Alcohol-free cheese fondue with Alpine cheese and apple juice

Alcohol-free cheese fondue: Alpine cheese (such as Gruyère) and Emmental melted in stock with apple juice and lemon instead of white wine, with wholegrain bread, veg and apple for dipping. A family-friendly dinner.

At a glance

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 20 min
• Cooking time: 15 min
• Total time: 35 min
• Calories: 594 kcal per serving
• Protein: 34 g
• Fat: 29 g
• Carbs: 45 g

Ingredients

• 300g wholemeal spelt bread
• 300g cauliflower
• 2 peppers
• 1 apple
• 1 garlic clove
• 200g Alpine cheese
• 150g Emmental
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 100ml vegetable stock
• 100ml apple juice
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 1 pinch of pepper

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · fondue set · chopping board · knife · sieve · grater · wooden spoon

1. Cut the wholemeal spelt bread into bite-sized cubes. Divide the cauliflower into small florets and cut the peppers and apple into pieces.
2. Pre-cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water for 4 minutes and drain.
3. Halve the garlic clove and rub the inside of the fondue pot with it. Coarsely grate the Alpine cheese and Emmental and toss them with the cornflour.
4. Heat the vegetable stock, apple juice and lemon juice in the fondue pot on the hob. Stir in the cheese a little at a time and let it melt over a medium heat, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes without letting it boil.
5. Season the fondue with nutmeg and pepper and set the pot on the fondue burner.
6. Spear the bread, veg and apple on fondue forks and dip them into the cheese.

Good to know

A classic cheese fondue is made with white wine and kirsch. This one does without alcohol altogether: stock, apple juice and lemon provide the acidity that lets the cheese melt smoothly. That way, children and anyone who's pregnant can join in.

Swaps

Vegetable stock and apple juice → 200 ml alcohol-free white wine (often still contains up to 0.5% alcohol). Emmental → Gruyère or Appenzeller (stronger). Wholemeal spelt bread → gluten-free bread (makes it gluten-free). Cauliflower → broccoli.

Cooking tips

The fondue must never bubble, or the fat will separate from the cheese. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of warm stock; if it's too runny, a little cornflour mixed with apple juice.

Storage

Let leftover fondue set, cut it into slices and use it within 2 days to top bakes and gratins.

Allergens

Contains milk and gluten (spelt); no egg, nuts or alcohol. Suitable for children and in pregnancy if the cheese is made from pasteurised milk. Hard cheese is often made with animal rennet.