Chocolate Fondue

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup heavy whipping cream, reserve 1/4 cup to thin if fondue begins to thicken
• 4 (3 1/2ounce)  bars bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2  tablespoons  Frangelico (optional) or 2  tablespoons amaretto liqueur (optional)
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped hazelnuts (optional) or 1⁄4 cup  almonds (optional)
•  hazelnuts or   almond  biscotti
•  salted  pretzel stick
•  cubed  poundcake
•  sliced banana
•  stem strawberry
•  sectioned navel orange
•  ripe fresh diced pineapple

Directions

1. Heat 1/2 cup cream in a heavy non-reactive saucepot over moderate heat until cream comes to a low boil.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add chocolate. Let the chocolate stand in hot cream 3 to 5 minutes to soften, then whisk chocolate together with the cream.
3. Stir in liqueur and/or chopped nuts and transfer the fondue to a fondue pot or set the mixing bowl on a rack above a small lit candle.
4. If fondue becomes too thick, stir in reserved cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to desired consistency.
5. Arrange your favorite dippables in piles on a platter along side chocolate fondue with fondue forks, bamboo skewers or seafood forks, as utensils, for dipping.