Booze Up Your Chocolate Fondue With A Splash Of Bourbon

Chocolate fondue is a sweet and sensual dessert thanks to its silky, creamy texture and deep, rich flavor. With the only crucial ingredients needed being chocolate and cream, it is just as easy to make at home as it is to enjoy. If you are over the legal drinking age, however, you may be searching for a way to elevate this simple dessert with some more sophisticated flavors — especially if you are planning to serve it for a special, or possibly romantic, occasion. The quickest way to do so is by adding a splash of liquor, especially bourbon.

While there are many different spirits that pair well with desserts, whiskey and chocolate are one of the best matches. Bourbon in particular is an especially good option for chocolate fondue because of its confection-like flavors. Bourbon tasting notes include a variety of indulgent flavors like butter, vanilla, caramel, and maple syrup. All of these notes act as excellent complements to melted chocolate, adding dimension and enhancing your overall enjoyment of this classic dessert. To incorporate, all you need to do is add a small amount of bourbon into the heavy cream, as shown in our Irish cream chocolate fondue recipe.

To really knock this combination out of the park, it is important to pick a type of bourbon that you enjoy. It does not necessarily need to be expensive, since the more subtle flavors of the spirit will be overwhelmed by the chocolate, but it should be a brand that tastes smooth and has your preferred level of bite. For guidance, check out our recommendations for the best bourbon brands. You can also take things to the next level by experimenting with flavored bourbons, such as banana bourbon or peanut butter bourbon. You may also find that different blends of dark, milk, and white chocolate can bring out different flavors that you enjoy.

This approach opens up the door to some delicious and creative dipping accoutrement as well. Try to select foods that echo the tasting notes in the bourbon in order to make them even easier to pick up on. For example, toffee or almond biscotti will bring out the caramel-like nuttiness in bourbon, whereas pretzels may bring out the more savory, malty notes. Some bourbons even have a pronounced fruitiness to them, so don't be afraid to play around with fresh options like apple slices or strawberries.