Chocolate Fondues

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces strawberries, hulled, halved if large
• 2 large ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 large orange, peeled and sectioned
• 3 slices (¾-inch-thick) purchased pound cake, cut into fingers

Chocolate Sauce:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Method:

For the chocolate sauce:

1. Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Decrease the heat to low and add the chocolate, sugar, and butter. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until evenly melted with a silky texture.
3. Stir in the vanilla essence and set aside until ready to serve.

To serve:

1. Arrange the fruit and cakes on individual plates or on a large platter for passing.
2. And serve with chocolate sauce.
3. Serving Fondue: There are, of course, fondue pots made just for this task but when there are more than a few people at the dinner table, it becomes challenging for everyone to have easy access. What I use is ceramic “butter warmers”—of roughly ½-cup capacity—meant to keep melted butter warm when serving steamed crab or lobster. They make ideal individual fondue pots, with a votive candle underneath to keep the chocolate melted. I keep matches on hand so if the chocolate begins to bubble (which will scorch the chocolate) you can blow out the candle, then relight it as needed to keep the chocolate warm.