Cheesy, gooey, slightly spicy and ready in less than 20 minutes – Learn all the tips and tricks to make the best baked camembert.
If you’re looking for easy happy hour food for your next dinner party, look no further. Fancy but easy baked French cheese is the answer.
If you are not familiar with Camembert, it’s a French round cheese that is very similar to Brie, but comes in a wood box.
Both these kinds of cheese come from a similar recipe using cow’s milk.
The main difference between these two kinds of cheese is that Brie has added cream in it, making it slightly creamier and higher in fat.
They have both an earthy flavour and aroma (slightly similar to mushrooms), but Brie has a more buttery and delicate flavour in my point of view.
Camembert, on the other hand, has a more intense and nutty flavour.
You can find more details about the difference between the two cheese here.
Camembert is also sold in a whole wheel, making it easier to bake. If you have the chance, look for the AOC Camembert de Normandie, which is made with unpasteurized milk, you’ll get the best of the best.
But if you want to make baked Brie instead (which is usually sold in slices), you should be able to find baby Brie wheels nowadays.
Bake it At Home
Baked Camembert is quickly becoming a popular appetizer to share, whether you go to a fancy restaurant or to the local pub.
The good news is, you can totally make this delicacy at home, and it takes just 20 minutes.
I promise that with minimum efforts, you’ll get an amazing appetizer to feed a large crowd. Pair it with a French bottle of red wine or white wine, and you can’t go wrong with it.
This is truly the best recipe out there, and you don’t need fancy equipment or ingredients!
All you need is a small Camembert wheel, its wooden box, some favourite herbs and spices and honey or extra-virgin olive oil.
I’ve decided to go for a simple flavor combination, so I used rosemary and chili flakes.
Other herbs (such as thyme) will work just as great, and you can also add a sliced garlic clove if you like.
I also like to brush the cheese with a bit of honey, but a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil works super well too.
Once ready, serve it straight away whilst it is still hot and creamy.
Tips and tricks
I’ve been making this recipe for years now, and not once it has failed me.
The recipe is totally fool-proof, but make sure to follow these easy tips for best results.
– Bake the cheese in the wooden box
Use the box it comes with, but obviously, remove the plastic wrapping. If it doesn’t come in a wooden box, you can use a small baking pot or a Camembert baker.
Do not put the cheese in the oven without one of the two, as it will spread around leaving you with a big, cheesy mess.
Additionally, to be extra safe, wrap the wooden box in foil, and arrange it on a baking sheet to avoid any cheese spillage (I never had this issue, but just in case).
– Check the oven temperature
Make sure the oven temperature sticks to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4 (fan oven 160C), and not above than that.
– Score a deep cross or a crosshatch pattern
Using a sharp knife, score the top of the cheese, this will allow the air to escape while cooking.
Some people actually cut the top rind entirely, this is really up to your taste, I’m definitely a rind lover, so I keep it on mine.
– Season well the top of the rind
Sprinkle sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper or chilli flakes to give a little spiciness to the cheese.
Drizzle the top with extra-virgin olive oil or some honey which gives a nice sweetness to it.
– The most important step is the baking time
Bake the cheese for 12-15 minutes, not more than that.
Forget who tells you that, the more you bake it the softer and gooeyer it gets.
If you bake it more than you should, the cheese will harden back again and there’s no chance you can rescue it from there.
Serving tip: Serve your creamy baked cheese with crackers, toasted baguette slices or garlic bread. For the perfect aperitivo combo, pair it with an Italian charcuterie board.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook! Looking at your pictures always makes me happy *and super hungry*!
The Best Baked Camembert
Ingredients
- 1 Camembert cheese in wooden box about 350 gr
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 pinch of chili flakes
- 1 tbsp honey to drizzle
- sea salt flakes and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F (oven fan 160°C). Arrange a baking tray onto the middle shelf.
- Remove the plastic packaging and arrange the Camembert back in its wooden box, or in a small baking pot.
- Score a deep cross or a crosshatch pattern on the top rind of the cheese. Drizzle with honey or extra-virgin olive oil, and insert the leaves of one sprig of rosemary into the gaps.
- Sprinkle with chili flakes, season with sea salt flakes and optional black pepper.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and serve with cheese crackers or toasted bread slices.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
**This recipe was originally posted in January 2015 and updated with new images and more info.**