Baked Camembert with Apples + Blackberries
Discover a swoon-worthy baked camembert with apples and blackberries. Easy to make, impressive to serve – the perfect appetizer for any gathering.
Apple-Blackberry Baked Cheesy Goodness
This baked camembert with apples and blackberries is a dish that is totally swoon-worthy!
This recipe takes a cue from our latest Cozy Mystery Cooking Club book, Joanne Fluke’s “Blackberry Pie Murder,” where a baked brie with apple and cinnamon makes a mouthwatering cameo. But we’re kicking things up a notch, folks!
Picture this…diced apples sizzling in a pan with butter, honey, and a splash of Cointreau. The aroma of cinnamon and ginger fills your kitchen. Then, we fold in juicy blackberries for a pop of color and flavor that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance.
This fruity dream team crowns a wheel of gooey camembert (or brie, if that’s more your style). After a quick stint in the oven, you’ve got a melty masterpiece that’s begging to be devoured.
Top it off with crunchy pecans, fresh thyme, and a scattering of plump blackberries. Serve it up with some crusty bread or my homemade rosemary crackers, and watch your guests’ eyes light up.
The best part? This showstopper is a cinch to make. It’s the perfect way to impress without breaking a sweat! That’s your starter sorted…and for dessert, you’ve gotta try this Apple Cider Donut Bread Pudding!
Gather Your Ingredients
I’ve provided some substitutions next to the key ingredient to help you tailor this recipe to your needs or personal taste.
- Unsalted butter – just enough to kickstart the apples on the cooktop.
- Apple – I recommend a firm, sweet-tart variety…something that won’t soften up too much during the cooking process. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Sweetango are all great contenders. Granny Smith is a bit more tart, but still a good option. You can also use any firm pear.
- Honey – just a little for some extra earthy sweetness. Feel free to use white or brown sugar if you prefer. If you choose Granny Smith for your apple, you can add a little more honey for balance.
- Spices – ground cinnamon and ground ginger.
- Cointreau – or Gran Marnier, both orange-scented liqueurs. The alcohol will cook off and leave behind a subtle flavor. You can omit this or substitute with orange or lemon juice for an alcohol-free version.
- Blackberries – to celebrate the title of the book! (See Common Questions below for more ideas.)
- Camembert – or brie or any similar soft, bloomy rind cheese.
- Pecans – omit for a nut-free appetizer. Walnuts would be an excellent alternative.
- Fresh thyme – a few leaves to garnish will add a pop of color and delicate herbal note.
- Crusty bread – toast slices of your favorite crusty bread for serving; crackers and fresh apple slices are great, too!
Let’s Get Cooking
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you on your way.
- Make the apple-blackberry topping – Melt the butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced apples, honey, cinnamon, ginger and Cointreau (if using). Reduce heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and the sauce thickens. Remove from heat; fold in the blackberries.
- Prep the camembert – Using a pairing knife, make shallow cuts in the top rind of the camembert in a cross-hatch pattern, keeping at least an 1/8-inch border around the edge. Place in a shallow, oven-safe dish slightly larger than the cheese. Pile the apple-blackberry mixture on top.
- Bake until gooey – Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven until the cheese is soft and gooey; some of the fruit mixture will spill over the sides. During the last 5 minutes of baking, sprinkle pecans over the top to allow them to get toasty.
- Garnish + serve – Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh thyme leaves and additional fresh blackberries. Serve with slices of crusty bread or crackers.
Helpful Recipe Tips
Don’t use expensive cheese – There’s no need to purchase an expensive camembert for this recipe…save that for when you want to enjoy it unadulterated. You’ll likely be able to find an affordable option at your local grocery store.
Choosing a baking vessel – Any shallow, oven safe dish that is slightly wider than the cheese will work. Shallow sides will make it easier to get in there with your knife, bread or spoon. An 8-ounce wheel of cheese will measure between 4 to 5-inches wide. A small cast iron skillet, ramekin or gratin dish are perfect. Even a pretty pie plate, although wider, is a great oven to table option. Any dish that’s a little wider than the cheese will give it room to swell and will catch any fruit that tumbles off the top during baking.
Use parchment to serve on a board – If you’d like to serve the baked cheese from a board or larger serving dish, line your baking dish with parchment paper. Pro tip: Crumple it into a ball, then flatten it back out – this prevents the sides from curling up and makes it easier to manipulate into the shape of your baking dish. After baking, use the paper to carefully transfer the cheese to your serving board. The paper will help contain the mess.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prepare the fruit mixture ahead, but it’s best to assemble and bake just before serving for the best texture.
Figs or cranberries would both be delicious alternatives. Consider what’s in season and change up the fruits to suit the season or holiday. You can use dried fruit, too…just rehydrate them in warm water first. The possibilities are endless!
Fresh is best for texture, but in a pinch, you can use thawed frozen berries. Just be aware they might release more liquid.
Visually, the side walls will bulge and you may see some cheese oozing from the cross hatch cuts on top. It should be hot and gooey in the center when you cut into it.
Definitely! Just scale up the ingredients proportionally and use a larger baking dish.
A sparkling white, a crisp white wine, a light red, or even a hard apple cider would complement this dish nicely.
Storing and Reheating
Let’s talk about keeping that delicious baked camembert just as tasty for round two.
Storing leftovers: First things first, let that cheesy goodness cool down to room temperature. Then, wrap it up tight in plastic wrap or pop it in an airtight container. Slide it into the fridge, and you’re good to go for about 2-3 days.
Reheating instructions:
- Oven method (best option): Preheat your oven to 350°F. Unwrap the cheese and place it back in an oven-safe dish. Heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is warm and gooey again.
- Microwave method (quick fix): If you’re in a hurry, you can use the microwave. Place the cheese on a microwave-safe plate and heat in 30-second bursts, checking after each one. Be careful not to overdo it, or you might end up with a cheese explosion!
Pro tip: The fruit topping might release some juice during storage. Don’t sweat it! Just spoon it back over the cheese before reheating.
Remember, reheated cheese might not be quite as perfectly melty as the first time around, but it’ll still be pretty darn good. Pair it with some fresh crusty bread, and you’re in for a treat!
More Cheesy Party Starters!
- Jalapeño Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
- Beer Cheese Fondue
- Personal Charcuterie Boxes
- Goat + Gouda Pimento Cheese
- Baked Lemon Ricotta with Blackberries + Honey
- Cranberry + Brie Cronuts
- Basil + Lemon Burrata
- Red Pepper Jam + Goat Cheese Crostini
Baked Camembert with Apples + Blackberries
Equipment
- small skillet, or saucepan
- small cast iron skillet, ramekin, gratin dish or pie plate
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ large apple, peeled and diced (firm, sweet-tart variety)
- 1 tablespoon honey, plus more for drizzling
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon Cointreau, or Gran Marnier (omit or substitute orange or lemon juice for alcohol-free)
- ½ cup blackberries
- 8 ounces camembert, or brie (4 to 5-inch diameter wheel)
- 2 tablespoons pecans, roughly chopped (or walnuts; omit for nut-free)
- fresh thyme leaves, to garnish
- crusty bread, crackers or apples, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, honey, cinnamon, ginger and Cointreau (if using). Cook for a minute, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat; fold in the blackberries.
- Using a pairing knife, make shallow cuts in the top rind of the camembert in a cross-hatch pattern, keeping at least an 1/8-inch border around the edge. Place in a shallow, oven-safe dish slightly larger than the cheese. Pile the apple-blackberry mixture on top.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cheese is soft and gooey; the sides will bulge, you may see some cheese start oozing from the top and some of the fruit mixture will spill over the sides. During the last 5 minutes of baking, sprinkle pecans over the top to allow them to get toasty.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh thyme leaves and a drizzle of honey. Serve with slices of crusty bread, crackers or apple slices.
Notes
- Nutrition data does not include bread or crackers.
- Storing leftovers: Wrap cooled cheese tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for about 2-3 days.
- Reheat in the oven (best option): Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Unwrap the cheese and place it back in an oven-safe dish. Heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is warm and gooey again.
- Reheat in the microwave method (quick fix): Place the cheese on a microwave-safe plate and heat in 30-second bursts, checking after each one. Be careful not to overdo it, or you might end up with a cheese explosion!
- For additional helpful tips and FAQs, please reference the full post.
Nutrition
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Hi..can I make this and then put in crockpot for travel?