Baked Camembert with Pear (5-MINUTE prep!)

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Baked camembert is the perfect winter dip, especially for cheese lovers. It’s comforting during the cold months and only takes 5 minutes to prep! It’s also a simple, quick, and gorgeous appetizer for parties!

Hi Winter! I have to be honest, you’re not my favorite season.

The weather’s turned colder these past weeks, and with Christmas just behind us, we’re deep into winter now. I’m definitely more of a summer, warm-weather person (not to mention a true beach bum). But if there’s one thing I absolutely love about winter, it’s the food!

Here in Belgium and France, December means warm chestnuts, glazed chestnuts, raclette, vin chaud (mulled wine), yule logs (bûche de Noël), and cougnou (sweet bread with sugar, raisins, or chocolate). These are treats you can only find during winter, especially in December. Oh, and let’s not forget: cold weather is the perfect excuse to indulge in hot chocolate and chai tea lattes😊

I’ve been visiting my family, who live just a 5-minute drive from France. While there, I took the opportunity to pop into a French supermarket and treat myself to some camembert. Since Christmas was only yesterday, I decided to bake a camembert as an appetizer for our Christmas dinner.

Baked camembert is one of the simplest yet most elegant appetizers I know. It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare—just pop it in the oven, and voilà! You’ve got a delicious, shareable dish to impress your friends or family.

Brie vs. Camembert

Both are French cow’s milk cheeses that look alike but camembert has its origins in Normandy while brie comes from the Parisian region. In terms of flavor, camembert is slightly salty, it’s soft, and creamy and has earthy flavors and aromas of mushroom. It pairs well with some red wine or cider.

Brie has a softer and creamier texture than camembert. It has a higher fat content (60% milk fat while camembert has 40% milk fat) and its flavor is milder than camembert.

If I have to pick between both, my personal preference goes to brie. I’m not into intense-flavored cheese so the milder the taste the best for me. But this time, brie in a wheel shape was out of stock so I grabbed a camembert instead.

Ingredients

• camembert – this recipe works best with a wheel of about 250g (8.8 oz). If you’re using a larger wheel, simply increase the topping quantities. While I’m using camembert here, you can easily swap it for brie if you prefer.
• pear – dice a pear. You’ll only need about a quarter of it to top the camembert, but I like keeping the leftover pieces to enjoy with the baked cheese later.
• honey – I use about 2 tablespoons of honey for one camembert, but feel free to adjust this to your taste. Maple syrup is a fantastic substitute for honey and pairs particularly well with pear.
• walnuts – chop some walnuts and sprinkle them over the camembert. If you prefer, you can use other nuts—pecans are a particularly good match for pear.
• fresh rosemary – for the best flavor, opt for fresh rosemary instead of dried. If you don’t have rosemary, thyme makes a great alternative.
• bread or crackers – I personally love pairing this dish with a freshly baked baguette from the bakery, but you can also toast some bread or enjoy it with crackers.

How to make baked camembert?

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
2. Unwrap the camembert from its packaging and place it back into its wooden box.
3. In case the box is made out of cardboard instead, discard the box since it cannot go into the oven. Place the camembert in a somewhat larger oven-safe dish so that it holds the shape of the brie while cooking.
4. Score the top rind of the camembert in a crosshatch pattern. Do not go all the way to the edge so that the cheese doesn’t ooze out during baking.
5. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of honey. Place the diced pear on top. Sprinkle some walnuts. Add rosemary and drizzle again with 1 tbsp of honey.
6. Bake 180°C/350°F degrees for 20 min.
7. Serve with bread or crackers for dipping.

How to bake camembert in an air fryer?

I bought an air fryer last year and ever since I am also testing most of my baked/fried recipes with my air fryer.

Baked camembert can easily be baked in an air fryer, no preheating is required. Follow the same recipe guidelines and bake the camembert for 15 minutes at 180°C/350°F.

The only difference is that I bake it for 15 minutes instead of 20. Since an air fryer is much smaller than an oven, food typically cooks faster. When baking in an air fryer, the top browns more quickly, so it’s best to reduce the baking time.

My camembert doesn’t come with a wooden box. How can I bake it?

Some camemberts are sold in wooden boxes, which are ideal for baking. If that’s the case, simply remove the plastic wrap and place the cheese back into the wooden box for baking. The box helps the camembert retain its shape once it melts and also adds a rustic, fancy touch for serving.

However, some camemberts come in cardboard boxes. In this case, be sure to remove both the plastic wrap and the box—it’s best to avoid any fire hazards! Instead, use an oven-safe dish slightly larger than the camembert to hold it in place. This prevents the cheese from spreading too much when you dip into it.

If you don’t have a baking dish of the right size, you can use aluminum foil. Wrap several layers of foil around the bottom and sides of the camembert to mimic the support of a box or dish. This will keep the cheese contained as it bakes.

Don’t overbake your camembert

Set a timer if you’re busy with something else! Overbaking camembert will result in a dry, hard cheese. I used to think that leaving it in the oven a bit longer wouldn’t be a problem—it would still be melted, right? But that’s a big mistake. Make sure to take it out as soon as the 20 minutes are up.

What to serve with baked camembert?

• Fruits pair beautifully with camembert, adding a sweet and refreshing contrast. I’m a big fan of pears and apples, but figs or berries like raspberries, blueberries, or a mix of red berries, are also delicious options.
• Dried fruits such as dried figs, apricots, or dates taste amazing with camembert. Their sweetness perfectly balances the savory flavor of the cheese. Sometimes, I like to mix fresh and dried fruits for a delightful combination.
• Nuts add crunch and a nutty flavor. I usually opt for walnuts or pecans, but any type of nut works well with camembert.
• Jam – for a variation, try adding jam. My absolute favorite is fig jam, I absolutely love fig jam with walnuts. It’s perfection! When I use jam, I usually skip honey since the jam is already sweet enough.
• Baguette, toasted bread, crackers. Choose your favorite for dipping. Personally, I can’t resist a freshly baked baguette, still warm with a crunchy crust 🙂

Can I reheat baked camembert?

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for the next day. To reheat, you can place the camembert in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Alternatively, a quicker option is to microwave it on high for 1 minute.

That said, it’s always best to enjoy camembert fresh out of the oven. Reheated camembert won’t taste quite as good as when it’s freshly baked.

Looking for more December comfort food? Try these

• Fish-shaped Korean Street Food
• Chocolate Chestnut Cream Yule Log
• Christmas Baileys Tiramisu with Pandoro