Garlic Rosemary Baked Camembert with Candied Walnuts, another must-have holiday appetiser. This recipe is festive, easy to prepare and it’s one that the crowd always loves! Quick, a handful of ingredients and super delicious. The garlic and rosemary provide an incredible aroma to the Camembert, already a bit fruity and earthy. To serve, some toasts and a top notch addition, some maple syrup candied walnuts, which you can also use as a dip or as an addition to any cheese and charcuterie board.
I find cheese is an infallible resource in any celebration, either in a cheese board format or in an appetiser such as my Asparagus and Brie Flaky Pastries, these Apple Bacon Cheddar Puff Pastry Bites, this Pizza Style Garlic Confit Bread or the fun Savoury Puff Pastry Christmas Tree.
In today’s recipe though, cheese is really the core ingredient. But it must be served with delicious toasts and oooh my, the candied walnuts are the cherry on top. So easy and quick to make, and so versatile! You can definitely serve the cheese with some knives on the side, but keep in mind that everyone is sure to dip their toasts and walnuts right into it. With a mouthwatering melted cheese in front of us, manners don’t matter, do they XD? Oh! And if you’re cooking for a little crowd, bake at least a couple of camembert wheels because they are going to disappear in the blink of an eye.
Some Notes on This Garlic Rosemary Baked Camembert Ingredients
This is another recipe that calls for just a handful of ingredients while being beyond delicious! The cheese itself only requires garlic and rosemary, and then a drizzle of olive oil before going into the oven. If you don’t like garlic, you can omit it entirely and instead of rosemary you can use thyme if you like it better or if it’s the herb you have on hand.
Moreover, if you prefer Brie to Camembert or Brie is the only thing you can find, you can use one or the other interchangeably. This recipe could easily be called a Garlic Rosemary Baked Brie.
Difference between Brie and Camembert
Camembert cheese is a French cheese which comes specifically from the Normandy region. It is made from cow’s milk and it is creamy, soft and ripened. It has an edible white rind and usually comes in a round wooden box. Its flavour is earthy, nutty and intense.
It is often confused with Brie because of its appearance. In the supermarket, they are generally sold side by side and they are both French cheeses made from cow’s milk. In addition, both have a white rind, and like Camembert, Brie’s is also edible. However, Brie is a bit creamier and fatty, since cream is added to the milk when it’s made. But the main difference in my opinion is how they taste. Camembert is more intense and it has a deeper and earthier flavour than the Brie. Brie is milder which makes it often more palatable.
In any case, as mentioned earlier, if Camembert is not for you, this recipe also works perfectly with Brie.
Candied Walnuts Topping
I’d dare to say that this candied walnut topping is what really makes this Baked Camembert (or Baked Brie :P) recipe so special. To make them, you only need walnuts, maple syrup and a pinch of salt to enhance the flavours and in this case it also gives a counterpoint to the sweetness of the syrup. I always make extra and store the leftovers in a jar or airtight container so I can use them:
- As a snack
- To make chocolate rocks
- To mix into salads
- As a side in cheese and charcuterie boards
- To use as a spread or dip topping
Other Topping Alternatives
You could use honey or other syrups such as agave, but in terms of flavour I find that maple syrup is the most suitable one. Why? Because it is the one with the lowest percentage of sugar among syrups and honey, so it’s not cloying, and it also has that earthy flavour that matches perfectly the earthiness point of Camembert and walnuts.
As for the type of nut, you could also use pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts. The advantage of using walnuts is that you can also use them as a dip since they are easy to grab from a corner. I don’t use pecans just because they tend to be even more expensive.
More Ideas to Serve this Baked Camembert with
First of all, just as I was telling you above, you can use other nuts, you don’t even need to caramelise them. Jams such as blueberry, raspberry and fig jam, or compotes such as apple compote are also a great option. And speaking of apple, diced apple or pear would also be great, or grapes.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Brie instead of Camembert?
Yes, of course! You can sub this with a round of brie. The key thing to bear in mind is that they have slightly different flavours as explained above :).
Why is my baked camembert hard?
It may be for 2 reasons. It may either be underbaked, so it hasn’t had enough time to melt, or totally the opposite, you may have overbaked it. If you melt it and continue baking it, it can harden (as sometimes happens with Raclette cheese for instance).
More Incredible Cheesy Appetisers
If you make this Garlic Rosemary Baked Camembert with Candied Walnuts recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rate it. Hearing from you is everything! Oh, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Garlic Rosemary Baked Camembert with Candied Walnuts
Ingredients
Candied Walnuts
- 100 g walnuts
- 40 ml maple syrup
- Pinch of salt
Baked Camembert
- 250 g Camembert - wheel-shaped, or Brie
- 2 Sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1 clove of garlic - sliced and cut into sticks
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
To Serve
- Toasts
Instructions
Candied Walnuts
- In a small pan mix the walnuts with the maple syrup and salt. Cook at medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the maple syrup has thickened and clings to the walnuts. Pour the walnuts onto parchment paper or a silpat, spreading them well so they do not clump. Let them cool completely.
Baked Camembert
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Place the camembert in an oven-safe pan (tin, dish, cast iron skillet, tray…). Score it and fill in the holes with the garlic and rosemary, alternating each other. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over it.
- Bake for 10-15 min until melted.
To Serve
- Top with some walnuts and serve with extra walnuts and toasts on the side. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @paulasapron on Instagram and hashtag it #paulasapron.