Chocolate Fondue with Assorted Fruit Platter--Serves 6

Ingredients
¾ cups of half and half
12 oz. of chopped dark sweet chocolate (Valhrona or Callebaut are excellent)
1 tablespoon of Grand Marnier
1 pint of strawberries
2 apples, cored & sliced
2 bananas
Cut up cubes of pound cake or angel food cake
1 cup of crushed graham crackers
½ cup of toasted coconut
½ cup of toasted almonds

Procedure
Make the chocolate fondue sauce by placing the half and half in your microwave for three minutes until hot. Add broken pieces of chocolate and whisk until smooth and then add Grand Marnier. Place in a decorative bowl.

Place fruits and cakes onto a platter or individual plates. Place the crushed graham crackers, coconut and almonds in a shallow bowl for guests to dip their items in.
*Note: Feel free to use any of your favorite fruits for this recipe. Pineapple, mandarin oranges and dried apricots pair wonderfully with the chocolate sauce.

You can use heavy cream instead of half and half if you like.

This sauce is delicious when accompanied with soufflés or cakes. It's also an easy and thoughtful hostess gift when placed in a mason jar, labeled and gift-wrapped!