Ingredients
- 1 wheel of Camembert cheese made with pasteurized milk,
- Small wheels are usually 6-8 oz or about 180-240g
- ½ garlic clove, sliced or some pre-sliced/minced garlic
- A few sprigs of fresh or dried thyme or rosemary
- Drizzle of balsamic vinegar or olive oil
- Ground pepper to taste
Directions
Unwrap the camembert from any plastic/wax paper wrapping. If you are cooking for a few people, use the whole wheel and slice the top rind off. If you are cooking for one, slice the camembert wheel in half so that you have two thinner round wheels. Wrap the other half in wax paper, then in plastic wrap—make sure it’s totally, tightly covered, and keep it in the fridge or freeze it.
If the wheel came in a wooden container (very common for Camembert cheese), simply line the wooden container with foil. If not, wrap the camembert in foil—make sure the bottom and sides are all covered so the cheese will hold in place as it bakes. Place the wheel or half-wheel of cheese rind-side down inside. Using a knife, make several little slits in the exposed cheese (the side without the rind). Push garlic pieces and thyme/rosemary sprigs inside these slits. Sprinkle some ground pepper over top. Preheat oven to 375°F or 190°C. Place cheese in its wooden box on the oven rack and bake for about 15 minutes, until gooey inside. Don’t overcook it—it will get hard!
Microwave version: place the cheese in a microwave-safe bowl or ramekin—don’t use aluminium foil in the microwave! Cook it on high for about 1 minute—if it’s not soft and gooey yet, cook it for 30 sec at a time until it is.
Store leftovers immediately (within 2 hours) in the fridge, covered, and consume within a few days.
— By Franklynn, Yale University and University College London
