Baked Shadows of White with Honey & Walnuts
WORDS: CHYKA KEEBAUGH
Winter's Simplest Luxury
There is something about winter that encourages us to slow down. The table is set a little earlier, the candles are lit a little longer, and suddenly the simplest dishes become the most memorable. On cold, rainy winter weekends, when everyone arrives wrapped in scarves and eager to escape the chill, I love serving something warm straight from the oven. It doesn't need to be complicated. In fact, the most successful entertaining dishes rarely are.
One of my favourite winter indulgences this year is Tarago's Shadows of White Soft Triple Cream Brie Cheese, baked until beautifully soft and molten in the centre. As it warms, the cheese develops an irresistibly creamy texture that practically begs to be scooped onto crusty crackers. Rich and buttery with a delicate earthiness, it has that perfect balance of flavour that feels luxurious without overwhelming the palate. The beauty of this dish is that it looks incredibly impressive while requiring almost no effort! The not-so-secret winning combination I am always looking for when entertaining.
I like to place the baked cheese on a beautiful board surrounded by crunchy lavosh, crisp crackers and a handful of walnuts. A few rosemary sprigs scattered across the table and a cluster of flickering candles instantly create that cosy winter atmosphere we all crave at this time of year. My favourite topping is wonderfully simple: a generous drizzle of golden honey and a scattering of toasted walnuts. The honey melts into the cheese, adding a gentle sweetness that perfectly complements its creamy richness, while the walnuts bring texture and a lovely nutty crunch. It's one of those magical flavour combinations where every ingredient makes the others shine. What I love most about serving baked cheese is how it naturally draws people together. It is a meal to gather around; it's the meal you eat when sharing stories, where we can all help ourselves with no fuss. There is no formality - just good food and good company. So, if you're planning a winter gathering, whether it's a casual Friday night with friends or a relaxed Sunday afternoon by the fire, a baked Shadows of White is guaranteed to disappear quickly.
How To Bake Brie…
Ingredients
250 – 500g / 8 – 16 oz round brie
2 tbsp honey
1 thyme rosemary (optional)
1 Handful of crushed walnuts
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types).
Unwrap cheese and place in a small, shallow ovenproof dish slightly larger than the brie (to be used for serving) OR a piece of crumbled baking/parchment paper (for transference).
Oven: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (for 250g/80z), or until melted through. For 500 g/1 lb brie, increase to 25 minutes. To check, gently touch the centre of the brie – it should feel very soft, like it is about to collapse if you press any harder.
Microwave option: 2 minutes on high (no one will know!) in 30-second increments.
Carefully transfer to serving plate/board – it's delicate (transfer on paper if you used paper).
Drizzle with honey, top with a sprig of rosemary (if using).
Serve immediately with crackers on the side for scooping.
Cheese Baking Tips!
Baked Brie Baking dish – the most practical way to bake / serve brie is to use a shallow, round, ovenproof dish that is slightly larger than the brie. This will stop the cheese from oozing out everywhere when people start eating it, but it needs to be shallow; otherwise, you’ll burn your fingers trying to scoop it!
If you don’t have one, do one of the following:
very shallow bowl or curved plate – the shape of which will hold the cheese in (ovenproof if baking, microwave proof if microwaving, i.e., most normal dinner plates fine); OR
Bake on crumbled paper per recipe directions – the paper makes it easy to transfer the Brie to a serving platter (Baked Brie is delicate and wobbly like jelly, and if it bursts, you will cry). Plus by crumpling it, it actually (mostly) stops the cheese from oozing out onto the table (but really, you won’t be short of willing participants to dash forward and scoop up brie that’s oozing dangerously close to the edge of the serving platter!)
Overbaking – check the brie at 15 minutes. If you can’t tell if it is ready by touching the centre of the brie, insert a skewer; if it comes out with melted cheese stuck to it, you know it is ready. (If you overtake a brie, it goes hard in the middle)
Serving size – a 250g/8 oz brie will comfortably serve 6 people, if not 8 to 10. Brie is rich, and it’s made to seem even richer when melted. And once melted, less goes further – the amount you can scoop onto a cracker is less than what you can cut & smear if it wasn't melted!
Honey/maple – I use both; it depends on what I have on hand. I used to love maple more, but when I have a really good (local) honey, I prefer honey.
How long it stays gooey – in a ceramic dish, it will stay scoopable for about 15 minutes. On paper, it takes about 10 minutes; then, for another 10 minutes or so, you can smear it on with a knife.
Get Creative In The Kitchen
If you'd like to experiment beyond honey and walnuts, here are three flavour combinations that work beautifully:
Fig, Pistachio & Thyme A spoonful of fig jam, a scattering of chopped pistachios and a few fresh thyme leaves create a delicious balance of sweet, savoury and earthy flavours.
Caramelised Onion & Balsamic Rich, sweet caramelised onions topped with a drizzle of balsamic glaze transform the cheese into a wonderfully comforting winter appetiser.
Rosemary, Garlic & Olive Oil For something more savoury, add sliced garlic, fresh rosemary and a splash of good-quality olive oil before baking. Serve with warm sourdough for the ultimate comfort food.
Credit: Cheese Baking Tips: RecipeTinEats! Recipe is adapted from RecipeTinEats!