Oven Roasted Camembert (Camembert Rôti)
Camembert rôti (which just means 'oven roasted camembert') is a whole wheel of melty Camembert warmed with honey and herbs, roasted in a loaf of bread for maximum indulgence.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 knob of butter
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tsp soft brown sugar
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 large white cob loaf also called a boule
- 1 whole camembert approx 250g
- Runny honey for drizzling
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 100 g pancetta cubes
- Extra rosemary or thyme, to finish
- Extra honey to drizzle at the end
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C conventional / 400°F.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced red onion and cook gently for 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Sprinkle over the brown sugar and continue to fry for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the red wine vinegar and let it bubble until the onions turn glossy and sticky. Remove from the heat.
- Cut a circle in the top of the cob, slightly larger than the camembert. Lift off the “lid”, then hollow out some of the bread inside to create a snug cavity. (Keep the torn-out bread for dipping later.)
- Spoon the caramelised onions into the bottom of the cavity.
- Remove the camembert from any plastic wrapping and wooden base. Sit the cheese on top of the onions.
- Score the camembert in a cross-hatch pattern, drizzle generously with honey, and sprinkle over the dried thyme.
- Place the stuffed loaf on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is molten and the bread is lightly crisp.
- Whilst it's baking, fry the pancetta cubes over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, around 10 minutes.
- Remove the camembert from the oven. Top with crispy pancetta cubes, an extra sprinkle of rosemary or thyme, and another drizzle of honey. Serve immediately, letting everyone tear off pieces of bread and dip into the melted cheese.
- The video below will help with this recipe.
Video
Notes
Scroll up for a step by step guide on how to make an oven roasted camembert.
To store: Leftovers are rare with this one, but if you do have some, wrap the loaf well in foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. It's definitely better fresh!
To reheat: reheat leftover pieces in the oven at 160°C fan / 180°C conventional for 10–12 minutes, wrapped loosely in foil to prevent over-browning. Avoid microwaving as this can make the bread tough and the cheese oily.
Make ahead: You can caramelise the onions up to 3 days in advance. Store them in the fridge and bring to room temperature before assembling.
The loaf can be hollowed out a few hours ahead. Keep it wrapped so it doesn’t dry out.
Assemble the loaf (with onions and cheese inside) up to 4 hours before baking. Keep it covered in the fridge, then score and drizzle with honey just before it goes in the oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 938mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 3mg