Baked cheese is a deliciously decadent treat every winter… as if we needed another way to enjoy cheese. After posting our baked fontina on the @aroundmelbourne__ Instagram page, we got a lot of messages chasing the recipe. This got us thinking about baked Brie recipes, baked Camembert recipes and really all the sticky ways we can bake and eat cheese.
If your winter cheese spreads look the same as your summer ones, then this is a great way to bring some seasonal flavour to your next gathering. Or you might not want to share a wheel of baked cheese with anyone – and we support that too.
If you are looking for a dairy-free cheese platter option or want to make a vegan baked cheese recipe, then you can swap out the cheeses with your favourite vegan cheese. As these dairy-free cheese alternatively are made with soy and other ingredients – try to check on the baking process a couple of times to make sure it’s melting as you like.
What you need for baked cheese recipes
A baked cheese dish might look decadent, but you don’t actually need too much to achieve it. You can even add a seasonal twist to these recipes, incorporating tastes and flavours that are just right for your event. Just remember to make note of the baked cheese recipe variations that you like! To get baking you simply need the following:
- A ramekin or small baking pot
- Nuts
- Herbs
- A cheese knife or spoon
- Crispy bread or crackers
- Aluminium foil
The best baked Brie cheese recipe
Let’s kick things off with the most popular baked cheese options – Brie! This is the cheese that had us falling in love with these recipes, and the tougher rind of a brie means that you do not actually have to cube the cheese or do too much prep. We have chosen some fresh ingredients like lemon and thyme so that this baked brie recipe can be used to warm the cockles in winter or be shared on a hot Christmas Day.
This is the best baked Brie cheese recipe that we have tried:
Ingredients: A small wheel of Brie, lemon, 3-5 sprigs of fresh thyme and 1 garlic clove sliced.
Method: Preheat the oven to medium heat. Trace a circle from the baking paper of about 22cm, and place the Brie in the middle of the circle. Cut six slits in the top of the Brie and carefully push the garlic slices and chopped thyme into the slits. Then seal the Brie by folding the paper over the top of the cheese. Bake the Brie cheese for 20 minutes or until it is soft to the touch. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.
The best baked Camembert cheese recipe
If you need a refresher on the key differences between Brie and Camembert, Brie is a smoother texture and many find it to be a more refined flavour. Comparatively, Camembert is a more rustic-style cheese and its texture and taste is a bit more earthy – what more could you want in winter? The Camembert rind, like there Brie rind, can be eaten although you may like to peel the top off so it is easier to get to the creamy baked centre.
This is the best baked Camembert cheese recipe that we have tried:
Ingredients: A wheel of Camembert cheese, 1/5 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, chopped pistachios, raspberries and 1/4 cup of local honey.
Method: Preheat the oven to medium heat. Place the bare Camembert on a sheet of baking paper and bake for 12-15 minutes (you want the sides and top of the Camembert to feel soft). If you find that it is slightly firm, bake for an extra 3 minutes. Mix the honey and balsamic vinegar together on a low heat saucepan. When the liquid is warm, add the raspberries to coat. Place the baked Camembert on a tray of cheese board and add the coated raspberries, the honey liquid and your chopped pistachio nuts on top.
The best baked Fontina recipe
Fontina is a beautifully creamy cow’s milk, originating from Italy. The texture of Fontina cheese is semi-soft and the rind is very thin making it an easy cheese to cut into. This is why many will refer to this recipe as a baked Fontina cheese dip recipe. Ideally speaking, you want to be looking for a Fontina cheese that has aged 3 or more months because this is going to add to that creamy flavour and texture. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.
This is the best baked Fontina cheese recipe that we have tried:
Ingredients: Fontina cheese, quality olive oil, cream, honey, walnuts and rosemary.
Method: Preheat the oven to medium heat. Dice to Fontina cheese into small cubes and place inside the ramekin, baking pot or cast-iron pan. Pour a very small drizzle of olive oil over the cheese. Pour your cream and honey over the top. Sprinkle the walnuts and rosemary on top. Bake for 6 minutes or until you see browning on top or the cheese starts to bubble. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.
Well if these baked cheese recipes don’t get you excited for winter… we don’t know what will! Give them a try and let us know how you go by tagging us on Instagram. Check out our other Food & Drink articles.
