Camembert, the small, soft, cows’ milk cheese famously sold in a thin wooden box,
was, according to legend, created in Normandy by Marie Harel during the French
Revolution. It quickly became one of the most famous cheeses not just in France, but
in Europe, and made the fortunes of many dairies in the Auge region of northern
France. This is a quick and easy starter to share; or something special to serve at a
Christmas drinks party.
Ingredients
- 1 x 250g whole baking camembert
- 1 parbake white baguette
- 3tbsp olive oil plus a little to serve
- sprigs of fresh thyme
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- a little cranberry sauce to serve
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/180°C fan/Gas 6. Remove the Camembert from its packaging, then place back in the box.
- Put in a roasting tin and mark the rind with a lattice pattern (see pic), leaving a 1.5cm gap between the shape and the edge. Slice the baguette and arrange in the roasting tin. Drizzle with half the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and scatter with a few sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Pop in the oven for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn the slices of bread over, drizzle with the rest of the oil and cook for a further 5-8 minutes until the toast is crisp and golden and the inside of the cheese is nice and runny (the exact time depends on how ripe the cheese is). If the toast is cooking faster than the cheese, remove the toast from the oven and set aside for a couple of minutes. Leave for a minute or so, then remove from the box.
- Put the cheese on a serving plate, drizzle with a little cranberry sauce, and scatter with sprigs of fresh thyme. Gently peel back the cheese rind to reveal the gooey cheese, and serve with the hot, crispy toast and extra cranberry sauce.
Top Tip for making Gooey Camembert with crunchy toast and fresh thyme
Don’t be fazed by the “baking camembert”. You can use any 250g camembert but if it is very ripe, then reduce the cooking time. If you slice the baguette thinly, that, too, will cook a little quicker.
Trusted, informative, and empathetic – GoodToKnow is the ultimate online destination for mums. Established in 2007, our 15-year-strong archive of content includes more than 18,000 articles, 1,500 how-to videos, and 7,000 recipes.
-
Creme Egg cupcakes
By Victoria Threader Published
-
Baked bean muffins
If your child is a fan of baked beans they’ll love these muffins. Instead of beans on toast for lunch why not try these baked bean muffins? Each muffin is filled to the brim with baked beans and the cheese bursts through in each and every bite!
By Anneliese Giggins Published
-
Beetroot hummus
Beetroot hummus is a healthy, bright and different alternative to dunk your pitta bread into.
By GoodtoKnow Published
-
Stuffed lamb shoulder with feta and apricot
Our stuffed lamb shoulder with feta and apricot is infused with lots of Middle Eastern flavours and it only takes 30 minutes of prep
By Rose Fooks Published
-
Stuffed spring leg of lamb with herby chutney
This stuffed spring leg of lamb with herby chutney is best made the night before so it can marinate and intensify in flavour.
By Jules Mercer Published
-
Easter coconut and lemon cake
This Easter coconut and lemon cake serves 12 and leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to three days.
By Jules Mercer Published
-
5 easy ways to let children take risks (without your anxiety going through the roof)
Here's why allowing children to put themselves in 'healthy' risk situations is actually good for them
By Selina Maycock Published
-
I’m a child psychologist - this 2-step technique will stop your kids answering back… and it sounds so easy
We've spoken to a child psychologist and parenting expert about how to handle kids who answer back, and she shared a simple two-step tip.
By Ellie Hutchings Published
-
Top 10 positive traits children learn from their parents - and #5 is no easy task
Have you passed any of these on to your kids?
By Ellie Hutchings Published