I Figured Out How to Make TikTok’s Hot Fondue Pocket Really Good.
TikTok has an unstoppable appetite for creating eye-catching but slightly grotesque food. Some of this is great. Most of it I just can’t unsee. I recently came across this perversion of fondue called the “hot fondue pocket.” It sounds like it should be tempting—a ladle of hot, melting fondue falling into a hollowed-out 10-inch baguette pocket—but in practice, something’s a little off. (Perhaps a ratio?) Here are some ways to make a hot fondue pocket that will truly rock.
1. Choose your bread wisely
In the TikTok video I watched from Brunchwithbabs , Babs uses two “small” baguettes. She cuts them in half, but they are still about 8-10 inches long. She hollows them out (a task in itself unless you have a very long fork or knife) and fills them with fondue. I estimate it’s about 6 to 8 ounces of fondue depending on the size of the cavity. While I love cheese as much as the next person, it’s very much one thing.
It’s critical to have a stub on the bread (some call it a “heel” but in my part of Jersey it’s a stub) because the crust acts as a container. There is a possibility that the cheese will leak out. Decide if you need a full-size baguette cut in half for two sandwiches. If the portion is too large, choose a smaller loaf so the pieces can be more easily controlled.
Try the demi baguettes or brioche buns. I used one of the mini ciabatta rolls from Trader Joes and it was perfect. Choose loaves or buns that are soft on the inside but have a noticeable crust. Breads that are too soft, such as Hawaiian rolls, scones, or croissants, will also work, but the texture is so similar to soft fondue that it loses interest and somehow feels even heavier. Crispy and chewy leaner breads work better.
2. Use a fondue recipe you like.
Biting into a bread pocket full of fondue looks amazing on the way in and then immediately feels too good. Since you signed up for a sip of fondue, make sure it tastes damn good. Babs uses one type of cheese, GrandCru raw milk. If you’re picky about your cheese, don’t go for the $18 mystery wedge. Don’t use the white wine fondue recipe if you hate white wine. If you like cheddar better than Swiss, try a recipe that includes it. Try a mixture of the two cheeses if you think the balance of stretch and melt is more to your liking.
I used a recipe from the New York Times that includes Gruyere and Emmenthaler cheese. The resulting fondue was silky and flowy while hot, and became soft and pliable as it cooled in the bread pocket. What I love most about the recipe is that there are completely different variations of fondue at the bottom. Subscription is closed, but the point is that you can make fondue from completely different ingredients to suit your taste. Try red wine fondue, maybe with cheese, or cheddar and whiskey fondue if that’s your thing.
3. Add greens
Herbs aren’t technically traditional in fondue, but what is that part? I found that the flavor of a simple hot pocket fondue became tiresome after five bites, and I still had about 20 to go. Add a little complexity with fresh herbs. I added some thyme to my mixture, but there’s really no limit to how much or what variety you use. Try finely chopped rosemary or parsley. Some dried herbs, such as oregano or herbes de Provence, and spices, such as cayenne pepper or nutmeg, will also add a much-needed layer to your hot fondue pocket.
4. You must have other fondue ingredients.
This may be the biggest thing I’ve changed about my fondue pocket. I know we’re not dismissing this as a completely fancy twist on fondue, but to be clear, fondue as a dish has many elements. It’s served alongside diced bread, gherkins, sausages, bratwurst, fresh and dried fruit – all designed for dipping into a pool of cheese fondue. The cheese doesn’t just pour into your mouth, it’s a veil that covers the extra ingredient. It’s balanced.
While the hot fondue pocket eliminates the need for dipping other fondue ingredients, you don’t have to lose them completely. In fact, you shouldn’t do this. I added chopped pickles, jerky, and apple slices. It didn’t just make him better, it made him fantastic. The saltiness of the jerky and the sweetness of the apples excite your palate, while the bright acidity of the pickles is essential to balance out the fat. Make about a third of the additions to the recipe. While this may seem like a lot, it means that every bite will be covered in cheese and you’ll get a couple of tasty bits in each bite.
I cut my add-ins into small pieces, about a quarter or half inch, and stuck them in my pocket while I poured in the cheese. If you’re making a large batch of pockets for friends, simply pour the added ingredients into a fondue pot, stir, and pour the mixture into the hollowed out bread. Using these tips, you’re sure to end up with a more flavorful and less tiring hot fondue pocket than the original.