Baked Camembert with Garlic (Printable version)
Molten Camembert enriched with garlic and herbs, perfect with crusty bread.
# What you need:
→ Cheese
01 - 1 whole Camembert cheese (8.8 oz), in wooden box
→ Aromatics & Herbs
02 - 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
03 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
→ Seasonings
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
06 - Pinch of sea salt
→ To Serve
07 - 1 baguette or rustic bread, sliced
# How To:
01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
02 - Remove any wrapping from Camembert and place it in its wooden box or a small ovenproof dish. Score the top in a criss-cross pattern.
03 - Insert garlic slices and fresh herb sprigs into the cuts on top of the cheese.
04 - Drizzle olive oil over the cheese surface and season with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sea salt.
05 - Place the Camembert on a baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until melted and gooey at the center.
06 - Serve immediately with warm sliced bread for dipping.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It looks impressive but requires almost no effort, just a few cuts and into the oven it goes.
- The cheese becomes this impossibly creamy, gooey center that everyone fights over with bread.
- You can tweak the herbs and garlic to whatever you have around, and it still turns out beautiful.
02 -
- Don't skip scoring the top, those cuts let the garlic and herbs sink in and give the cheese room to expand without bursting.
- Watch the timing closely, a few extra minutes can turn it from gooey perfection to a rubbery mess.
- Serve it hot, Camembert sets quickly once it cools and you lose that magical molten texture.
03 -
- Use a sharp knife to score the cheese cleanly, a dull blade will drag and tear the rind.
- If the cheese starts to leak in the oven, don't panic, just let it finish baking and scrape up any crispy bits from the tray, they're delicious.
- Timing matters more than temperature, check it at 15 minutes and go by feel, the center should give when you press it gently.