Description
Baked Brie is a simple yet elegant appetizer featuring a whole round of creamy brie cheese baked until soft and gooey. This recipe enhances the rich flavors of brie with an optional drizzle of honey or maple syrup and a sprig of thyme, served alongside crostini or crackers for scooping. Perfect for entertaining, this warm, melty cheese dish delivers effortless deliciousness in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 250 – 500g / 8 – 16 oz round brie or camembert
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional)
- 1 thyme sprig (optional)
For Serving
- Crostini or other sturdy crackers
- 1 bunch purple grapes (or green, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 180°C (350°F) to ensure it is ready for baking the brie.
- Prepare the brie: Remove the brie from its packaging and place it in a small, shallow ovenproof dish that is just slightly larger than the cheese. Alternatively, you can place the brie on a piece of crumbled baking or parchment paper to facilitate easy transfer later.
- Bake the brie: Place the brie in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes if using a 250g (8 oz) wheel, or 25 minutes for a 500g (1 lb) wheel. The cheese is ready when the center feels very soft and nearly collapses when pressed gently.
- Microwave option: As an alternative, heat the brie in the microwave on high for about 2 minutes, checking in 30-second intervals to avoid overheating.
- Transfer carefully: Using the baking paper if you used it initially, carefully move the baked brie to a serving plate or board, taking care as the melted cheese is delicate and can easily break apart.
- Add toppings: Drizzle the warm brie with honey or maple syrup and place a fresh thyme sprig on top if desired.
- Serve immediately: Offer with crostini or crackers for scooping. Provide a knife to cut through the rind and a cheese or pâté knife to help guests scoop the creamy cheese onto their bread or crackers.
Notes
- Use an economical brie or camembert; this recipe works equally well with budget-friendly cheese as with high-end varieties.
- A shallow ovenproof dish slightly larger than the brie is ideal to contain the melted cheese and make serving easier. If you don’t have one, a shallow bowl or plate can work, or bake directly on crumbled parchment paper.
- Check the brie at 15 minutes to avoid overbaking, which can make the center hard. Use a gentle touch or a skewer test to confirm doneness.
- A 250g (8 oz) brie serves 6 to 10 people, as the rich melted cheese goes a long way.
- The choice of honey or maple syrup depends on personal preference; local honey often makes a better pairing.
- Baked brie stays gooey longer in a ceramic dish (around 15 minutes) compared to paper (about 10 minutes).
- Leftover baked brie is delicious reheated quickly in the microwave or spread on toast and grilled.
- This recipe excludes crostini in nutrition calculations.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approx. 42g (1/6th of 250g brie)
- Calories: 135 kcal
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
