolate bars from Fred Meyer when I was picking up the other ingredients. Â All you do is melt the chocolate with some half and half (you can also use milk or heavy cream). Â Something with a high cocoa content is going to give you a better flavor and consistency.
I almost bought a fondue pot for this post, but then I decided it wasn’t necessary. Â I mean, I guess if you make fondue regularly it would be worth it to own a fondue pot. Â But I don’t, and I don’t need another kitchen tool cluttering up my cupboards (I have plenty of that already, trust me). Â This chocolate fondue stays smooth and dippable long enough that I didn’t feel I needed a fondue pot, just using a ceramic dish was fine.
The fun part about the fondue is the dipping, and you get to include whatever you want for that. Â I like a variety of fruit, sweet stuff and one or two salty things can balance it out. Â For this time around I went with strawberries, pineapple, orange slices, a few store-bought cookies (waffle crisps and piroulines), marshmallows (I used store-bought here, but my homemade strawberry marshmallows would be awesome too!), and some jumbo pretzels. Â Some other things that would work great as dippers: banana slices, shortbread cookies, pound cake cut into squares, brownie chunks or cheesecake squares.
For the dippers, no fancy equipment needed there either. Â I just used bamboo skewers, available at most grocery stores.
For this Easy Chocolate Fondue, one trip to the grocery store, 5 minutes of cooking and you have yourself a fancy dessert that will impress your Valentine for sure.
Looking for more easy Valentine’s day recipes? Check out my Raspberry Swirl Brownie Sundae for Two and my Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes for Two!
Chocolate Fondue
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Fondue
- 14 ounces high quality dark chocolate
- 1/2-3/4 cup half and half*
Dippers:
- strawberries
- pineapple chunks
- orange slices
- marshmallows
- wafer cookies
- pretzels
Instructions
- Chop the chocolate into chunks and melt, whisking often, in a double broiler with 1/2 cup of half and half. Add up to 1/4 cup of additional half and half if needed to thin chocolate to desired consistency.
- When chocolate is melted and smooth, pour into a serving bowl and serve with dippers. Include bamboo skewers to easily dip them into the chocolate.
Notes
**Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a covered container for up to 5 days. Chocolate will harden but can easily be melted again in the microwave.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
OK, I know I just posted two desserts in a row, I promise to bring you some real food on Wednesday!  In the meantime, what are your plans for Valentine’s Day?  If you make this recipe don’t forget to tag it @foxandbriar and #foxandbriar on instagram and facebook!  I really love to see what you make!
If you like this, you may also like….
Homemade Strawberry Marshmallows
Disclaimer: I was compensated by Fred Meyer to share my experience with them, however, my opinions, as always, are 100% my own. Â Integrity is important to me, and I only share brands and products that I think are awesome. Â
Ok any time you add my most favorite thing “CHOCOLATE” with an opportunity to play with my food, I’m sold! What a fun and great idea! The husband and I are going to do a road trip and have a Valentine’s day picnic this year. I have a small candlelit fondue pot. Do you think this will travel well?
Thank you Shawn! A picnic sounds so fun! The only thing I would worry about would be the chocolate solidifying. If your fondue pot can put off enough heat, it might be OK. Also it would depend on how long the chocolate was off the heat. It stays liquid for an hour or two (maybe a little longer). If it is going to be off heat for awhile you might try adding just a little more liquid (half and half) during the melting process. It is still delicious even if it has started to firm up though, so I would say give it a shot! Thanks so much and have a great Valentine’s day!
Hi Meghan,
I’m wondering if you warmed up your ceramic bowl before serving the chocolate fondue?
Thanks!
Hi Rosie – I did not, but that is a great idea! It would probably help keep it warm and liquid longer.
Chocolate fondue is such a special treat and perfect for Valentine’s Day! Looks incredible!
Thank you Kelly!
Well oh my sweet goodness, if this isn’t the cutest little fondue spread I’ve ever seen! <3 Alex and I went to a fondue place in MPLS with our neighbor before we moved and it was such a fun experience. I love it when dinner is just as hands on as cooking. Thanks for sharing this finger-licking good recipe!
Thanks so much Lauren! We had a little fondue place in my home town and it is such a fun dining experience.
Nothing can go wrong with chocolate. And this is such an awesome looking yummy dip, Meghan! Love all the delicious flavors and the colors here!
Thank you so much Anu! Chocolate is always a good idea! 🙂
I’m glad this recipe doesn’t require a fondue pot, because like you, my cupboards are bursting with appliances. And high quality chocolate is very important when there is so little ingredients. This recipe looks fab!
Thanks Nicole! I know, I just don’t have room for another gadget, even if it is super cute! (Must remind myself that next time I am at Crate and Barrel).
Aww this chocolate fondue is so cute! And I totally agree with you on getting the best chocolate. I can’t imagine Hersheys chocolate would go well with all the lovely things you have there to dip! And yeah I don’t get why there are so many kitchen appliances out there that you don’t really need or don’t serve any purpose. Unless yes it’s the 70’s and you are having fondue parties left and right than yeah sure hold on it!!
It is so easy to get sucked into thinking you MUST HAVE this one thing, and then 3 years later it is gathering dust in the cupboard. I try to remind myself of my latest goodwill donation box when I am thinking about buying a new gadget. It works sometimes 🙂 Thanks Linda!
You can’t go wrong with fondue! What a lovely platter of snacks. I usually can’t stop eating when there is a bowl of fondue in front of me!
Haha, it is true Ashley! A big bowl of chocolate and snacks = me eating all the things 🙂 Thank you!
I love fondue! This is a perfect Valentine’s day dessert – so special and romantic! Best of all, I love how it’s so easy to make! I also like to avoid the crowds on Valentine’s day – the restaurants are packed, it’s a zoo everywhere and no parking! So much better at home, especially with the chocolate fondue 🙂
Thanks Melanie! Yes, I prefer to avoid the crowds and just be with my valentine! 🙂
Awwww….Such a beautiful little tray full of deliciousness! Love the dark chocolate dip!
Thank you so much Kathy!
Chocolate fondue for Valentine’s Day?! YES!!! I love this. . love making this for my entire family!!!
Thanks Alice! It would be a fun thing for the whole family!
Oh yay, I was so keen to see what your second Valentine’s Day recipe would be, Meghan, and this has NOT disappointed! I was eyeing off that little heart-shaped bowl adoringly in your strawberry marshmallows post, and I’m so glad to see it’s back again 😀 I go weak at the knees for anything heart-shaped. So make it a heart-shaped little pink bowl which contains creamy, dreamy chocolate fondue that I can indulge in with my valentine, and I say YES PLEASE!! 😀 As for the ingredients, I had to google half and half because I’ve never heard of it! It doesn’t exist here, but it seems like it would be pretty easy to replace with something else. Considering it’s some sort of low-fat cream (or really high-fat milk, I guess?), I presume those of us in this far-away place (sometimes it REALLY feels like that!) could replace with cream that has been diluted with some milk to reduce the fat content a bit.
Thanks so much Lisa! Yes, half and half is just a mixture of half milk, half cream. I use it because it is what I keep on hand (I put it in my coffee), but you could use milk or cream or a mixture of both. Many fondue recipes actually call for cream, so you would be fine using that if you want. These international food blogger relationships has unveiled some new information about ingredients. I didn’t realize that half and half was sort of an American thing! And I’m glad you like the bowl! I got it at World Market a few years ago. I actually popped in this year to see if they had any and I didn’t see any. But I bet you could find something similar, especially this time of year.
This is such a cute idea, Meghan. I love all the different choices for dipping and especially a salty option too!
Thank you Geraldine! The salty pretzel really sets of the other sweet stuff nicely.
This is beautiful! Dipping things in chocolate is the perfect way to celebrate love, any day.
but seriously. gorgeous photo.
Thank you Annie! Chocolate = love for sure.
Thanks so much Lindy! Making cookies to go with it would be extra special! I think more dense cookies that don’t cruble work better, shortbread would be great!
Just SO delicious!!
This is visually gorgeous & such an awesome Valentines treat!!
?????
Thank you!! <3
If someone made this fondue pot for me I would fall in love instantly. Love all your dipping choices here too! It is SO springy here in Winnipeg, so much snow has melted this week. But I hear we’re in for extreme temperatures again next week, so I’m not getting too excited ;P
Now that I know how to make a love potion I will surely become a millionaire! Haha! I fear that this springy weather will turn back to winter soon too. But I thought that last year, and spring just kept coming. So we will see! Thanks Katy!
I love that your recipe doesn’t include a fondue pot! I have plenty of gadgets in my kitchen already! Definitely need to make this (veganized), but make it nonetheless!
Thanks Willow! I love kitchen gadgets but I try to avoid buying them if I am only going to use them once a year 🙂 Would love to see your veganized version!
Everything on that fondue plate looks incredible – I feel like just dunking my face straight into that chocolate. Perfect for a no fuss valentines treat!
Thank you so much Amanda!
Thank you so much!
I love kitchen gadgets but I try to avoid buying them if I am only going to use them once a year 🙂 Would love to see your veganized version!
Yes, I am the same way! Thank you!
Yum!
<3