Oven-Baked Cheese: What Are The Different Types?

There are many types of cheese that can be baked in the oven, including French cheeses like Camembert and Brie, and fresh or brined cheeses like ricotta, goat cheese, feta, and blue cheese. For example, to bake Camembert, you can make several cuts in the top of the cheese and add garlic cloves and rosemary, then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until gooey. Oven-baked cheese can be served as a dip for bread, vegetables, or crackers, or as part of a salad or pasta dish. In Wisconsin, oven-baked cheese is known as bread cheese and is often drizzled with maple syrup or honey for a salty-sweet combination.

Baked Camembert with garlic and rosemary

Oven-baked cheese is a delicious treat, and there are several types of cheese that work well for this, including French cheeses like brie and Camembert, as well as ricotta, goat cheese, feta, and blue cheese.

Now, let's focus on a mouth-watering recipe for Baked Camembert with Garlic and Rosemary. This is a sophisticated, delicious, and easy option for a dinner party or holiday appetizer. It is a versatile dish that can be customised with different herbs and accompaniments.

Ingredients:

• 1 (9 ounces) wheel of Camembert cheese, in its wooden box
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
• Fresh rosemary
• Olive oil
• Baguette or ciabatta, sliced and toasted

Optional Ingredients:

• Sea salt
• Honey or maple syrup
• Nuts
• Chutney
• Olives
• Sun-dried tomatoes

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4.
• Take the Camembert out of the fridge about an hour beforehand to bring it to room temperature.
• Remove the cheese from its plastic wrap and return it to its wooden box. Place the box on a baking sheet.
• Using a sharp knife, score the top of the cheese in a crosshatch pattern.
• Insert the garlic slices into the slits and sprinkle rosemary over the top. Drizzle with olive oil to taste.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and fragrant, with a gooey centre.
• Serve immediately with the sliced baguette or ciabatta for dipping.

Tips:

• Camembert is quite salty, but you can add sea salt before baking if desired.
• Do not bake without the wooden box or a small baking pot, as the cheese will spread and create a mess!
• This dish pairs well with a glass of bubbly or sparkling wine, such as Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blancs.

Raclette with herbs and garlic

Raclette is a Swiss dish that has become one of the most popular meals during the holidays in Germany. It is a fun and interactive meal where everyone gets to choose their favourite toppings to add to a pan, and then cover them with melted Raclette cheese. The name Raclette comes from the French word 'to scrape'.

Ingredients

• Raclette cheese
• Flat-leaf parsley
• Sage
• Garlic
• Bread
• Olive oil
• Your choice of toppings, such as:
• Boiled mini potatoes
• Salami
• Pickles
• Pineapple
• Bell peppers
• Onions
• Corn
• Tomatoes
• Marinated meats and shrimp
• Marinated mushrooms

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a frying pan.
• Fry the parsley and sage in batches for 30 seconds each, then remove and drain on kitchen paper.
• Rub garlic onto slices of bread, then cut into 1 cm cubes.
• Heat oil again in the pan. Fry the bread cubes for around 10 minutes until crispy, then drain on kitchen paper.
• Place cheese slices in raclette pans and melt under a raclette grill for about 8 minutes.
• Sprinkle the croutons and herbs on top before serving.

Tips

• Raclette cheese can be substituted with other melty cheeses such as mild cheddar, brie, or gruyère.
• Raclette can be served with a white, crisp wine like a dry or semi-dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc, or a lighter red wine like a Pinot Noir.
• A raclette grill with a cast iron cooktop is recommended to get grill marks on your food and to brown the cheese.

Nutritional Information

The following nutritional values are per person:

• 902 kcal
• Fat: 71 g
• Carbohydrate: 12 g
• Protein: 53 g

Baked feta with olive oil and lemon juice

To make this mouth-watering dish, you will need the following ingredients:

• Feta cheese: Look for Greek feta or sheep's milk feta for the best flavour. Greek feta has a tangier and saltier taste, while American feta is milder and creamier.
• Extra virgin olive oil: This oil is perfect for drizzling and adding a rich flavour to the dish.
• Lemons: Regular or Meyer lemons will work. You can squeeze the juice over the cheese and add the lemon halves to the baking dish.
• Mixed olives: Try to find olives without pits for easier eating, but pitted olives work too.
• Fresh rosemary: This herb adds a piney flavour that complements the other ingredients.
• Black pepper: Start with whole peppercorns and grind them yourself for the best flavour.
• Red pepper flakes: These add a subtle spiciness to the dish.

Once you have gathered your ingredients, follow these simple steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Place the feta in a small oven-proof dish.
• Pour extra virgin olive oil over the feta.
• Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the cheese and add the other lemon half to the dish.
• Arrange the mixed olives around the feta.
• Sprinkle rosemary, red pepper flakes, and black pepper over the dish.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the dish is hot and bubbling. You can cover it loosely with foil or finish under the broiler for a charred effect.
• Serve hot with toasted bread, crackers, or vegetables.

This baked feta recipe is a delightful way to enjoy the Mediterranean flavours of feta, olive oil, and lemons. It is a simple yet impressive dish that your guests will surely enjoy.

Goat's cheese with a rind

Oven-baked cheese, also known as "bread cheese" in Wisconsin, is a delicious, keto-friendly snack. While French cheeses like brie and Camembert are popular choices for baking, other types of cheese, including goat cheese, can be baked as well.

Goat cheese with a rind is a great option for baking. There are several types of goat cheeses with rinds, including semi-ripened, bloomy-rind, and drunken goat cheese. Semi-ripened goat cheese has a soft, edible rind formed by the natural drying of the cheese's exterior as it ages. Bloomy-rind goat cheese is coated with Penicillium candidum, the same mould used to make Brie and Camembert, giving it a soft, bloomy, and slightly fuzzy rind. Drunken goat cheese, a pasteurised goat's milk cheese from the Murcia region of Spain, is aged for a short period, then soaked in wine for at least 72 hours, resulting in a vivid purple rind.

Semi-ripened goat cheese is a versatile option for baking, as it can be used in salads, pizzas, and cheese trays. Its meltability and flavour make it a great choice for baked dishes. Bloomy-rind goat cheese also melts beautifully, making it a good choice for salads, baguette sandwiches, and open-face sandwiches. Drunken goat cheese, with its creamy texture and tangy, fruity flavour, is a bold addition to cheese boards and pairs well with wine or cocktails.

When baking goat cheese, there are several methods you can use. You can use a cheese baker, a fondue pot, a cast-iron skillet, or a ramekin or small baking dish. Simply top the cheese with your desired ingredients, such as chutney, fruit, nuts, or honey, and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for about 15 minutes. You can also grill, microwave, or use an air fryer to heat the cheese to your desired level of melting.

Baked blue cheese

This recipe involves baking a blue cheese wedge coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs. The cheese wedge is first dipped in flour, then beaten egg, and finally the breadcrumbs, before being baked in the oven for 12-15 minutes. The hot honey is drizzled over the cheese after it is removed from the oven, and the dish is served with bread or crackers.

Baked Bleu Cheese

This recipe combines crumbled bleu cheese with cream cheese, a splash of red wine vinegar, and some chives. These ingredients are blended until smooth and then baked in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly. It is served with toasted French bread or other dippers.

This recipe pairs melted blue cheese with baked figs and walnuts. The figs are cut and seasoned with vinegar, wine or grape juice, walnuts, thyme, and honey, and baked for 15-20 minutes. The blue cheese is then added and the dish is baked for a further 5 minutes. It is served with crusty bread to scoop up the molten cheese.

Tips for Baking with Blue Cheese

When baking with blue cheese, it is important to note that it is a strong-flavoured cheese, so a little goes a long way. It is also a softer cheese, so it melts easily and can become very gooey. This makes it perfect for baked dishes, dips, and appetisers.

Frequently asked questions