Savory Baked Brie Recipe with Pesto, Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

Do you take the rind off brie before baking? ›

Do you take the rind off before baking? Keep the rind on, as it will help the cheese hold its shape so it doesn't all melt out. The rind is also edible, so you can enjoy it with the melted cheese, or simply remove the top layer after baking and dunk in crusty bread like a fondue.

When baking brie, remembering a few key things will encourage good melting. The first is to score or remove some of the top rind.

Just know that without the rind, it will likely spread more because there's nothing holding it together. Why is my baked brie rubbery? This can be two things. If you left the rind of the cheese on, the baked brie may seem like it is rubbery once heated, or the brie was overcooked by leaving it in the oven too long.

Brie cheese is the perfect partner to jam! It pairs beautifully with jam varieties, such as: fig, apricot, blackberry, boysenberry or cherry jam.

If possible leave your Brie on the counter for an hour before baking. This just takes the chill off the cheese and allows it to bake more evenly. Unwrap the Brie and place it on a square of parchment paper on a baking sheet with sides.

Lots of people eat brie with the rind intact, but many find its taste and texture unappetizing.

The rind is, in fact, a white mold called Penicillium candidum, which cheesemakers inoculate the cheese with. This edible mold blooms on the outside of the paste and is then patted down, over and over again, to form the rind. This process gives Brie its distinctive taste.

Be careful not to overbake the brie. The cheese can go from a melty lava-like texture to hard in the middle if it's in the oven for too long. Always bake on a piece of parchment paper as you will use it to transfer the brie from the baking sheet to your serving tray.

It may be a turnoff but it's a consequence of aging, especially for bloomy-rind cheeses like Brie. As these cheeses ripen, their surface molds break down protein into amino acids and one byproduct of that breakdown is ammonia.

As Brie cheese ages, it develops a stronger flavor and becomes more complex, with earthy and nutty undertones. The rind of Brie has a slightly tangy and mushroom-like flavor that adds to the overall taste experience.

What is the hard white stuff on brie? ›

That marshmallowy white stuff on the outside of your brie is called a bloomy rind. These cheeses are coated with edible molds, such as Penicillium candidum. The cheeses ripen from the outside-inwards. Sometimes, a seductive gooey layer called the “creamline” forms around the fudgy interior.

Six top drink pairings for Brie

* A creamy, subtly oaked chardonnay - even a posh white burgundy! * A cherry or raspberry-flavoured fruit beer (Kriek or Frambozen), particularly when the brie is accompanied by fresh cherries. * Guignolet (a cherry-flavoured French aperitif) by the same logic.

Bread is a staple at any table, but if you want to get the most out of a bread and Brie pairing read on. Pumpernickel is wonderful with Brie, it's slightly sweet-yet-sour taste complements the buttery flavor of the cheese. Make sure to toast the pumpernickel to add a little crunch and warmth to your Brie.

Yes, you can. The skin, better known as the rind, on brie adds extra flavour and potency to the cheese. However, you don't need to if you find brie flavoursome enough on its own.

In this baked brie recipe, I do not remove the rind because I need the surface to spread my jam and to add my beautiful nuts and toppings. The rind keeps the wheel of cheese together, and once you take it out of the oven and slice into it, all the gooey deliciousness oozes out like a nice surprise!

That marshmallowy white stuff on the outside of your brie is called a bloomy rind. These cheeses are coated with edible molds, such as Penicillium candidum. The cheeses ripen from the outside-inwards. Sometimes, a seductive gooey layer called the “creamline” forms around the fudgy interior.

The long answer is when cooking brie cheese recipes, the cheese will melt but the rind won't. The rind will break down a little bit, but it won't evaporate into thin air.