The chocolate fondues to discover at 1001 Fondues
The history of chocolate fondue
Chocolate fondue is a recent creation: it is said to have been born in the 1960s in the United States, where “fondue parties” popularized a sweet version of the traditional fondue. Inspired by European ganache techniques, it quickly became a festive and convivial dessert.
1001 Fondues was already serving it back in the 80s, when the company owned Le Chalet Suisse restaurant in Old Québec. An expertise built on more than 40 years of history.
Over the decades, chocolate fondue has woven itself into popular culture: cookbooks, cooking shows, family gatherings. Today it comes in classic or modern versions — dark, milk, white or flavoured chocolate — and stands as a must-have among desserts made for sharing.
Which chocolate should you choose for a fondue: dark, milk or white?
The chocolate for a fondue is chosen according to the profile you are after: intensity with dark, balance with milk, milky sweetness with white. Above all, a good fondue chocolate must melt without graining and stay fluid once hot.
Dark chocolate
High cocoa content, intense aromatic profile, delicate bitterness. This is the chocolate of contrasts and daring pairings: it stands up to raspberries, dried apricots and even blue cheese.
Milk chocolate
A perfect balance between intensity and sweetness, a velvety texture and a round, comforting taste. This is the sweet spot of indulgence, showcased here by boreal sweet clover with its notes of both vanilla and flowers.
See the milk chocolate and sweet clover fondue
White chocolate
Cocoa butter, sugar and milk: a milky sweetness, a creamy texture and an ivory colour. A delicate profile, elevated by pure maple syrup.
What do you serve with a chocolate fondue?
Anything that holds on the end of a fork: fresh fruit, dried fruit and sweet bites. The favourite fruits for chocolate fondue remain the classics, but the list is long.
- Essential classics: strawberries, bananas, apples, pears, grapes, pineapple.
- Indulgent fruits: mangoes, peaches, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, fresh figs, yellow apples.
- Dried fruit and nuts: dried apricots, dates, dried figs, cashews, almonds, coconut.
- Bites to dip: biscotti, madeleines, waffles, croissants, marshmallows, meringues, sponge toffee, pretzels, shortbread.
Daring pairings: blue cheese with dark chocolate, plain yogurt with white chocolate, coconut with milk chocolate — not forgetting candied ginger, Ontario peaches and Québec yellow apples.
To go further, browse our recipes and the ingredients page.
Which drinks pair with a chocolate fondue?
Each flavour calls for its own pairing: full-bodied spirits with dark chocolate, bubbles and green tea with white chocolate and maple syrup, round spirits and dark beers with milk chocolate and sweet clover. The principle is simple: the more intense the chocolate, the more character the drink can afford. Conversely, a very sweet fondue benefits from freshness or acidity, to avoid an overly sugary effect.
| Flavour | Drink pairings |
|---|---|
| Dark chocolate fondue | Bourbon, scotch, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, coffee |
| White chocolate and maple syrup fondue | Champagne, green tea, matcha, sauvignon blanc |
| Milk chocolate and sweet clover fondue | Cognac, dark beer (stout, porter), sauternes, Québec mead |
How to make a great chocolate fondue? Equipment and cooking tips
Melt the chocolate gently, never letting it boil. Avoid direct heat on metal pots, in which chocolate burns quickly: a double boiler or a fondue burner gives a far more reliable result.
Then transfer the melted chocolate into a ceramic or enamelled cast-iron fondue pot for a smooth texture, with no sticking. The key is gentle, steady heat: keep the chocolate warm to preserve its fluidity, stirring from time to time.
Recommended equipment: a ceramic or enamelled cast-iron fondue pot, a candle or electric burner, a spatula, fondue forks or wooden picks.
A little suggestion for creative minds:
Set up a chocolate fondue table runner, following the trend created by Chef Grant Achatz of the Alinea restaurant in Chicago. Use a silicone mat or parchment paper, lay out the table according to your inspirations and ingredients (fruit, rusks, meringues, etc.), then drizzle the chocolate fondue over it, drawing as you go.
With a ready-to-cook Chic! fondue, the melting step disappears: cooking takes 45 seconds in the microwave. Full ingredient details are on the ingredients page, and questions about storage and delivery are gathered in the 1001 questions FAQ.
1001 Fondues chocolate fondues: a true artisanal Québec ganache
A chocolate ganache is a mixture of chocolate and fresh cream brought together with heat, just like in pastry. What sets 1001 Fondues chocolate fondues apart from other products on the market is precisely that they are a true warm ganache, and not simply melted chocolate. Where most products on the market are enriched with oils or artificial flavours, Chic! fondues are built like a pastry ganache: high-quality sustainable chocolate and 100 % Canadian fresh cream. The result: a silky texture and a decadent richness.
No food additives, no added vegetable oil, no artificial flavours, and never excessive added sugar. Only chosen ingredients.
Ready to cook, they require no preparation: 45 seconds in the microwave, a stir of the spoon, and it is ready.
Local flavours are at the heart of the Chic! range, with pure maple syrup and boreal sweet clover. All 1001 Fondues chocolate fondues are certified by the Dairy Farmers of Canada, made with 100 % Canadian fresh cream, Aliments préparés au Québec, and carry the mention Prepared in Canada from Canadian and imported ingredients.
Behind these products, more than 40 years of Québec artisanal know-how. Artisanal, premium, local and foolproof, they are made for those looking for an authentic and decadent chocolate fondue, without the fuss. Discover the full range: dark chocolate, milk chocolate and sweet clover, white chocolate and maple syrup, and the ingredient details.
Our recipes with chocolate fondue
Chocolate fondue is not served only in a fondue pot: a chocolate fondue recipe works just as well drizzled over ice cream, French toast or a brownie. Here are three recipes already published on the blog.
