Cheesy, decadent, gooey, mouth-watering and slightly spicy – Baked Camembert is the best ever appetizer to share.
Did you know you could bake Camembert in the first place? I didn’t, turns out I’ve eaten this yummy cheese all wrong!
Baked Camembert has become fairly popular among pubs and restaurant during winter season. If you don’t fancy a trip to the pub at the end of the road ( especially with this cold weather), baking Camembert at home is a fantastic way to gather together a couple of friends and sip on a french bottle of wine – Merlot, if you ask me.
The recipe couldn’t be easier, with no effort at all, you’ll get an amazing no-brainer entrée to share with your loved ones on a cold night.
Easy tips to make the best baked Camembert
– Bake it in the wooden 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. Do not put the Camembert in the oven without one of the two, it will spread around leaving you with just a big mess and no cheese to indulge into.
– Make sure the oven temperature sticks to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4 (fan oven 160C), and not above than that.
– Score a deep cross on the top rind of the cheese, this will allow the air to escape while cooking. You can leave it as it is, or insert some garlic or rosemary sprigs which will infuse a refreshing flavor. 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 Camembert with sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper, you can also add some chili flakes to give a little spiciness to the cheese. Either drizzle the Camembert with Extravirgin olive oil, or some honey which gives a nice sweetness to it.
– The most important step is the baking time. Bake the Camembert for 15-20 mins, not more than that. Forget who tells you the more you bake it the softer and gooeyer it gets, this is just a big fat lie. 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.
Serve it with cheese crackers, toasted ciabatta slices or garlic bread. Once you have mastered the basics, get creative and try different spices and combinations.
Now, is your Camembert in the oven already? Call your friends, open up your favorite bottle of wine and enjoy this gooey delicacy all winter long.
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 smile *and super hungry*!
- 1 whole Camembert (about 350gr)
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 pinch of chili flakes
- Honey or Extravirgin olive oil to drizzle
- Sea salt flakes and black pepper, to taste
- Score a deep cross on the top rind of the cheese and insert the 2 sprigs of rosemary.
- Sprinkle with chili flakes, season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with honey or olive oil.
- Arrange the Camembert in its wooden box on in a small baking pot.
- Bake in a preheated oven to 180C/360F (oven fan 160C) for 15-20 mins.
- Remove from the oven, and serve with cheese crackers or toasted bread slices. Enjoy!