Rosemary, Thyme and Garlic Baked Camembert with Homemade Fig Jam and Fennel Seed Croutons
If you’re not having baked camembert during the festive period then frankly you are doing Christmas all wrong. What is better then salty cheese studded with herbs, garlic and nuts, topped with a sweet balsamic fig jam and served with fennel seed ciabatta croutons to dunk into all that cheesy, oozy goodness. This makes a lovely starter to share but is also a great main course if served with lots of lovely charcuterie. It’s also the perfect thing to make when you’re fed up of slaving away in the kitchen but still need to feed a hungry crowd fast.
Serves 6 (£1.47 per portion)
For the fig jam, quarter 8 figs and place in a pan with a splash of water, a handful of dried cranberries, 1 tbsp runny honey, 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, a squeeze of lemon and 1 pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer until the figs have broken down and reached a jammy consistency.
Meanwhile, cut slits in the surface of the camembert and stud the cheese with some garlic slices, sprigs of rosemary and thyme and sprinkle with some chopped walnuts, pecans and a generous grind of black pepper. Bake at 200C/180C fan for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is all melty and oozy.
For the fennel seed croutons, slice a ciabatta loaf into 2cm slices, drizzle with olive oil and toast in a griddle pan. Serve sprinkled with some fennel seeds and sea salt flakes.
Serve the cheese topped with the fig jam and enjoy.