How to Eat Brie Cheese

Many people wonder how to eat Brie cheese. Brie is a soft cows’ milk cheese that is named after the province in France in which it originated. It is made by adding rennet to raw milk, heating it to 98.6 degrees and then casting into molds, where it is drained for about 20 hours. After this process is complete, it is removed from the mold, salted and injected with cheese mold. Brie is then aged for five or six weeks.

Brie cheese is mild and slightly sweet in flavor. If aged for several months to a year, the flavor becomes stronger. If over-ripened, the cheese takes on flavors of ammonia.

There are flavored versions of Brie cheese including herbed Brie and Brie made with different types of milk. Any of these variations affect the flavor and character of the cheese.

Brie cheese has a soft, almost molten core and a harder outer rind that is made of the cheese molds. People wondering how to eat Brie cheese often wonder if the outer, grayish hard rind needs to be removed prior to eating. This rind is meant to be eaten, and adds to the flavor and character of the Brie.

1. Store Brie cheese tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.
2. Prior to eating, remove the Brie cheese from the refrigerator and allow it to warm to room temperature.
3. Slice the Brie into bite sized pieces.
4. Serve the brie with a crusty bread or a plainly-flavored cracker.
5. Brie pairs well with light colored fruits, such as pears or grapes.
6. Classic wine pairings with Brie include acidic, herbaceous, dry whites like Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) or Sauvignon Blanc. White wines made in the methode champenoise (Champagne, Cava, sparkling whites) also pair well with Brie cheese.

When considering how to eat Brie cheese, you might want to try something more than just the basic preparations of Brie. Baked Brie cheeses are soft, warm, melty and delicious. You can bake Brie alone, or wrapped in puff pastry (Brie en Croute).

Baked Brie

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place the Brie on a glass pie plate or some other decorative oven-proof plate.
3. Bake the Brie for 10 to 12 minutes, until the center is soft.
4. Serve sliced with fruit or on a warm, crusty bread.

Brie en Croute

1. Thaw a sheet of frozen puff pastry dough.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Lay the puff pastry on a baking sheet and place the wheel of Brie on top.
4. Fold the pastry up over the cheese.
5. Gently squeeze together the pastry to seal and turn the cheese wheel over so that the sealed edge is on the bottom.
6. Brush beaten egg over the top of the pastry.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

Baked Brie with Cranberries

1. Cook one bag of cranberries in a non-reactive saucepan with 2/3 cups of sugar, 2/3 cups of water and the zest of one orange until cranberries pop and sauce thickens – about five to ten minutes.
2. Cool the cranberries in the refrigerator, tightly covered.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Place a round of Brie in an oven-proof, shallow dish and spread with the cranberries.
5. Sprinkle chopped pecans and grate fresh nutmeg over the top.
6. Bake for five to ten minutes, until the Brie is softened.
7. Serve with slices of crusty bread.

Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice the top off of two heads of garlic, exposing the cloves.
3. Place the garlic with the exposed cloves facing up in a glass pan. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil and sprinkle it with sea salt. Cover tightly with foil and bake for one hour, until the garlic is soft.
4. Remove the garlic from the oven and set aside.
5. Place the Brie round in a shallow, oven-proof pan.
6. Bake the Brie for five to ten minutes, until the cheese is soft.
7. Serve the garlic and cheese on a plate with small forks that allow removal of the garlic.
8. Serve with slices of baguette.
9. To eat, remove a clove of garlic and spread it on the baguette. Top with the Brie cheese.

Consider the following toppings and preparations for baked Brie cheese.

• Slivered almonds
• Pecans cooked in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon
• Slice strawberries
• Apricot preserves
• Raspberry preserves
• Caramelized pears
• Caramelized apples
• Wrap in phyllo dough

Whether you are a Brie purist and prefer your Brie plain at room temperature, or someone who likes your Brie dressed up, there are plenty of ways to prepare and serve this delicious and versatile cheese.

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