Puffy Baked Fondue

Puffy baked fondue is what happens when traditional Swiss fondue meets the technique of a savory soufflé. Stiff-peaked egg whites get folded into a wine-spiked yolk-and-milk batter, then poured over bread cubes and Swiss cheese in individual casserole dishes and baked until golden and dramatic.

The rise comes entirely from the whipped egg whites, the same way a soufflé lifts. Beating the whites to stiff peaks (tips stand straight up when you lift the beater) traps air bubbles that expand in the oven heat, pushing the bread and cheese mixture into a domed, cloud-like topping.

Dry white wine is the unexpected ingredient that pulls this from breakfast strata into proper Swiss territory. Just one tablespoon brings the acidic bite that traditional fondue gets from kirsch, plus a wine note that pairs beautifully with the Swiss cheese.

The small individual casseroles are the right call. They cook through faster than a single large dish and each gets its own dramatic puffed top.

Serve the moment they come out of the oven. Like all soufflé-style dishes, they deflate within minutes.

Pro Tips

• Beat the whites in a clean, dry bowl. Even a trace of fat keeps egg whites from reaching stiff peaks.
• Fold the yolks and bread mixture into the whites in three additions. Folding all at once deflates the whites and you lose the lift.
• Use stale or day-old French bread. Fresh bread turns to mush in the custard; stale bread holds structure.
• Don’t open the oven during the first 15 minutes. The temperature drop will collapse the rising soufflé.

Variations

• Use sourdough French bread (the recipe note suggests this) for a tangier, more complex flavor.
• Swap Swiss for Gruyere or a 50/50 mix of both for deeper, nuttier cheese flavor.
• Stir 2 strips of cooked crumbled bacon into the bread layer for a smokier version.