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–+ servings

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!
Cheese Fondue recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients 

  • 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

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.