As a proud member of the cheese-lover community, I am here with a little knowledge about the Queen of Cheese: The Brie Cheese!
There are many types of distinctive cheeses in the world, and each type has a contrasting taste and texture that goes well with many types of food.
Brie is a famous French cheese with a buttery and creamy texture which goes amazingly with a lot of dishes. Let us learn what is so wonderful about it and what to eat with Brie cheese!
1. All About this Creamy Cheese:
Originally, Brie cheese was made using raw cow’s milk but it can also be made using goat’s milk. Goat cheese is another very famous cheese used in plenty of dishes, the mould is a famous delicacy in many regions of the world.
Brie cheese is very famous in the West and exported to the United States, but authentic Brie can only be found in France. The reason is raw milk cheese may get ripe and taste bad.
1.1. Interesting Flavors:
With time, the flavour of this creamy cheese reaches a different spectrum and becomes fruity. You can serve the entire wheel on a cheese board and enjoy the white mould filled with buttery and earthy flavours.
Before consuming the cheese, take it out from the refrigerator and let it stay at room temperature for at least half an hour.
1.2. Health Benefits:
Brie cheese has some health benefits associated with it too, it is rich in proteins and riboflavin. As it is a dairy product, the calcium content is also very high which is good for bones.
It has a substantial amount of sodium, Vitamin A, B12, and fats, which play a crucial role in maintaining the metabolism of the body.
2. Origin of this Delicious Cheese:
Popularly known as the Queen of Cheese, Brie is a soft and smooth cheese, the aroma is very pronounced and the texture is quite creamy and runny. The flavours of the cheese are very complex and rich.
The authentic and most appropriate flavour of Brie cheese is only available in the Northeastern parts of France.
People claim that it originated from a town called Seine-et-Marne where it was produced from skimmed milk. Nowadays this cheese is produced in factories using pasteurized and unpasteurized raw milk.
3. What to Eat with Brie
There are hundreds of ways to eat with, you can eat it uncooked or bake it. Its gooeyness and creaminess will burst your palate with different flavours.
Eat it with crusty bread or cook it, enjoy it with some nuts, or serve it with crispy nacho chips, it is completely your call.
Unlike many other cheeses, Brie’s white rind is completely edible, so you don’t have to worry about trimming it out.
Brie pairs amazingly with acidic fruits as they bring out the unique and velvety textures of the cheese. Try pairing it with sweet and zippy sides like honey and jam.
Serve Brie cheese on a cheese plate along with a variety of cheeses and see their flavours melting instantly in your mouth.
If you are a cheese enthusiast, the best way to eat Brie is to eat a wheel of this cheese without anything, as you will better understand its delicate flavours.
For those who love a little creativity and want to experiment, let’s see what pairs well with this buttery and rich cheese.
3.1. Beverages:
Along with food items, some beverages go very well with Brie. For example, you can enjoy Champagne with Brie. Wine also matches the melty gooeyness of Brie and makes it another perfect beverage candidate.
3.2. Bread:
This is a simple yet exceptional choice, pairing Brie with crusty bread ensures that the remarkable flavours of the cheese are not overpowered by something else. Traditionally, French people love to eat Brie this way, so cheese remains the main hero.
Take the baguette slices, and put your creamy Brie cheese on it. You can be a little creative by adding some nuts on the top. Then bake it in the oven for a while, and just like that, enjoy the rich and delectable cheese.
The crusty bread balances the creaminess of the cheesy, you get a crunchy texture from the bread which will easily pair with Brie’s delicate flavours.
3.3. Candied Walnuts:
If you are looking for a vacation recipe, then this is the right choice. Baked Brie with candied walnuts is a tasty appetizer to enjoy at any time of the year. It is time-efficient to make but tastes amazing, this recipe barely takes around 30 minutes to make.
(i) How to Make This Mouth-Watering Appetizer?
Take a cast iron pan and heat it. Once it is heated, add some walnuts, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Keep stirring it or otherwise, the contents will be overcooked. Once the syrup reaches a thick and caramel-like consistency, turn off the stove.
Take parchment paper and spread your well-cooked walnuts, let them cool and store them in a dry place. For baking, try finding a younger cheese. Older cheeses tend to be more runny and once they are baked, the taste becomes very weird.
Take the cheese, and drizzle some honey on top. If you want, you can put some rosemary leaves beside it to get a sweet aroma.
Bake the cheese in the oven for a while, once you see the honey on the top is bubbling, take the cheese out and serve with your candied walnuts.
3.4. Baked Brie in Puff Pastry:
This is another stunning appetizer to make at home, the flaky texture of puff pastry with baked brie will become a favourite party food.
The best part about this dish is that you can make this even 24 hours before you are going to serve and it would taste scrumptious.
(i) Steps to Make this Treat:
Take a pastry sheet and roll it out to make a circle, then spread your favourite jams and jellies in the centre. Place the wheel of Brie cheese on the top and wrap the pastry by giving proper folds while brushing with egg wash.
Place the wrapped side downwards and bake it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then take the pastry out. The colour should be a beautiful golden brown. Let it rest and reach room temperature, enjoy this crunchy, creamy, and appealing baked brie in puff pastry.
3.5. Chopped Pecans:
Get a taste of baked Brie with chopped pecans and you will never forget it. Toasted pecans and Brie complement each other and give the most amazing texture.
Firstly, bake a wheel of cheese in the oven for around 20 minutes. Chop the pecans and toast them in the oven. Sprinkle your nuts over the cheese, or you can also add caramelized maple syrup over the top of the cheese to get the delectable cheesy flavour.
3.6. Brie with Garlic:
This is another quirky and savoury option to try with the most delicious cheese. Initially, place your sliced garlic in a pan with olive oil and sprinkle some salt.
Now, cover it with foil and bake for around one hour. Now bake Brie in the oven for around ten minutes. Dive into this straightforward and flavorful toast and make it your daily breakfast.
You can also add some mushrooms and serve a savoury Brie toast at parties, this toast also tastes delicious with goat’s cheese.
3.7. Fruits:
The acidic flavours of fruits perfectly complement the creamy Brie making them a perfect combination. Apples, cherries, dates, and figs are some of the fruits worth trying with this yummy cheese.
You can also bake the cheese and serve it with these fruits to get the ultimate taste.
3.8. Jams and Jellies:
The best part about Brie is its versatility, as both sweet and savoury jams and jellies complement this ultimate cheese. Jams and creamy Brie are a perfect combination if you are looking for a soft taste.
You can make sandwiches by adding jams. Fruits like raspberries, oranges, peaches, and apricots are best for making jams and jellies as they pair best with Brie.
You can also pair Brie with some subtly flavoured jellies to enjoy the best of both of them. Or you can pair Brie with intense flavoured savoury jams and enjoy the symphony of this amazing combination.
3.9. Roasted Potatoes:
Potatoes are a very universal option to pair them up with anything, they do not overpower other flavours but provide the necessary quality to the whole meal. You can roast the potatoes along with some herbs like rosemary and garlic.
The potatoes are so crisp on the outside and they are oozing with flavors on the inside. Serve them with Brie to get the taste of the most wonderful meal.
4. Closing Thoughts
Brie is a unique yet appealing cheese that can be enjoyed in many ways. Either enjoy the wheel of cheese on its own or pair it up with some delicious food options like sandwiches, pies, quiche, or pastries.
This cheese will unarguably make your food a hundred times more flavoursome. Don’t forget to feature this delicious buttery cheese on your cheese plate next time you are having a party!
Last Updated on by Gourvi Gupta