Baked Camembert Cheese in its Box
An Easy and Delicious Hot Cheese Starter - a French Classic
Oct 29, 2008
Camembert is one of the most famous of French cheeses and once tasted it’s never forgotten. It was first created in Normandy in 1791 by a farmer who was harbouring a priest during the French Revolution. Together they developed a method of aging fresh cow’s milk and allowing a soft grey penicillin mould to cover the rind which created the ripe, rich, creamy cheese that we know today.
Camembert made outside of France does taste a little milder as by law in the USA cheese cannot be made with unpasteurised milk. Even so, for some the density of flavour can be a little off-putting. Baking Camembert however seems to add a creamier dimension to the cheese, which softens the flavour slightly and makes it completely irresistible.
Recipe for Baked Camembert:
Serves: Serves 4 as a starter
Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 10 min
Ingredients
- 1 Camembert in its box
- freshly ground salt and black pepper
- a few thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- Garlic toast, to serve
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 220°/gas 7.
- Unwrap the cheese and carefully slice the rind off the top of the cheese. Return the cheese to its open box, cut side up. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle over thyme and drizzle over the olive oil. Place the boxed cheese on a baking sheet.
- Bake the Camembert in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is browned on top and melted inside. Allow to cool slightly, then serve.
- Meanwhile make the garlic toast
Garlic Toast:
Ingredients:
- 1 French style baguette
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, cut in half
- small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Sea salt
Preheat the grill to medium. Cut the baguette into rounds and then each round in half to make a wedge. Toast the bread until golden. Drizzle with olive oil and rub generously with a cut garlic clove. Scatter lightly with the parsley, rubbing it into the bread so that it sticks. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.
Alternative cooking methods:
- If you can’t buy the boxed Camembert or wish to serve the cheese with a fruit sauce then:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Lay the naked cheese in the centre of a 30cm-square piece of baking parchment.
- Season with herbs as above and cook for 15 mins
- Remove the cheese from the oven and serve immediately in the paper. Use the garlic toasts as scoops.
Other ways to enjoy your baked Camembert:
Alternative ways to dress the cheese before baking: Drizzle with honey. Stud with garlic cloves. Sprinkle with paprika. Crust with hazelnuts. Slather with caramelised onions.
Or make a sweet compote to be poured over the cheese once it has been removed from the oven – red berries are particularly good with the tangy flavour of camembert, simply simmer a handful of berries of your choice with a tablespoon of hot water and a spoonful of sugar until the fruit is soft and unctuous.
Caramelised pears or apples are also a delicious accompaniment. Peel, slice and lightly fry in a buttered frying pan with a sprinkle of honey or brown sugar until hot and slightly coloured. Circle the hot fruit slices around the cheese as it is served.
More than just a starter:
For a really lovely rustic lunch for two, bake the cheese with the simple garlic and thyme recipe above and serve with a side dish of rocket and fresh pear salad.
