Brie and caramel

Brie de Meaux is the original cheese from the city brie and caramel the same name. British Brie is made in Cornwall or Somerset.

A slice of fully ripe Brie will be runny at room temperature, and the rind should be springy to the touch. Brie is available all year, but Brie de Meaux, Melun and Montereau are considered to be at their best from May to October, and Brie de Coulommiers from October to April. Unripe Brie should not be refrigerated, as this will disrupt the maturing process: instead, keep it in a cool place for a few days before consuming. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Like camembert, brie can be baked until the middle is melting and oozy, perfect for dunking in toasts or veg crudités.

Brie is a soft cow’s milk cheese with a pale white rind. It’s traditionally made in Brie, France, where it gets its name, and it has a mild, creamy flavour that’s quite delicate and fresh. While it’s a great addition to a cheeseboard with crackers, when bought whole in a round, it can be baked and shared. Or, see our tip below for baking it in a dish. Here’s a really simple recipe for an easy baked brie with herbs. Remove any plastic packaging before baking.

You can also transfer the cheese to a small ovenproof dish. It should fit snugly so it doesn’t escape when baking. Remove the cheese from the box and remove and discard any plastic wrapping, then return the cheese to its box. Put on a baking sheet and bake for 15 mins. Remove from the oven and remove the box lid. Cut a large cross through the top of the cheese, then peel back the rind. Scatter over chopped herbs and serve with pitta crisps or breadsticks for dunking.

What flavours can you add to baked brie? Try substituting the cheese in our baked camembert recipe for brie and add some spice to your starter. We’ve added a pinch of chilli and a splash of vermouth to cut through the richness of the cheese. After scoring the cheese, you can add toppings to it that will infuse into the cheese while it bakes. A dollop of cranberry jam, a splash of wine, chopped herbs, dried fruit, honey or nuts are all great additions to brie, and help make it a simple but impressive dinner party starter. Have we made your mouth water?

Try our favourite baked camembert recipes and topping ideas. Do you take the rind off before baking? Keep the rind on, as it will help the cheese hold its shape so it doesn’t all melt out. The rind is also edible, so you can enjoy it with the melted cheese, or simply remove the top layer after baking and dunk in crusty bread like a fondue. This super-simple starter is worthy of any dinner party table. Plus, you can prep our melty cheese fondue pot in just 10 minutes. The crisp bread crust and melty cheese middle are a perfectly decadent party bite.

The decorative ring not only looks good, but can be torn off in chunks to dip in the cheese for an instant fondue. This colourful tray is full of texture and flavour. Let your guests dive in with chunks of crusty bread for dipping. This baked cheese bread flower sharing dish is the ultimate party sharing dish, with oozing cheese and soft dough seasoned to perfection. Our baked cheese with roasted garlic Jersey Royals is the perfect finger food you’ll need for a cracking party. With crispy, herby potatoes and an indulgent baked camembert or similar cheese, it will go down a storm. Create a sweet and salty flavour explosion with this baked feta with sesame and honey.