This dark chocolate fondue is luxuriously creamy, lightly sweetened with maple syrup, fragrant with vanilla and has a sweet, tropical essence from coconut milk. If you have a fondue pot, this recipe is an excuse to break it out, but you don’t need one as you can simply use the pot in which it was cooked. Serve with an array of fresh and dried fruit — such as fresh apple, pear and banana slices, dried figs and dates — and crunchy, salted pretzels. Graham crackers, ginger snaps or vanilla wafers would be nice, too. Use vegan chocolate to make it vegan, and while you can use any type of cocoa powder, the “natural” (not Dutch-processed) type will deliver a brighter flavor and more antioxidants.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days; gently reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Ingredients
Servings: 4 (makes about 3/4 cup)
Directions
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Step 1
In a 1- to 2-quart saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup of the coconut milk with the cocoa powder to form a paste. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup of the coconut milk and the maple syrup until combined. Set the saucepan over low heat and cook, whisking frequently, until simmering. Add the chocolate and cook, stirring, just until melted. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla until smooth.
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Step 2
Taste, and add more maple syrup, as desired, 1 teaspoon at a time. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm, with the accompaniments for dipping.
Substitutions
Don’t like dark chocolate? >> Use high-quality semisweet chocolate chips.
Light coconut milk >> Regular full-fat coconut milk or another kind of milk.