Honey & Chipotle-baked Camembert with Homemade Croutons (V) from Flavour Kitchen

By Erin Brown
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

“I make this almost every time my friends come over because you just can’t go wrong with melted, bubbling cheese. You can jazz up Camembert with so many different flavours but this one is my favourite: chipotle paste and honey, providing spicy and sweet notes that balance out the strong cheese perfectly. Paired with some quick and easy croutons (using up any leftover bread you have in the fridge), you have the ideal contrast of gooey and crunchy textures.” Crystelle Pereira, author of Flavour Kitchen

For the croutons

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

5 slices of white bread, cut into small triangles

For the camembert

1 x 250g camembert in a wooden tray

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chipotle paste (add ½ tbsp extra if you like it spicy!)

2 tablespoons honey, plus extra for drizzling

A small handful of chives, finely chopped, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan/375°F/gas mark 5.

In a large tray, place the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano and paprika, along with the salt and cayenne pepper and mix well to combine. Toss the bread triangles in the oil until well coated on both sides.

Place the tray in the oven for 15 minutes and cook, rotating halfway through, until the croutons are golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, prepare the camembert. Remove all the plastic packaging and place the cheese in the wooden container it comes in (most do). Using a sharp knife, cross-hatch the surface of the camembert, taking care not to cut down to the bottom.

In a small bowl, mix together the oil and sliced garlic, then take the garlic and wedge the slices into the cross-hatched slits until fully submerged. Mix together the chipotle paste and honey in the same bowl, then pour over the top of the camembert.

Place the cheese on a tray and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted completely inside.

Remove from the oven, drizzle with a little extra honey and scatter over the chives. Mop up the camembert with the crispy croutons and enjoy!