Fondant and fondue both sound similar, and that may be confusing.

In fact, both words have the same French root “fondre” which means to melt

However, fondant and fondue are two entirely different things despite how much they both sound alike.

The main difference between Fondant and fondue is that fondant is an icing which is used as a decorative covering for cakes while fondue is a Swiss dish made with melted cheese.

In this post we are going to explain further what a fondant is, what fondue is, how they are used as well as the differences between the both of them.

What is fondant?

One of the exciting things about cakes is how beautifully they are decorated with patterns or flowers made out of edible materials.

Several items can be used to for making such decorations on top of cakes, and some of them are known as icings.

Icings are sweet tasting and there are several types of icing used as decorative elements on cakes.

Some of them are used to make those pretty flowers, some are best used for making spiral figures, while some are simply used to cover cakes; they include butter cream, royal cream, meringue.

Fondant is one of such icing used for decorating cakes.

They are mostly used to give cakes or cupcakes a smooth covering on which other icings are used to create designs.

Fondant could also be cut into flat shapes to be added as part of the decorations of a cake.

What is fondant made of ?

Fondant is made using sugar, water, gelatine, shortening, glycerol and corn syrup.

Fondant could be made into thick liquid known as poured fondant which can be used as a filling or icing, or it could be in the form of rolled fondant which has the consistency of dough and is used to cover cakes

Poured fondant can be made with sugar, shortening, and water, with or without corn syrup.

For rolled fondant, gelatin and glycerin are added.

When rolled on the cake, fondant hardens as it dries.

Fondants taste sugary and can be made colorful by using edible food coloring.

What is fondue?

Fondue is a Swiss dish traditionally made using melted cheese and eaten from a heated ceramic pot.

Different cheese types are often combined to make fondue.

Wine is also used especially white wine.

This dish is usually eaten using a long fork which is used to dip bread into the pot of melted cheese.

Fondue is kept warm using a portable stove which helps to keep the cheese melted.

There are also certain variations of fondue made using melted chocolate as its main ingredient.

Other types of fondue include broth and oil fondue in which meat or vegetables can be dipped into.

What is Fondue made of?

The main ingredients used for making fondue include, cheese, white wine, garlic, and cornstarch, although the ingredients may vary based on the particular recipe.

Bread is dipped into the fondue, however there are other foods used as dips.

Comparing fondant and fondue

Still confused?

Here’s a pretty simplified table on the differences between fondant and fondue

	Fondant	Fondue
1.	An icing used for cake decorations	A popular Swiss dish
2.	Made out of sugar, water, gelatin and glycerol	Fondue is made using melted cheese and alcohol, or chocolate.
3.	Fondant is left at room temperature to become hard and dry	Fondue is eaten warm
4.	Has a sugary taste	Tastes like cheese

In summary?

Both fondant and fondue are words derived from the French word ‘fondre‘ which means to melt.

Fondant is decorative element used in baking cakes, while fondue is a dish made of melted cheese or chocolate.

Fondue is kept warm, and the cheese melted using a stove, while fondant is left to harden at room temperature.