Baked Camembert and Balsamic Strawberries
Look no further than the latest food trend of the season: baked Camembert cheese with balsamic strawberries. This is one of those show-stopping appetizers that is perfect for entertaining, and tastes just as good as it looks. Camembert, like brie, is a soft cheese with a sometimes wrinkly rind, and has a smooth, earthy, buttery flavor. It pairs wonderfully with fruit, pecans, and hazelnuts. This appetizer combo is warm, comforting, savory, sweet, and the balsamic strawberries are bursting with zingy bright flavor. Serve with crusty bread or crackers, and make sure to take a pic for Instagram before serving!
Ingredients
1 Camembert cheese wheel1/2 pint of strawberries, halved or quartered (about 1 cup)1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar1 tablespoon maple syrup1/2 teaspoon sugar1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes1 sprig thyme1 sprig rosemary1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 F. Toss strawberries with balsamic vinegar, syrup, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Let sit for at least 15 minutes allowing the flavors to come together. Meanwhile, remove top rind of cheese wheel and place cheese on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 325 F for 7 to 8 minutes. Take cheese out of oven and top with strawberry mixture. Bake for another 7 minutes or until warm and bubbly. Garnish with thyme, rosemary, flaky sea salt, and serve with warm crusty bread. Enjoy!
Baked Brie With Cranberry Compote and Pecans
For this dish, baked brie is topped with a tart-sweet cranberry compote and pecans.
Ingredients
1 (9½ ounce) Brie round1 cup fresh cranberries¼ cup honey1 tablespoon salted butter1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs for garnish¼ teaspoon kosher salt¼ teaspoon black pepper¼ cup chopped toasted pecansCrackers or crostini (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Place Brie on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until softened, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Combine cranberries, honey, butter, lemon juice, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries soften and mixture is syrupy, about 4 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve Brie warm topped with cranberry compote and pecans. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with assorted crackers or crostini, if desired.
Baked Goat Cheese With Sun-Dried Tomatoes
If Mediterranean flavors are your jam, you’ll love this delightful goat cheese and sun-dried tomato recipe.
Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package of Goat Cheese¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained and sliced2 cloves garlic, sliced1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves1 tablespoon olive oilBread or crackers, for serving
Directions
Heat oven to 375 F. Remove the goat cheese from its wrapping, place it in a small baking dish, and place the dish on a baking sheet. Top with the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and thyme. Drizzle with the oil and bake until soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately with bread or crackers.
