This easy baked Camembert recipe transforms a whole wheel of cheese into a warm, gooey centre flavoured with garlic, thyme, honey, and toasted walnuts. Serve it with crusty bread, crackers, or fresh vegetables for an irresistible sharing starter.
Calories
310kcal
Protein
13g
Carbs
12g
Fat
23g
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Remove the Camembert from all plastic, wax, or paper packaging. Place it back into a suitable oven-safe wooden box or a small Camembert baking dish.
Use a sharp knife to make shallow cuts across the top of the rind, creating a simple crosshatch pattern. Do not cut through the bottom rind.
Tuck the sliced garlic and some of the thyme into the cuts. Drizzle the top with olive oil and honey, then scatter over the remaining thyme, chopped walnuts, and black pepper.
Place the Camembert on a baking tray and bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes. The centre should feel very soft when gently pressed and should be molten when opened.
Remove the cheese from the oven and let it rest for 1 to 2 minutes. This allows the bubbling cheese to settle slightly while keeping the centre warm and dippable.
Place the baked Camembert on a serving board and surround it with toasted baguette slices, apple slices, and grapes. Serve while the centre is warm and melted.
This baked Camembert recipe turns a whole wheel of cheese into a warm, creamy centre with a golden, fragrant topping of garlic, thyme, honey, and toasted walnuts. It is an easy sharing starter that feels special without requiring complicated preparation.
Serve the gooey cheese straight from the oven with crusty bread, crisp apple slices, or grapes for an irresistible combination of creamy, savoury, sweet, and fresh flavours.
Ready in around 25 minutes.
Uses simple ingredients.
Rich, creamy, and full of flavour.
Perfect for sharing.
Great for dinner parties and gatherings.
Easy to customise with different toppings.
Baked Camembert is a whole wheel of Camembert gently heated until the inside becomes soft and molten while the rind helps hold the cheese together. It is typically served warm with bread or other foods for dipping.
The cheese has a naturally rich and earthy flavour, which makes it particularly good with contrasting ingredients such as honey, fresh herbs, garlic, fruit, and crunchy nuts.
Use a whole Camembert that is suitable for baking. A wheel around 250 g is ideal for sharing as a starter and provides plenty of melted cheese for dipping.
The goal is a soft, molten centre rather than a firm or dried-out cheese. Start checking towards the end of the cooking time because different wheels can melt at slightly different rates.
Camembert is rich and creamy, so contrasting flavours work particularly well. Honey adds sweetness, garlic brings savouriness, thyme adds freshness, and walnuts provide a pleasant crunch.
Freshly toasted bread is one of the easiest choices because it can be dipped directly into the melted cheese. A crusty baguette, sourdough, crackers, or breadsticks also work well.
For a fresher contrast, serve the Camembert with crisp apple slices, grapes, pears, or fresh vegetables. A little fruit preserve or chutney can also complement the creamy cheese.
Drizzle warm Camembert with honey and add fresh thyme or rosemary for a simple sweet and savoury combination.
Replace the thyme with fresh rosemary and add extra garlic for a deeper savoury flavour.
Add a little chilli to the honey for a sweet topping with gentle heat.
Try chopped walnuts with a little fig preserve, dried cranberries, or fresh pear for a festive sharing board.
It is best prepared shortly before serving because the cheese is at its most enjoyable when the centre is warm and molten. You can, however, prepare the toppings and serving ingredients ahead of time so the final preparation is quick.
The most common reason is overbaking. Camembert should be removed once the centre has become soft and melted. Leaving it in the oven for too long can cause the cheese to lose its ideal gooey texture.
Yes. The soft white rind of Camembert is edible and becomes warm and tender during baking. If you prefer, you can scoop the melted cheese from inside and leave the rind behind.
Place the hot Camembert in the centre of a serving board and arrange toasted bread, fruit, crackers, and vegetables around it. Serve immediately while the cheese is still warm enough for dipping.
For entertaining, provide small knives or forks alongside the dippers so everyone can easily scoop up the melted cheese.
A whole Camembert generally needs only a short time in a hot oven to become molten. Begin checking it towards the end of cooking and remove it once the centre is completely soft.
The centre should feel very soft when gently pressed and should be melted beneath the rind. It should remain creamy rather than becoming firm or dry.
Some Camemberts come in wooden boxes designed for baking, but always remove the cheese's plastic, paper, or wax packaging first. If the box is not clearly suitable for oven use, transfer the cheese to an appropriate ovenproof dish.
Crusty baguette and sourdough are excellent choices because their firm texture holds up well when dipped into warm melted cheese. Breadsticks and sturdy crackers also work well.
It is best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be gently reheated. Use low, gentle heat and avoid prolonged cooking because the cheese can become oily or firm.
This baked Camembert recipe is an easy way to create an impressive sharing starter with minimal effort. The combination of molten cheese, garlic, thyme, honey, and toasted walnuts gives every bite a delicious balance of creamy, savoury, sweet, and crunchy flavours.
Serve it at your next gathering with plenty of crusty bread and fresh accompaniments. For more easy starters, comforting classics, and crowd-pleasing recipes, explore LaGrub.
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