~ Not just any chocolate will do: Toblerone Fondue ~

If you are a chocolate lover you know that all chocolate is not created equal.  To make a long story short, when it comes to choosing chocolate, it should be the best quality you can find and afford, but, more importantly, it should be one you like.  Each type of chocolate varies in flavor, sweetness and color from manufacturer to manufacturer.  The prices vary too, with imported chocolates costing the most.  I guarantee that a quick walk through the chocolate section of your grocery store will produce at least 3-5 different types and brands.  I suggest you splurge and do a side-by-side taste test of types and brands before settling on your personal favorites.  That being said, when it comes to melting chocolate, savvy cooks know that it can be a tempermental ingredient, so, if a recipe instructs to use a specific type and/or brand, I suggest purchasing it. 

For my taste, I settled on Swiss made chocolate a long time ago, with Lindt being my favorite.  I use it almost exclusively for eating and baking.  I've heard that the Swiss are amongst the happiest people in the world.  I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that they are one of the the largest producers of chocolate and consume more chocolate than any other nation.

That being said, one of the most famous (if not the most famous) Swiss chocolate bars is the Toblerone.  The first time I took a bite of this triangular-shaped milk chocolate bar, I fell in love.  The chocolate has honey added to it and hidden inside each bite are bits of nougat and almonds.  I almost always have a few of these hidden away in my freezer (don't tell Joe).

Toblerone was invented by Theodor Tobbler in Bern, Switzerland in 1908 and he had it patented and trademarkded in 1909.  The name came from combining Tobbler's own name with the Italian word "torrone", which is a type of nougat.

The logo for the candy is the image of the famous, pyramid-shaped Matterhorn mountain with a bear hidden in the center, because bears like to roam in the fresh air of its higher elevations.  It is said the shape of the Matterhorn is believed to have given Tobbler his inspiration for the triangular shape of his crazy-good chocolate bar.

Me, My Season 6 Mad Men Premier Night Party & Fondue... 

It's no secret that I am addicted to the AMC series:  Mad Men.  It's no secret that a few days ago I posted my recipe for ~ Melted Cheese Please:  An Authentic Swiss Cheese Fondue ~, and, announced my plans to host a fondue party for yesterday's Season Six premier.

You can find my recipe for cheese fondue in Categories 1, 2, 11, 20 & 25, or, by clicking on the Related Article link below.

I pondered long and hard over this years menu for my Mad Men party.  Can you imagine the looks on everyones faces (including mine) at my party when we found ourselves eating cheese fondue, followed by chocolate fondue along with Meagan and Don in their sunken living room? I couldn't have planned the evening better if I had been given an advance copy of their script.

Here's all that you'll need:

3  3 1/2-ounce bars Toblerone, at room temperature, broken into pieces

1/2  cup heavy or whipping cream, at room temperature

2  tablespoons Amaretto (an almond-flavored liqueur), optional

fresh fruit:  bananas and/or strawberries are my favorite

cake or cookies:  angel food, pound cake, coconut macaroons or almond biscotti are my favorite

~  Step 1.  Break or pull the chocolate apart into pieces, placing them in a 4-quart stockpot as your work.  If the Toblerone is at real-deal room temperature, it will be very soft and pliable.  

Add the cream to the stockpot and place on the stovetop.

                                           ~ Step 2. Over low heat, whisking constantly, melt the chocolate into the cream.  Do not allow to simmer or boil.  The mixture should be steaming, shiny and smooth.  This will only take about 2-2 1/2 minutes.  Turn heat off and whisk in the optional Amaretto.  

~ Step 3.  Transfer fondue to preheated fondue pot.  Serve with your favorite treats for dipping:

Not just any chocolate will do:  Toblerone Fondue:  Recipe yields 4 servings.  The recipe, as written, doubles nicely without taking any extra time.

Special Equipment List:  4-quart stockpot; whisk; fondue pot; fondue forks; sterno, if applicable; cutting board; chef's knife

Cook's Note:  Fondue can be prepared 1-5 days in advance and stored in a tightly-covered food-storage container the refrigerator. When chilled it will be soft and spreadable, like Nutella.  To reheat, remove from refrigerator one hour in advance.  Cover with plastic wrap and reheat gently in the microwave, until warm and drizzly, about 1 1/2-2 1/2 minutes, stopping to stir every 30-45 seconds during the process.  

Extra Cook's Note:  Throwing a fondue party, and need a meat course?  I have just the thing.  Just wait until you try ~ Time Out for Asian Whiskey-Beef Fondue Sliders ~.  You can find my recipe in Categories 1, 2, 11, 17 or 20!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2013)

Related articles

~ Melted Cheese Please: A Swiss Cheese Fondue (aka: Bill Clarke's Authentic Swiss Cheese Fondue) ~

~ Confessions from a Port Wine Cheese Ball Lover ~

~ Strawberries with (Fig-Infused) Balsamic Vinegar ~

~ GrandMel is Not a Campfire Girl: S'mores Indoors ~

~ I've Got Ganache! Gotta make Chocolate Truffles ~

~ Deceivingly Dark-Chocolate Sour-Cream Frosting ~

~David's Devilishly Dark & Dense Devil's Food Cake~

~ Loco for Cocoa: Spicy Chocolate Cherry Cookies ~