Cheese Fondue Savoyarde

Dinner

A glorious, bubbling cauldron of Beaufort, Comté, and Emmental melted together enriched with white wine and a splash of Kirsch until it's smooth and impossibly stretchy. It's intensely savory, properly indulgent, and tastes like the French Alps in winter. Served with bite-sized chunks of crusty baguette, inviting everyone to dip and swirl their bread through the luscious, melted cheese!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4

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Ingredients  

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• 300 gr Beaufort cheese grated
• 300 gr Comté cheese grated
• 300 gr Emmental cheese
• 1 clove garlic
• 750 ml dry white wine
• 1 ½ tsp cornflour
• 30 ml Kirsch cherry brandy, optional for digestion

Equipment

• 1 Fondue pot with fondue forks
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 knife
• 1 chopping board

Instructions

1. 1. Prepare the pot

   Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the cut sides of a garlic clove. This gently flavours the pot without overpowering the taste of the fondue.
2. 2. Heat the wine

   Pour half the bottle of dry white Savoie wine into the pot and heat over medium heat. Bring it almost to a boil but do not let it boil over.
3. 3. Mix cornflour and Kirsch

   In a small bowl, combine 1 ½ teaspoons of cornflour with about 30ml of Kirsch until smooth. This will help stabilize the cheese mixture.
4. 4. Melt the cheeses

   Gradually add the grated cheeses (Beaufort, Comté, and Emmental) to the hot wine, stirring constantly in a figure-eight motion. Add a handful at a time and stir until fully melted before adding more.
5. 5. Thicken the fondue

   Once all the cheese is melted and smooth, stir in the cornflour and Kirsch mixture gently until the fondue thickens and develops a glossy texture.
6. 6. Season

   Add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper and optionally a light dusting of nutmeg. Avoid adding salt as the cheese and Kirsch provide enough seasoning.
7. 7. Serve and enjoy

   Place the fondue pot over the fondue burner to keep warm. Serve straight away with bite-sized chunks of crusty baguette, inviting everyone to dip and swirl their bread through the luscious, melted cheese!

Notes

• The triple cheese blend of Beaufort, Comté, and Emmental is key for authentic Savoyarde fondue, balancing nuttiness, creaminess, and melting texture.
• Using the same dry white Savoie wine for cooking and drinking with the meal enhances harmony. Apremont is a classic choice.
• Stirring in figure eights is said to improve creaminess, though feel free to stir in whatever way feels right, just keep it gentle to avoid curdling.
• Kirsch is traditional but optional; it adds a touch of aromatic depth and helps with digestion.

Cheeses

As French cheeses are not always easy to find in the UK, here are some good UK-accessible substitutes for the three key cheeses in Fondue Savoyarde:

Beaufort cheese substitute
Try Jarlsberg or a good quality Swiss cheese, which have similar nutty, buttery textures and melt well. For a British cheese, Cornish Kern is a good alpine-style alternative.

Comté cheese substitute
Gruyère is the closest substitute and often easier to find in the UK. Lincolnshire Poacher is a British cheese inspired by the Comté style with a similar nutty profile.

Emmental cheese substitute
A classic Swiss or generic “Swiss cheese” with large holes is widely available in UK supermarkets and melts well. Jarlsberg or mild Gouda also work as alternatives.

Using these substitutes in roughly equal amounts by weight will help recreate the cheese blend with ingredients readily available across the UK. Mixing in a little Parmesan can boost depth and flavour if desired.

About this recipe

Cheese fondue Savoyarde is the straightforward, hearty classic from the French Alps that’s been keeping people cosy for generations. Its story starts even earlier in Switzerland in the late 1600s, where melted cheese and bread first made their mark, but the dish we know and adore today really took shape in Savoie and Haute-Savoie after the Second World War. It’s the food of mountain survival, simple, practical, and making the most of local cheeses and day-old bread through long, harsh winters.

The real star of the show is the “caquelon,” the special fondue pot, usually ceramic or cast iron, which sits right at the table over a small burner. This is where the magic happens, melting together the perfect trio of Beaufort, Comté, and Emmental cheeses. This pot is the heart of the gathering, drawing everyone close. Forks at the ready, friends and family dip chunks of crusty baguette into the bubbling, silky cheese. And if you lose your bread in the pot and you might owe a drink!

Each cheese brings its own flavour to the mix. Beaufort is robust and creamy, Comté adds a fruity edge, and Emmental smooths it all out with a gentle, sweet nuttiness. This cheese blend melts into dry white wine, ideally from Alsace or Savoie, with a splash of Kirsch cherry brandy to give it a silky finish. On the side, tart cornichons and pickled onions provide a sharp counterpoint, while a fresh green salad helps cut through the richness. And naturally, that same dry white wine makes the perfect companion for this Alpine feast.

Fondue Savoyarde is as authentic as it gets. It’s bold, honest comfort food made for chilly evenings when you want something that tastes like connection as much as flavour. This is Alpine fare that’s warm, inviting, and endlessly delicious every single time.