Baked Camembert

A whole wheel of Camembert baked until the middle turns to hot, oozing cheese, scented with thyme and a drizzle of honey, walnuts on top for crunch. It is an absolute showstopper, effortless to prepare yet irresistibly indulgent!

Prep10

Cook20

Total30

Servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

1 camembert
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tbsp honey
1 handful walnuts
black pepper to taste

Equipment

Instructions

Prepare the oven and cheese

Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Remove any plastic wrapping from the Camembert. Keep it in its wooden box if it's oven-safe (stapled, not glued or card); otherwise put it in a small ovenproof dish.

Score and flavour the cheese

With a sharp knife, cut a shallow criss-cross grid into the top rind, cutting through but not removing it. Press small sprigs of thyme and rosemary into the cuts.

Add nuts, honey and pepper

Scatter the walnuts over the top. Drizzle the honey evenly across the surface and add a good grind of black pepper.

Bake the Camembert

Place on a baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until molten and runny inside but with the rind intact.

Serve immediately

Rest for a minute, then serve warm with crusty bread, crackers, or slices of apple or pear for dipping. Don't let it sit, it firms up as it cools.

Notes

Check the box is oven-safe first. Stapled wooden boxes are fine; glued or cardboard ones aren't. Use a dish if unsure.
A ripe Camembert melts best. An underripe one won't give you that runny centre.
Swap the nuts: almonds or hazelnuts work as well as walnuts. Toast them for more flavour.
Herbs are flexible. Thyme and rosemary can be swapped or combined with what you've got.
Leftovers are good stirred into mashed potato or spread on toast the next day.

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