Mexican Hot Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients

Fondue:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh-ground coffee
• 1/2 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon or canela
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Dippers:

• Regular bananas
• Small bananas, like Manzano or red
• Strawberries, with stem
• Marshmallows
• Toasted cubes pound cake
• Pineapple chunks
• Anjou or Bartlett pear slices, unpeeled
• Fried wonton wrappers
• Bing cherries, with stem

Directions

Equipment: Fondue pot; fondue forks or wooden or metal skewers

In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch to blend. Slowly whisk in the cream; then the milk, coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour the mixture into a stainless steel saucepan and gently bring it to a boil. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 4 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter until melted. Using a fine-meshed sieve over a large bowl, strain the chocolate mixture and discard the solids. Pour into a warmed fondue pot and serve with assorted dippers and fondue forks.