The Secret Recipe Club:
A Sweet Treat with Chocolate Fondue and Fresh Fruit Dippers
How the month has flown……..and it’s already the BIG REVEAL day for The Secret Recipe Club. I love being involved with The Secret Recipe Club – you are assigned a “secret” blog and from that blog you choose a recipe to make, which you then write about and post on the designated reveal day, which for my group D, is today. It’s then that you discover who had your blog, and what they made…...it’s a FABULOUS way to discover new blogs, meet new people, make new friends and also eat NEW and exciting recipes. And my secret blog was………..Loving Life, and home to Kirstin…..I loved reading all about Kirstin and I am VERY envious of the fact that she lives in a beautiful part of the States, in the Pacific North West….a place in the USA that I have always wanted to visit…..Kirstin lives there with her husband and two teenage daughters, and there are some wonderful photos of them all on her “About Me” page. Kirstin loves golf, football (soccer) and attends church regularly too…..as well as cooking up a storm if her blog is anything to go by! I had HUGE problems choosing what to make, and in the end plumped for a VERY easy and yet very DECADENT dessert recipe, Chocolate Fondue.
Kirstin has a HUGE array of recipes to share and you can find them on her From my Kitchen Page. I really was spoilt for choice, but, in the end I decided on her Chocolate Fondue recipe as I mentioned before, as it fitted in with my plans for a weekend with friends……as an easy and FUN dessert…..and, my friends were all newly engaged, with plans of weddings in the not too distant future, so this was a nice “sharing” dessert I thought……albeit for ALL of us! I was also pleased to discover that this recipe had featured as one of the “Sweet Treats” at Kirstin’s daughter’s birthday party…….so, it had to be festive and fun! It’s a simple recipe comprising chocolate, cream and salt……I decided to notch it up a gourmet level and use 85% cocoa solid chocolate, double cream and some local sea salt, just a pinch mind you. The result was an unctuous and delectable pot of chocolatey delight, which I served with fresh fruit dippers and for a RETRO feel, marshmallows! I served it in individual ramekins, one per couple, and it went down a treat.
This is a simple recipe but you can dress it up as you want…..so for children, I would have used some milk chocolate perhaps, and cut up pieces of cake to dip in the fondue; and for a more glamorous dessert, I could have added a splash of liqueur to the fondue.…..such a Tia Maria or Cointreau, or another fruit liqueur. Anyway, it was just fabulous as it was, and as I said, my “lovey dovey” friends really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to seeing you had my blog now, and also to see who I have been assigned for July too…..stay tuned for my Monday Meal Planning post, which follows on later, and see you soon, Karen.
(Below is Kirstin’s Recipe, with a direct link to a printable recipe)
Chocolate Fondue
12 oz. dark chocolate (chips or roughly chopped if from a block)
**I used semi-sweet**
8 oz. heavy cream
A pinch of salt (oops I forgot this…I don’t think they noticed)
In a double boiler or in my case a bowl on top of a pan of boiling water, warm cream over moderate heat until tiny bubbles show and begins to lightly and slowly boil. Add the chocolate and whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.
I left the bowl on the pan and brought that directly to the table. The bowl was stainless steel so it stayed hot. I went through two batches before the girls were full.
Funny but that is something that really doesn’t appeal to me, not sure why as I like chocolate and I like fruit (not so keen on marshmallows), it’s that dipping thing – urrrgh! However, I’m sure there are many people who would disagree 🙂
Funnily enough, I am the same Janice, if you read between the lines, you will see that it was made for my friends more than for me! But, I have to admit loving dunking the bananas in the hot chocolate! 🙂
I love a good chocolate fondue and this looks like a very good one!
Thanks Kathryn, it was a hit with my friends when they came over! Karen
Chocolate fondue is heavenly. I love marshmallows more than the fruit to dip, although I am partial to a few chunks of banana too!
Thanks! I LOVE bananas with chocolate too Laura!
yumm, chocolate fondue! Sounds awesome!! How could anybody go wrong with that?!
Thanks Casey, my friends LOVED this when I served it!
My mother in law got us a fondue set up just after we were married and I’ve never used it! This looks so good though, I need to dig it out! Visiting from group C!
Thanks for visiting Jo and DO try to dig out that fondue set and make this VERY simple recipe! Karen
In my book nothing beats a good chocolate fondue, I love your individual ramekin idea, I am so going to use that!!
Thanks the little ramekin dishes worked a treat and that way you can make a sharing platter for two people!
Oh so very simple and delicious. Great choice of recipe.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my group “A” SRC entry: Candied Popcorn.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
Thanks Lisa, I will pop along to your candied popcorn later, and thanks for stopping by! Karen
Oh now that just looks fantastic. I bet it’d be amazing with berries!! 🙂
Happy Reveal Day!
Thanks Sarah – I agree that this would be BRILLIANT with berries…..Karen
As one of those people who eat cake for the frosting/icing, this recipe is drool-worthy. 🙂
Perfect recipe for you then! 🙂 Karen
oh wow, this looks BEYOND amazing. what a fantastic treat!
Thanks Amy! It was a GREAT fun dessert!
YAY! So glad you liked this! My girls loved it and like you said you can totally gourmet it up…probably even some flavorings like peppermint, orange or whatever else. And thanks for the sweet shout out! We do love the PNW…even with all its rain! Heading out the door for dinner…we are on the road with a soccer tournament.
I am so pleased you like my post and also the recipe I chose from your blog…..it was lovely to meet you through SRC and see you again very soon!
i love a good fondue…this looks amazing! great job.
Thanks Sarah – it was so easy to make too…..Karen
Yum! This sounds so amazing and looks so easy! Great pick for the SRC!
Thanks Jenni – this was a fun recipe I have to admit!
Beautiful pics and a great pick for SRC!!! Love fondue and didn’t realize it was so simple to make!
Many thanks, it was VERY easy and a lovely sharing dessert!
Yum, you had me at chocolate. : )
Karen, your blog is an orphan no more, please check out your recipe here. http://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2012/06/src-mexican-shrimp-tomato-chili-wraps.html
Thanks April….I shall pop over later to see and thanks for your comments!
I adore chocolate fondue! Especially with fresh summer fruit 🙂
I must admit I liked the bananas with chocolate!
Chocolate makes everything better!! Great pick! 🙂
Thanks Melissa!
Nothing better than a bowl full of melted chocolate:-) We love having fondue date nights at home, so I will have to remember this one! Thanks for sharing the fun SRC post!!
Thanks for stopping by Jocelyn, and for your kind comments! Karen
ooooh! I had kirstin not too long ago and i made churros from her site. she’s spot on with the desserts, no? 🙂
happy src reveal, friend!
She has LOADS of GREAT desserts you are right Kristy!
Love chocolate fondue especially with fruits. Cake is a great idea too – why have I not thought about it before?! Great SRC pick.
Thanks Ros – it suited the moment, and was easy to make!
There’s nothing quite like a good chocolate fondue, is there? This looks absolutely amazing! 🙂
Great recipe and SO simple!
Great googly moogly, that looks amazing! (Visiting you from SRC Group D.)
Thanks Dorothy! IT was lush I have to admit!
Chocolate decadence, oh, my! And your marshmallows look amazingly lovely!
Thanks! It was easy and decadent as you say!
Oh this looks lovely – can imagine it might get a little messy though and I hate getting sticky when I eat. I love the square marshmallows though. I’m, a real peach fan! Shared on google plus.