Chocolate Liqueur Fondue

12 ounces milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate or sweet cooking chocolate
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 to 3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, Kirsch, brandy,
white creme de menthe or 2 teaspoons instant coffee
(dry) or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dippers

Heat chocolate and half-and-half in heavy saucepan over low heat,
stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is
smooth. Remove from heat; stir in liqueur or other flavoring.
Pour into fondue pot or chafing dish with water bath; keep warm
over very low heat. (Note: A crock pot set on low does a great
job of keeping the fondue warm) Stir in a small amount of cream if
fondue becomes too thick while guests are dipping.

Variation: Chocolate-Sour Cream Fondue. Substitute 1/2 cup dairy
sour cream for 1/4 cup of the half-and-half.
Dippers: strawberries, banana slices*, pineapple chunks, mandarin
orange segments, fresh orange slices, apple wedges*, grapes, melon
balls, papaya wedges*, maraschino cherries (I also love fresh pitted
Bing cherries!), kiwifruit slices, fresh coconut chunks, pound cake
cubes, ladyfingers, miniature cream puffs, miniature doughnuts,
marshmallows, pretzels, angel food cake cubes and vanilla wafers.
All the fruits followed by a * should be dipped in lemon juice
after cutting to prevent oxidation.