Baked Camembert is one of my all-time favourite foods. It’s quick & easy to make and the perfect thing to have on-hand for any food emergencies from unexpected guests to a snack after a night out with a nightcap. For me, this delicious snack is always a good idea and I just love experimenting with new ways to enjoy it! My latest iteration is Honey Garlic Baked Camembert and it’s a winner!
Many people really enjoy something sweet alongside cheese whether it be a chutney, a jam or some fruit. Honey is also an excellent option and I love the way it sort of caramelises in the oven while this bakes. The combination of cheese with garlic, rosemary, a few chilli flakes, sweet honey and a splash of white wine gives an excellent punch of flavour!
I can’t stress enough that a baked Camembert is always going to be better in my opinion when it’s fully melted. When I order a baked Camembert in a pub or restaurant, it’s often just barely warmed up and not terribly melted, making it more difficult to scoop onto bread, but also just a bit less enjoyable. Make sure when you’re baking your cheese that it’s properly melted – liquid in the middle and hot. You’ll be so glad you did – trust me!
The splash of white wine in this recipe is optional, but I find it helps the cheese to melt a bit and adds a nice little bit of flavour to it. However, don’t feel like you have to use it if you don’t want to. Also, this is not the time to break out your really expensive, fancy honey. The cheap stuff from the squeeze bottle is perfect here and since you’re baking it, you likely won’t know the difference. Let’s get started!
Ingredients
- 250g wheel of Camembert
- 3 garlic cloves, cut in half lenghtways
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Pinch of dried chilli flakes
- Pinch of sea salt flakes
- Leaves from a sprig of Rosemary, very finely chopped
- A small glug of white wine (optional)
- Rustic bread slices, toasted and cut into fingers for dipping
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180° Fan / 400°F.
- Open the cheese and remove any paper linings from the box and then put the cheese back in the bottom of the box, putting the lid on the bottom as well to reinforce it. Place this into a round baking dish or small oven-proof pie plate. Really any type of oven-safe dish will work – even a baking sheet is fine.
- Prepare the cheese by using a teaspoon to scrape the top of the rind off or alternatively you can slice or scrape it off with a knife, but you want to preserve as much of the cheese as possible. Only do this on the top side – the rest of the rind can remain.
- Drizzle the honey across the top of the cheese and sprinkle on the chilli flakes, the sea salt flakes and the finely chopped Rosemary. Finish with a small glug of white wine on top if you’re using it.
- Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until melted through almost like a liquid with a crispy, blistered crust on top. You can check this with a knife if you’re not sure. In my opinion it’s better when it’s really melty because it will become more solid as it sits while you’re eating it, so if in doubt give it some more time in the oven.
- When the cheese is ready, serve hot with the toasted fingers of bread for dipping.
Click here for more Nibbles recipes from ashleylaurenturner.com!