Researchers Reveal Method to Produce Perfect Cheese Fondue

Cheese Fondue is an icon of Swiss cuisine and an essential part of dinner. While this may seem like a simple dish, getting the right texture can be a challenge for optimal mouthfeel, dip and flavor release. This requires a perfect balance of cheese, wine and starch. Now the researchers reporting in ACS Omega Learn how to use these key ingredients to produce a deliciously melted fondue.

Once a fashion of the 1970s, the fondue has made a comeback in recent years. And on a cold winter's night, nothing better than dipping a piece of bread in hot and sticky cheese. But this is only part of the picture. Traditional versions also include wine and seasonings, as well as starch for cohesion. Chemically speaking, the fondue is a multiphase system of colloids that requires the right contributions to achieve the perfection of cheese. A bad move could leave the packer with a unappetizing bowl made up of separate solids and cheese oils. Thus, to better understand the current of the fondue, Pascal Bertsch, Laura Savorani and Peter Fischer wanted to evaluate the effect of starch and wine on the dish.

The researchers started with equal amounts of two traditional fondue cheeses – Gruyère and Vacherin – in the water. The addition of a suspension of potato starch prevented the irreversible separation of the dish. To mimic the effects of wine, they added a mixture of water and ethanol. This has reduced the viscosity of the fondue, which is necessary for a mouthfeel and optimal coverage. They also incorporated acid to study the effect of lowering the pH, which usually had the effect of reducing the viscosity of the fondue. The researchers also explored other thickeners. Less carrageenan and xanthan gum were needed relative to the amount of potato starch needed, but it was carrageenan that gave the creamiest results. Overall, the study shows that a few minor adjustments can lead to cheese perfection every time the fondue pot is out.