Cheese Counter
Make your baked-cheese dreams come true with this camembert-andsourdough number.
CAMEMBERT HAS ONE of the most famous origin stories. According to legend, it was created by Marie Harel in the 1700s, when she hid a monk in her farm cottage in the small village of Camembert, saving him from being beheaded during the French Revolution. Originally from Brie, the monk showed Marie how to make the cheese with moulds, and she perfected her version. Camembert did not find fame until
60 years later, when the development of railroads enabled the cheese to be transported to Paris.
Normandy camembert comes in a traditional poplar box and wax paper. Good-quality camembert should be whiffy! It should taste like cooked cauliflower, porcini mushrooms and apples. If you want to find out if the cheese is ripe, make a fist with your hand and press the fleshy part between your thumb and index finger (similar to testing a steak’s doneness). This is how ripe camembert should feel.
This very moreish cheese goes perfectly with a Normandy or dry cider, apples and a fresh baguette.
BAKED CAMEMBERT IN SOURDOUGH SERVES 6
1 round sourdough loaf, sliced thickly widthwise without cutting the whole way through
Extra virgin olive oil, to brush 250g Normandy camembert (we used
Le Conquérant Camembert), chilled 2 garlic cloves
1/2 bunch thyme
2 tbs white wine
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Grease a large oven tray and line with baking paper.
Cut a circle out of the top of the bread to fit the camembert snuggly (use the bottom lid of the container as a guide) and scoop out bread. Brush olive oil in between each cut in the bread then transfer to the prepared tray. Remove the wax paper from the chilled camembert and slot into the hole in the centre of the bread.
Heat a small saucepan half full with water over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the garlic and blanch for 1 minute then drain. Thickly slice garlic and pierce into the cheese in several places and push the thyme leaves in between each cut in the bread. Drizzle wine over the cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until bread is golden and cheese is melted and oozing. Serve immediately, tearing the sliced bread to dip and scoop out the molten camembert.