Why did this fondue become grainy and lumpy?
We made some fondue the other night, and instead of being a nice smooth dippable fondue texture, it came out grainy and lumpy. What went wrong?
Here's the recipe that we used:
- 1 clove garlic
- 3/4 cup Dark Ale or Other Beer
- 1 cup Emmenthal Cheese, Shredded
- 1 1/2 cups Gruyere Cheese, Shredded
- 1/2 cup Appenzeller Cheese, Shredded
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch
Slice garlic in half, rub in fondue pot. Warm beer without boiling. Mix cornstarch and cheeses. Stir cheese into beer, one handful at a time, allowing to melt in-between additions.
Best Answer
I suspect that your cheese curdled.
This happens to me if I overheat the mixture- especially in the presence of acid. (I don't have any experience with using beer.) The cornstarch is there as a safety net to prevent this but obviously it is not infallible.
Turn down the heat and try adding a little more corn starch- it may not get back to perfect fondue but you may be able to pull it back to edible.
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Quick Answer about "Why did this fondue become grainy and lumpy?"
A dry, slightly acidic wine is best for fondue as the acidity helps to denature and separate the protiens in the cheese, giving the fondue a stringy quality. If the fondue has been over-cooked and the cheese is turning into hard lumps then adding a teaspoon or two of lemon juice should help to restore the texture.Why did my fondue come out grainy?
Dairy sauces are prone to becoming grainy or gritty, and it's due to curdling. Dairy products like cheese sauce are made from fat and milk. The proteins contained in the mixture have a tendency to try to separate. Too much heat, not enough fat, or too much acid are usually the main reasons graininess occurs.How do you fix gritty fondue?
"Add a teaspoon of cornstarch to a tablespoon of lemon juice and white wine," Massetti says. Try not to add the ingredients individually to the fondue. Mix them together first.How do I stop my fondue from clumping?
Do add acid. When making fondue, add a dry white wine or lemon juice for acidity (portions may vary depending on the recipe). This step helps keep the cheeses creamy and smooth. a splash of acid in the mix binds to the calcium in the cheese, while also diluting to preventing the proteins from clumping up.Why does my cheese fondue curdle?
White wine has a pH of 3 to 4 and is acidic enough to curdle milk and the milk proteins in cheese. The key to success is to choose a wine that is not too "dry", heat it first to drive off the volatile acids and then gradually add the grated cheeses while stirring constantly. If the cheese curdles you're done.How to FIX a Broken Chocolate Ganache | 3 Common Problems | DallasChocolateClasses.com
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Answer 2
Your family will notice if you try to "Pull it back to edible" (that sounds disgusting). Maybe use something a little more acidic next time, like a dry wine, or just a touch of lemon (not much!) if you insist on using beer. It does sound like the heat was a little too high though if you're getting the infamous ball-o-cheese fondue, so turn the fire down, keep stirring (I once heard that stirring in a figure 8 pattern helps immensely), and don't feed your family that nasty crap you made while you were learning. Just kidding love!
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