Sexy, unctuous, indulgent, calorific loveliness… that is baked camembert. What’s not to love? Today, a simple supper of Baked Camembert and charred Ciabatta, with raw carrot and radish on the side, to cut through the richness and, of course, a large glass of Pinot. Heaven.
One cheese was baked in my ceramic baker and the other in the small wooden box that it came in (minus the wrapping of course). There’s no real difference except that the hot ceramic pot keeps the cheese softer for longer, however, as we ate them so fast it wasn’t really an issue….
For the first cheese I sliced a cross in the top rind and pulled it back a little, pushed a couple of crushed cloves of garlic into the cheese and then poured in a large splash of white wine, I seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and a couple of sprigs of rosemary from the garden, On the other, crushed chilli peppers and black pepper, with rosemary (yes they are rosemary sprigs, not spiders, in the pictures). Baked in a highish oven for 15 mins until the cheese was oozing and soft.

I sliced the ciabatta and held them over the gas burner until charred, and then wiped one side of each slice with a raw garlic glove. Dip in the cheese, forget about the fat content, and enjoy. What could be simpler?