This time of year is about pure indulgence and Baked Camembert with Cheese and Parma Ham Straws certainly offers that! There is something so comforting about a dish of melted cheese. Maybe it is because it serves as a reminder of a classic comfort food – cheese on toast. Cheese on toast was a childhood favourite lunch, I made it at university for many dinners and today it is my ultimate hangover cure or quick Saturday lunch when the weather is grey and miserable outside. Melted cheese, not exactly the healthiest of snacks for you yet so delicious. So what better time of the year for me to blog this recipe. It is basically taking all those memories we have of cheese on toast and then bringing them together to the present day and making some kind of a more sophisticated and grown up dish out of it.
I am a huge fan of camembert. I also love brie, but camembert has a stronger taste and a delicious smell when it is baking in the oven. My Baked Camembert with Caramelised Onions is also a firm favourite in our home and a dish that I love to make on bonfire night or any other cold night to warm up to and indulge.
For this recipe I serve the baked camembert with cheese and parma ham straws. I add a little bit of grated parmesan to the pastry and then twist the slices of puff pastry with some parma ham. The ham gives the pastry such a lovely salty kick to it and the parmesan lightly melts while baking. The straws are delicious dipped into the melted camembert to scoop up all that delicious cheese. This has become one of my favourite starters.
I remove the camembert from the box and wrapping when baking and put into a small round baking dish. But you can just remove the wrapping and place back in the wooden box if it comes in one.
- 1 box camembert (If baking for 2-4 people then a small 250/300g camembert is enough. You will need a larger camembert if baking for more people or buying a few small ones and baking them individually)
- Few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 12 slices of parma ham
- 1 sheet puff pastry (rolled out)
- 50g grated parmesan
- 1 medium egg (beaten)
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Lay out the puff pastry. Brush with the beaten egg. Then sprinkle the grated parmesan on top.
- Cut the puff pastry into long thin strips (about 1cm wide). Then gently twist the strips. Take a thin slice of parma ham and then wrap around the twisted strip of pastry. Lay out on the baking tray and then repeat with the leftover ingredients. Pop in the oven for around 15 mins.
- Place the camembert into a small baking dish and sprinkle some fresh thyme on top. Also pop in the oven for around 10 mins.
- Take the cheese straws out the oven and plate up on a serving dish with a few more sprigs of fresh thyme. Take the camembert out of the oven and gently pierce with a knife so that you see the melted cheese and serve immediately.
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