Baked camembert & figs with balsamic
When I initially decided to bake the Dalewood Fromage Wineland Blue as part of a recipe I had thought figs would be wonderful. They are such a perfect fruit to pair with cheese and when baked they become sweeter and more jam-like. They are just not in season right now so I settled on the maple baked pears rendition with bay leaves and walnuts instead. I then popped down to my Woollies to pick up a few last-minute supplies and there I saw a punnet of perfect baby figs and I knew that I had to do a second recipe with them. Being out of season and imported they were overly expensive, but when you have a bee in your bonnet about something, you just have to do it. Save this recipe for when figs are in season.
Doing a baked element as part of a cheese course makes it a little more exciting and the Camembert, when baked, turns into a molten ball of oozing cheesy deliciousness. I’m quite obsessed actually.
You then spread a little of that on your bread or cracker and top with the spicy and sweet roasted figs. The fact that the Wineland Blue has a blue vein running through it, makes the cheese even more perfect with the figs.
*Cooks notes – I have used thyme in this recipe but rosemary would also work well. You could also add chopped nuts at the stage when you add the cheese to be baked. Walnuts or pecan nuts would be lovely.
To see my other recipes made with the spectacular Dalewood Fromage:
Maple & bay roasted pears with baked Camembert & walnuts
Baked Camembert dip with sundried tomatoes, garlic & thyme
Whipped feta with roasted tomatoes and garlic
Baked Camembert & figs with a honey, thyme and balsamic glaze
Ingredients
- 10 small figs
- 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbs honey
- ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp thyme leaves
- salt and pepper
- about 5 sprigs of thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Score the tops of the figs about 1/3 of the way down in 2 directions (criss-cross) and then using your thumbs squeeze the fig to open up the fruit a little.
- Make the marinade by whisking the vinegar, honey, Dijon and ½ tsp thyme in a small jug.
- Scatter the sprigs of thyme on the bottom of a small oven-proof baking dish and arrange the cut figs on top of that. Keep a space on one end to place the Camembert, which will go in a little later. Drizzle ¾ of the sauce over the figs aiming to pour as much into their middle as possible.
- Bake the figs for 10 minutes. Then remove; add the Camembert, drizzle the remaining sauce over the cheese and continue baking for a further 10 minutes (total baking time 25 minutes). Serve immediately with bread or crackers.
Notes
BUY MY NEW eBOOK
Find me on Instagram & Pinterest
This looks amazing. However, I am from Normandy, France, and this cheese should absolutely not be called Camembert.
I hear you on the Camembert, but as long as we are still allowed to call it that – and we can, it is what it is. Until the food police stop allowing it Its what people know. I don’t make these rules.