Melt your heart: Easy Valentine's Dessert Fondue

While some fully embrace Valentine's Day in all it's romantic splendor, for those eschewing more formal wining and dining fuss for simpler at home celebrations, it's still easy to add a touch of DIY decadence to your day with a surprisingly quick, elegant and easy dessert.

It's hard to believe that the once-again trendy "fondue" was originally a humble means of making the most of leftover hardened cheese and stale bread during harsh winter months centuries ago. With it's roots in Switzerland and France, this melted cheesy blend, often enhanced with wine and herbs, soon spread worldwide- with a huge but brief renaissance in the 1970's (I'm sure there are lots of fondue sets in attics across the country). Fast forward a few decades and we find countless adaptations including the wildly popular array of heavenly dessert versions.

      At once indulgent and embarrassingly easy to make (4 ingredients, about 10 minutes) it's the perfect end to a Valentines dinner for deux or a fun addition to a party. Or, for a fun family dessert including the younger set (what child doesn't love to play with food?) simply omit the liqueur and supervise more closely.

White Chocolate Raspberry Fondue 

   

You'll need

12 oz. white chocolate

rasberry preserves 

1/2 cup heavy cream

1-2 tbs Grand Marnier or rasberry liqueur(optional)
or
orange or berry extract

assorted "dippers" of choice

In a heavy saucepan bring cream to a low simmer. Add white chocolate and liqueur if using, and stir until chocolate is completely melted (It might look lumpy at first, I used a whisk for a smooth finish) Meanwhile in small saucepan (or microwave on %50 power) melt preserves just until pourable.

Let sit for a moment then transfer fondue to fondue pot (or crock pot on low) and drizzle melted preserves into fondue and using stirrer, create swirls or patterns. You can use a plastic squeeze bottle if desired. For safety and to prevent burning make sure to keep an eye on any candles or crock pot and adjust temperature as needed.

For dippers we opted for strawberries, brownie bites (disclaimer -they are little Debbie's cut into cute squares) and sliced store bought pound cake cut in heart motifs.

                                        A "bouquet" of strawberries make cute dippers

Serve with a dessert wine or after dinner drink. Bon appetite!

Quick DIY Decor

A small dress form is dolled up in ropes of costume pearls and angel wings (as seen in many a previous post) from an old Halloween costume while books and flowers set a romantic tone

a reused DIY banner from scrapbook paper and stick on letters professes "I love You" a la francais- (Of course everything sounds more romantic in French)

For more Valentine's ideas visit our previous posts 

Dyed pink birds, cupid cupcakes and love letters from love-is-in-air

another romantic dessert from couer-la-creme-valentine-dessert.

easy DIY candy wrappers from sweets-for-sweet