Baked Camembert with Sweet Fruit & Nut Chutney

While I could eat this all year round, I am going to use the fact that Christmas is just around the corner and we all need something impressive to serve when we start entertaining for the festive season as my excuse to make this as often as I can before the year ends.  This recipe can be a decadent start to any dinner party, or it can be used to accompany an Aperitivo, one thing that is certain is that it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

If, like me you’re a firm believer that dinner can be a large chopping board loaded with cheeses, charcuterie, seasonal fruit and bread hot from the oven, I promise you’ll never create it again without adding this recipe.  You can use Brie or Camembert, although for these photos I used Tomino.  Tomino cheese is an Italian cow’s milk cheese similar to Brie and Camembert.  Tomino cheese is always used when cooking and in Italy, you’ll find it often wrapped in Prosciutto Crudo before it is grilled or baked.  Be aware though that different types of cheeses will require varying times in the oven, so watch it closely.

Baked Camembert with Sweet Fruit & Nut Chutney

• Camembert wheel
• Fresh Rosemary sprigs
• Crackers for cheese, or fresh bread
• 400g caster sugar
• 300ml white wine
• 200ml water
• 100ml white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 50g glace cherries, halved
• 50g stem ginger, chopped roughly
• 50g dried apricots, chopped roughly
• 50g dried figs, cut in quarters
• 100g sultanas
• 70g walnuts
• 50g pecan nuts

1. Place the sugar, wine, water and vinegar in a large saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to the boil. Reduce heat to low.
2. Add the mustard seeds, cinnamon, cherries, ginger, apricot, fig, sultanas, walnuts and pecan nuts.  Simmer gently for 20 – 30 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by more than half and the fruits are plump. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
3. Return the fruit chutney to medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool again.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C. You can either place cheese directly on 3-4 layers of baking paper on a baking tray, or put Camembert directly into an oven proof ramekin or a baking dish.  I used individual ‘Tomino’ cheese wheels and baked them in separate ramekins.
5. Place fresh rosemary sprigs on top of cheese and spoon over about a cup of the fruits, along with a little of the fruit syrup.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is oozy (cheese will be soft to the the touch) and the fruits are slightly crisp.
7. Heat some extra fruit chutney and place in small serving bowls should anyone need extra.  Serve hot with crackers or a sliced baguette heated up in the oven.

Camembert al forno con Chutney di frutta e noci