Patrick Oconnell
Deep-fried camembert is a quick and easy dish to make, requiring few ingredients and simple preparation. The end result is a delicious, crispy, and gooey cheese that can be served as a light meal or appetiser. This dish is best served with cranberry sauce, a salad, or even some toasted buttered bread. This guide will take you through the steps to make this mouth-watering treat, as well as some tips and tricks to get the perfect, golden brown camembert.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time | Less than 10 minutes |
| Ease | Easy |
| Ingredients | Camembert cheese, plain flour, eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, herbs |
| Equipment | Deep fryer or non-stick pan, bowls |
| Preparation | Cut cheese into wedges or chunks, mix dry ingredients, coat cheese, fry |
| Serving suggestions | Cranberry sauce, crackers, dips, fruits, salad, bread |
| Top tips | Freeze cheese first, use oil with a high burning point, avoid dropping cheese into oil |
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What You'll Learn
- Preparation: cut the camembert into wedges or chunks and freeze
- Battering: coat the camembert in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs
- Frying: heat oil to the right temperature and fry camembert until golden brown
- Serving: serve with condiments like cranberry sauce, or as part of a salad or cheese platter
- Tips: don't drop the camembert into the oil and don't use olive oil
Preparation: cut the camembert into wedges or chunks and freeze
To prepare the camembert cheese for deep frying, start by removing it from the fridge. Cut the cheese into wedges or chunks—about 2cm or 0.8 inches thick. If you're using a wheel of camembert, cut it into eighths. You can also cut each round into six wedges. Freezing the cheese for 5-30 minutes before frying will help it develop a golden crust and prevent it from melting immediately when it touches the hot oil.
If you choose to freeze the cheese, it should be done after cutting the cheese into wedges or chunks. Place the camembert wedges on a plate and put them in the freezer. While the cheese is in the freezer, prepare the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixtures. You can also heat up the oil in your deep fryer or pan to 350-375°F (180-190°C).
Freezing is an optional step, but it can help improve the texture and appearance of the fried camembert. If you decide not to freeze the cheese, proceed directly to coating the wedges with the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixture, then fry them according to your preferred method.
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Battering: coat the camembert in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs
Battering the camembert cheese is a simple three-step process. First, prepare three separate bowls, one with plain flour and a pinch of salt and pepper, one with beaten eggs, and one with breadcrumbs. You can add chopped herbs, such as chives, to the breadcrumbs for extra flavour. Next, toss the camembert cheese in the flour, then dip it into the egg mixture, and finally, coat it with the breadcrumbs. Make sure all sides of the cheese are evenly coated. The flour, egg, and breadcrumbs will form a crispy golden crust when fried, creating a delicious contrast with the gooey melted cheese inside.
You can also add milk to the egg mixture, as some recipes suggest, for a slightly richer batter. If you do add milk, be sure to blend it well with the eggs before dipping the cheese.
Before coating the camembert cheese with the batter, it is recommended to chill the cheese in the freezer for 5-30 minutes. Chilling the cheese helps it retain its shape when first added to the hot oil, giving the batter enough time to cook and turn golden brown without the cheese melting too quickly.
Once the cheese is coated, you can either shallow fry it in a pan or deep fry it. To shallow fry, heat butter in a non-stick pan and carefully flip the cheese regularly with a wooden spatula and a fork. To deep fry, heat oil to 180-190°C (350-375°F) and place the coated cheese into the hot oil. Fry the cheese until the batter turns a golden brown colour and remove it from the oil when you start to see melted cheese coming out.
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Frying: heat oil to the right temperature and fry camembert until golden brown
Frying camembert cheese requires heating oil to the right temperature and frying the cheese until golden brown. This can be done by deep frying or shallow frying.
To deep fry camembert cheese, heat oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to a temperature of 350°F to 375°F (180°C to 190°C). It is important to note that olive oil should not be used for deep frying as it has a low burning point and can impart an unpleasant flavor to the food. Once the oil is hot enough, carefully place the coated camembert cheese into the oil and fry for 30 to 45 seconds or 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. If using a deep fryer, simply place the cheese into the basket and lower it into the hot oil. If you see melted cheese coming out, it is an indication that the camembert is ready.
Shallow frying camembert cheese involves using a non-stick pan and heating butter or oil in it. When using butter, it is important to flip the camembert cheese regularly to ensure all surfaces are in contact with the butter. Shallow frying takes a little longer, around 1 to 2 minutes per side, and the cheese should be carefully turned with a wooden spatula and a fork. The cheese is ready when it has a nice brownish color and a crusty coating.
In both methods, it is crucial to ensure that the oil or butter is hot enough before adding the cheese. If the temperature is too low, the camembert will absorb the oil or butter, resulting in a soggy and unenjoyable dish. To avoid this, it is recommended to freeze the camembert for 5 to 30 minutes before frying, which will help the cheese gain some time to form a golden crust without immediately melting.
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Serving: serve with condiments like cranberry sauce, or as part of a salad or cheese platter
Deep-fried camembert is delicious on its own, but it can be even better when served with condiments or as part of a larger meal. Cranberry sauce is a classic pairing that helps to tone down the strong flavour of the cheese. You can also serve it with a slice of toasted buttered bread or as part of a salad to make it a bit healthier.
If you're making a cheese board, deep-fried camembert is a great centrepiece. You can serve it alongside other cheeses, crackers, dips, and fruits. It's a good idea to freeze the camembert for 5-30 minutes before frying, as this will help the cheese to gain some time to form a golden crust before melting.
Deep-fried camembert can also be served as a starter or light meal. It pairs well with a green salad and, of course, cranberry sauce. If you want to get creative, you can add extra herbs and spices to the breadcrumb coating, such as chopped chives.
For a more indulgent option, serve deep-fried camembert with dips like a smoked salmon dip. This can be a great way to elevate your dish and impress your guests. The versatility of deep-fried camembert makes it a great option for a quick snack or an elegant appetiser.
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Tips: don't drop the camembert into the oil and don't use olive oil
Frying camembert cheese is a simple process that can be done in under 10 minutes. To get started, cut the camembert into 1/8ths or 2cm chunks. Then, in a bowl, mix plain flour with a pinch of salt and pepper and toss the camembert through the flour. Beat two eggs together in a separate bowl, and add breadcrumbs to a third bowl. Next, add camembert to the egg and then coat with the breadcrumbs.
When frying, it is important to not drop the camembert into the oil as this will cause a splash, possibly burning yourself and making your kitchen dirty. Instead, gently place the coated camembert into the oil and allow it to cook for 30-45 seconds or until golden brown. Ensure that the oil is at the right temperature—if it is not hot enough, your camembert will absorb the oil and become soggy.
It is also important to not use olive oil for frying camembert. While some sources claim that olive oil has a low smoke point and can produce toxic fumes, others, including the USDA, recommend olive oil for deep frying. According to the USDA, olive oil has a smoke point of 410 °F for extra virgin olive oil and up to 468 °F for olive oil and light-tasting olive oil. A growing body of research suggests that olive oil can be used for higher-temperature cooking, and studies have shown that olive oil retains significant amounts of polyphenols and antioxidants at normal cooking temperatures. However, olive oil can impart a lot of flavors to the food, and it may be more expensive to use for frying. Therefore, it is recommended to use other types of oil, such as peanut oil, when frying camembert.
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