My kids don’t like new things. If I could serve the same two rotating dinners, they would be thrilled. But on Tu Bishvat it’s traditional to eat a new fruit that you haven’t eaten the entire season so that you can recite the blessing of shehecheyanu, marking something new.
Fig sandwiches, spicy olives or date chicken might be delicious and traditional, but they’re not things my little ones will dare eat.
The solution: Chocolate Fondue! Whip up hot melted chocolate in minutes, set up some fruit–pineapples, cherries, apples, pomegranates, grapes, dried fruit–and just start dipping. You’ll end up with great memories and happy kids. And who knows–the neglected star fruit might just get a chocolate makeover!
You’ll Need:
2 (3 1/2 oz.) bars of good quality bittersweet chocolate
½ cup whipped topping (non dairy or heavy cream)
2 tablespoons liqueur or brandy (preferably fruit)
Instructions:
1. In a small saucepot, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat.
2. While it’s simmering, chop the chocolate into small pieces.
3. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until the chocolate milts. Add the liqueur.
(Note: you can do it the lazy way: place everything but the liqueur in a microwaveable dish. Put it in the microwave and heat on high on 20-second intervals. Check the mixture and mix every 20 seconds until the chocolate is melted. Even though the chocolate may not look melted, mix it to make sure–be careful not to burn the chocolate! When chocolate is melted, mix in the liqueur.) 
5. Place the hot fondue in the center of the table.
6. Thread fruit on skewers or long forks and invite your guests to dip the fruit of the choice into the hot chocolate.
Tip: If you don’t have a fondue pot that you can use a microwaveable bowl. If the chocolate fondue gets too cool for dipping, just stick it back into the microwave and zap it for a few seconds, give it a good mix, and place it back on the table for everyone to enjoy.
For more Tu Bishvat recipes, try these delicious
fig and goat cheese sandwiches
or this fun-to-make
fruit mandala
.
