Pumpkin Cheese Fondue Appetizer
; "Pinterest"){kind=small}
I've been making my famous pumpkin fondue recipe for a long time, and my family always considers it a treat when it shows up on the table. Baking the cheese in an actual pumpkin makes for a real statement! I found the recipe in its original form in a Junior League cookbook from Jackson, Mississippi that I received as a wedding present. I've altered it slightly over the years to suit my own tastes and would like to share this simple recipe with you all today so you can use it at any of your upcoming fall festivities.
Pumpkin Cheese Fondue Recipe
- 1 cooking pumpkin (a.k.a. "pie pumpkin", not a carving pumpkin)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 oz baby Swiss cheese, shredded
- 2 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 4 slices white bread, toasted and cubed or crumbled
- 1 pint heavy cream or half & half
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- paprika for color
- extra toasted bread for dipping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use a sharp knife to cut an opening in the top of the pumpkin, then set aside the top. Remove the seeds and fibers from inside. Blend the oil and garlic and rub on the inside of the pumpkin to coat. Place your pumpkin in a baking dish. Alternate layers of bread and cheeses inside the pumpkin until filled. Combine cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg and pour over the layers.
Replace top and bake pumpkin for 2 hours, gently stir the contents after 1.5 hours. For a fondue, serve with extra toasted bread for dipping. To use as a side dish, scrape out the cooked pumpkin to combine with the cheese mixture.
When making this recipe, be sure to choose a small, tasty, "cooking pumpkin" (a.k.a. pie pumpkin), and not one of those giant ones meant for carving into Jack o' Lanterns. Use a sharp knife to cut a hole in the top of your pumpkin and set the top aside while you clean out all the pumpkin guts.
Mince the garlic and mix it with the vegetable oil.
Pour the garlic and oil mixture into your cleaned-out pumpkin and use your fingers to rub it around the inside of the pumpkin, coating it well.
Then cut up some crusty bread and toast it.
While your bread is toasting, go ahead and grate your cheeses. Mmmm... cheese!
Crumble the toast up into bits, or if you prefer large chunks of bread like I do, cut it into cubes. Then add alternating layers of bread and cheese until the pumpkin is full to about 1" below the top edge — you've got to be sure to leave room for the lid!
Mix the heavy whipping cream (or half & half) with the salt and nutmeg.
Pour the mixture over top of your layered cheese and bread, then add a little more cheese on top for good measure.
Put the pumpkin's lid back on, then pop the whole thing in the oven for 2 hours. After 1.5 hours, give the cheese a good stir. When it is all good and bubbly inside, take it out of the oven and stir it. Sprinkle with a little paprika for color, and serve.
This fondue works great as an appetizer, served with more toasted bread. You can also turn it into a side dish by scraping the pumpkin flesh off the inside and mixing it into the cheese. Either way, it's delicious!
6 comments so far:
Love this stuff!
This looks divine!! Can't wait to give it a try!
Oh my heavens, this looks cheesaliciously divine!!! I was going to bring a pumpkin cream cheese dip to our next daycare potluck, but if I can get off work early enough, perhaps I'll make this! How do I know if it's a cooking pumpkin as opposed to a jack-o-lantern pumpkin? Never knew there was a difference.
The cooking pumpkins will be in the fruit and vegetable section of your grocery and will be a lot smaller. They will usually have a sign that says "cooking", "baking", or "pie" pumpkin on them. I hope you enjoy it!
This looks so delicious. I am definately going to give it a try.
Wow! I made this today with my kids. There was something easy for all of them to do, from crumbling the bread for the little guy to grating the cheese and measuring ingredients for the older ones. It baked while we carved Jack-o-lanterns. It was delicious and a perfect for a snack for the whole family. I think we have a new tradition in our household!
Thanks!!