Although the majority of Americans know what to do with pepper or cheddar jack cheese, Brie is one of those foreign cheeses that many people are overwhelmed by. If you have not caught Brie, it is a prevalent French cheese; you can find it at most grocery vittles. There are many questions arising as to how to eat brie cheese. Or what to eat with brie? — and there is a short answer and a long answer.
Short answer, eat it how it tastes nice to you; but, below are some pretty solid recommendations, which you can follow to break into your first Brie. Sometimes, eating brie rind is also delightful.
What Is Brie Cheese?
If you are new to Brie cheese, you may be doubting what’s so magnificent about it. This soft-ripened French cheese is beloved by many, and some regard it as fragile. It has an ironic, buttery taste with a bit of a tangy flavor to it, as well. On the inside of a Brie block, you will notice this cheese’s earthy smell and creamy texture.
Where Does Brie Cheese Come From?
You can only find genuine Brie cheese in France, but you can buy an enjoyable stabilized version at most native grocery stores since it’s an excitedly popular cheese. The name Brie comes from the French expanse where this cheese was created.
The legend of Brie cheese dates back to the 8th century when the French Monarch Charlemagne savored this soft cheese at a monastery and became captivated by its taste and texture. From there, legend has it that his effect on the people headed many to appreciate this buttery cheese.
In France, this cheese is formed with pasteurized and unpasteurized rare milk. From there, cheese makers add enzymes and rennet to support the raw cow’s milk coagulation.
Once it turns into curds, makers separate it into rotund molds and drain the whey. After that, the cheese stores for a week. The total interval it takes for this soft cheese to mature is 4 to 6 weeks.
How Brie Is Made?
Brie is a cow’s milk cheese that is termed after the province in France in which it was created. It is prepared by adding rennet to raw milk, heating it to 98.6 F, and then molding it into shapes, where it is shattered for about 20 hours. After this procedure is complete, it is removed from the frame, salted, and inserted with cheese mold. Brie is then aged for 5 or 6 weeks.
Brie cheese should be slight and faintly sweet in flavor. If aged for numerous months to a year, the flavor becomes more solid. If over-ripened, the cheese takes on savors of ammonia.
When Should You Serve Brie?
Like many varieties of cheese, it is good to wait to serve Brie cheese until it has ripened. You can tell it is ripe when the outside of the peel is firm, and the inside has a pliable consistency. It will not be ready if it feels too firm or stiff and will be overripe if the Brie looks fluid.
If you want to serve brie cheese as the French do, you should serve it to your ceremonial dinner guests as an individual course before your sweet course. Doing this consents Brie to have a moment in the limelight. Though, many people also serve Brie as a foretaste with meat, fruit, and crackers.
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How To Prepare Brie?
When you are serving Brie, you will need to know when to eradicate it from the fridge and how to prepare it. A good instruction of thumb is to remove this cheese from the fridge an hour before you want to serve it. Doing this will let the cheese soften until it’s room temperature and its consistency is perfectly creamy.
How To Serve Brie?
Once your cheese has got the proper temperature, you can take out any wax paper covering and set it on a serving dish. Try cutting a couple of slices to suggest a rational serving size to your dinner guests. Make sure to cut it into chunks, rather than slicing it as you would a block of hard cheese. It will help you to know that how to eat brie without rind also.
You will not need to spread Brie to adore it, just grasp it right off the cheese board. You and your invitees can cut a trifling piece and pair it with a bite of crusty bread (particularly a baguette) or some dry fruit. You can serve brie without rind to your guests.
What Duos Well With Brie Cheese?
You may be wondering what you should serve with your Brie cheese. Since this cheese is so ironic, it makes an exceptional complement to many foodstuffs and drinks. Acidic flavors help accompany the smooth texture of Brie. Scaly, brittle loaves of bread help highlight the Brie’s creaminess.
Here are a few thoughts on what to serve with Brie.
Foodstuffs:
- Pecans
- Prosciutto or Salami
- Apples
- Chicken
- Apricots
- Pears
- Dates
- Almonds
- French bread
- Cranberry
Drinks:
- Zinfandel
- Sauvignon blanc
- Cabernet sauvignon
- Merlot
- Pinot noir
- Chardonnay
Can We Eat the Crust of Brie Cheese?
The arising question is that can you eat the rind of brie? So the answer is yes, you can eat the rind of brie. As you cut into a round chunk of Brie, you might be thinking about whether you should also cut off the crust. There is no requisite for that. Many people enjoy the delicious Brie rind, and it’s usual to enjoy it along with the rest of the block.
When cutting Christmas Brie for your invitees, leave the crust for them to savor! So if you want to eat brie rind, it will be very delightful.
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How Should You Store Brie?
Once you and your invitees have relished the fill of your Brie cheese block, you will want to store it away so you can adore it again. Once you cut into a block of Brie, it stops the ripening procedure in its tracks. To keep it fresh in storage, try covering it in wax paper and placing it in the fridge. Avoid using a plastic wrapper, as that smothers the cheese and does not allow for proper breathing.
Are There Any Alternates for Brie?
If you are impotent to find Brie in the grocery stockpile, there are a few substitute kinds of cheese you might ponder as an alternative.
For instance, kinds of cheese that have a bloomy crust make an exceptional substitution. goat cheese, Camembert, and chèvre are all suitable substitutes for Brie. Camembert makes the great replacement for the 3 because of the white mold on its crust and creamy, creamy consistency.
Top Easy Ways To Eat Brie
If you are wondering how to eat brie cheese correctly so, there are many ways by which you can eat and serve brie correctly with your guests and friends but we have gathered some best and most suitable ways for you.
Here are some easy ways to enjoy brie.
1- Eat It By The Slice
The ethos of Brie in France, originates with some pretty specific rubrics for eating, mainly about the way you serve and cut the cheese. The essential things you need to know are given below;
- If you want to enjoy then eat Brie at room temperature. When it has been stowed in the fridge or covered in plastic packaging Brie can build up an ammonia odor and taste, which simply dispels when left on the counter at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Never cut the corners or tip-off of the Brie; this act of ‘pointing the Brie’ is a huge ersatz pas and will never go over well.
- It is a common rule that you should always cut a wheel of cheese so as to not deformed it; that being said, it is suitable to cut Brie, as if cutting sections of a cake, in wedges.
- Always cut the slice from one end, and never start in the mid of the wheel of cheese.
- You want to make sure that you cut the Brie such that everybody with you can enjoy a correspondingly sized portion.
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2- Eat The Crust
Are you supposed to eat brie rind? Or do you eat the outside of brie? Eat the crust; many people ponder the yummier part of Brie. Never slice a piece of Brie from a block in public flaking the soft cheese from the crust. The crust should always be attached when leaving the cheese platter. If you are not concerned about eating the crust, then you may remove it on your platter or into a napkin.
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3- Eat It With Toppings And Bread
It is customary to eat Brie with bread, specifically baguette; when doing this, you should tear a piece of baguette with your hand as disparate to cutting it with a breadknife.
Don’t stop with bread, however, Brie goes great with fruits and nuts. Think about coupling your Brie with fresh pears or apples — or any sort of preserve. One of our favorite pairs is Brie with some honey and walnuts.
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4- Pair Brie With Wine
If you are the nature that enjoys a worthy wine with your cheese, ponder pairing your Brie with a Champagne, Pinot Grigio, or Gris in the white range, and a Merlot or Pinot Noir in the reds.
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5- Bake Your Brie
So, we know we just said, to eat your Brie at room temperature, but you can go warmer than at room temperature. It is prevalent to bake Brie in the oven to release it up and pump up the goo-factor.
An informal baked brie method is to put your Brie on some parchment or aluminum foil on a baking plate and cover it with honey and nuts. Once you have done that, you just need to put it in an oven for 6 to 7 minutes at 350 (180C).
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6- Baked Brie With Cranberries
In this method, which is best for the fall and winter holidays, Brie is topped with cooked cranberries, pecans, and nutmeg. The holiday baked brie will definitely give a delightful taste.
In a medium pot, cook cranberries, orange zest, sugar, and water, until cranberries pop and sauce solidify, about 5 to 10 minutes. Cool the cranberries in the fridge, strongly covered.
Then heat oven to 350 F. Place a wheel of Brie in an ovenproof, thin dish (such as a glass pie plate) and spread with the refrigerated crimson mixture. Then sprinkle severed pecans and freshly nettled nutmeg over the top. After it, bake for 5 to 10 minutes until the Brie is unstiffened. In the end, serve with blocks of crusty bread.
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7- Baked Brie With Baby Potatoes
What is more informal than a two-ingredient dish? If you are searching for a 5-star starter you can savor before your mealtime, baked brie with baby potatoes is an impeccable option. Enjoy every buttery chew of this enjoyable appetizer, and make sure to feature it on your afterward cheese platter.
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8- Brie And Cherry Jam Grilled Cheese
You might be wondering that how to eat brie with jam? Grilled cheese might sound like foodstuff for broods, but this one is best for all ages. You can love it as a preeminent lunch dish or prepare it as finger food for a gathering. It is prepared in such a way that firstly cheese is grilled on the smoky pan and then cherry is used as a covering jam sandwich. This Brie and Cherry Jam Grilled Cheese method is ready in ten minutes, and you will love every bite!
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What Fruits Goes With Brie?
Brie loves being paired with sweetened fruit, chiefly stone fruits like
- Peaches
- Figs
- Apricots
- Plums
The pleasantness and juiciness of stone fruit is a lovely grouping with the Brie’s creamy texture, making for an easy yet permissive treat. If stone fruit is out of season, duo Brie with grapes and berries. Also, the combination of apple and brie crostini is also best.
Toppings For Baked Brie
Ponder the following toppings and measures for baked Brie cheese.
- Raspberry preserves
- Slivered almonds
- Pecans cooked in cinnamon, butter, brown, and sugar
- Caramelized apples
- Sliced strawberries
- Apricot preserves
- Caramelized pears
Ideas For Brie Beyond Baking
Brie is such a polite cheese, doing everything more to it than baking and eating it spotless seems, well, indecent. But Brie can be used as the star in a diversity of recipes. Simply switch out Brie to your taste. For instance:
- In cheese and macaroni
- On a pizza or acerbic
- In an open-faced grilled cheese toasty chicken brie sandwich
- As a crepe or egg-filling roll
- Baked in a layers
- To stuffed brie into bread slices
- To transmute that old faithful artichoke dip
- To make a kind of chicken cordon bleu
- In a sauce over pasta
- In mushroom bisque
Equal Opportunity Cheese
Whether you are a cheese specialist or a beginner, Brie’s slight, creamy flavor offers itself to every appetite. For the best savor, it must be consumed at room temperature or baked into melty thickness. Other than that, lint it up in pastry, taking it well-ordered with a slice of apple, or using it as a component in a method is your call.
How Many Calories Per Serving Do You Get With Brie?
Counting calories is vital to stay healthy and to properly plan a menu.
Brie holds 334 calories per 100 grams (95 calories per ounce). One slice is generally between 25 and 30 grams. Thus, Brie holds around 42 calories per serving.
Factors To Consider While Buying Brie
A critical factor in Brie etiquette is to serve the finest product probable to your guests.
1- Season and availability
Sometimes, we have to wait for that specific season for fruits or anything when it is available for us. But, luckily brie is available in all seasons.
2- Choose the best
The best Brie originates from France. The anodyne option is to buy a Brie with an AOC seal. The AOC is the French endorsement that guarantees the excellence and the production method of classic food.
3- Alternatives to brie
The best prevalent substitute for Brie is Camembert. Though, these 2 kinds of cheese are very different in quality and fragrance.
How To Store Brie Appropriately?
Cutting into Brie stops the ripening process. At this point, eat the cheese within the next some days, or store it at a low temperature until your next snacking occasion.
The hack is to wrap the remaining cheese in polished paper or parchment paper – evade using plastic wrap for new Brie. This will let the crust continue to breathe and stay dry.
Can You Eat Brie Cold?
You might be wondering that how to eat brie cheese cold. Cold cheese can taste insipid and its texture is not quite good. For instance, Brie straight from the fridge can be rubbery and bland, though, Brie served at room temperature is lax, creamy, and juicy. Hard cheeses can be flaky, tasteless, and taste dry in the mouth if they are too cold.
How Long Is Brie Good For?
The first arising question is how long does brie last? Or does brie go bad? Brie is a sort of cheese that is common, and it can be used in a multiplicity of altered recipes, or even on its own with a gorgeous cheese dish. Baked Brie is a domestic favorite recipe.
Though, if you ever find that you have more than your method calls for, how long do you have until your scraps go bad? Brie needs penicillium camembert, a species of fungus, to support its production. It gives the cheese a stiff crust.
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What Happens If Brie Has Gone Bad?
You are wondering that does brie go bad? Then, the foremost thing that you should do is to check the crust of the brie. It should be generally white and powdery in look. If it has any marks of gray, or it has become crumbly, then it is expected that the cheese is underway to go bad and considered as out of date brie. You should not bother it past this point. Some opaquer spots are fine, but if you notice any decay, then you should throw away the cheese straight away.
Another entity to look out for is pink and smarmy decay, which is a sign that the cheese requires to be thrown away. A slender smell of ammonia may seem like a ruthless sign, but it does not specify that the cheese has decayed. This is a natural spinoff of the cheese aging process.
You should permit the cheese to air out for a minute and whiff it again. If the odor is really strong afterward, you should not eat that brie. Though, if the crust smells slightly, but the inside of the cheese does not, then it is ok to eat.
You should reliance your nose when it originates to this, and know that any strong or overwhelming unpleasant smells usually specify that you should avoid the food. This does not mean that the cheese is injurious for you to consume, but it probably is not going to taste very good. The expired brie cheese can also cause digestive distress.
What Is The White Part Of Brie?
The cheese is covered with a firm white crust on the outside. The crust is, in fact, a white mold called Penicillium candida, which cheesemakers immunize the cheese with. This comestible mold blooms on the outside of the paste and is then tapped down, over and over again, to form the crust.
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Which Crackers Go With Brie?
Instantaneously, the best kinds of crackers to serve with brie and jam are:
- Sea salt crackers
- Rosemary raisin pecan crackers
- Sesame or seeded crackers
- Whole wheat crackers
- Artisan crackers
- Plain white crackers
- Grissini sticks
- Nut and rice crackers
How Do You Cut A Brie For Charcuterie Board?
The simple steps to cut a brie for a charcuterie board are as follows;
- Let the brie cheese get the room temperature.
- After that, place your brie on a cutting board.
- Collect your tools.
- Trim the crust.
- Cut the block in half.
- Slice the cut half into small slices.
- Place the brie on your cheese tray.
- In the end, mix in other cheeses.
FAQs
Whether you are a cheese specialist or a novice, Brie’s slight, creamy flavor lends itself to every appetite. For the best savor, it must be eaten at room temperature or baked into melty thickness.
Brie loves being paired with sweetened fruit, mainly stone fruits like apricots, peaches, figs, and plums. The harmony and juiciness of stone fruit is a lovely combination with the Brie’s creamy feel, making for an easy yet indulgent treat. If the stone berry is out of season, pair Brie with grapes and cherries.
Baked brie is best with Cherry preserves, fig jam, raspberry jam, or apricot jam. Top it with dried fruit for consistency, such as dried cranberries, dried apricots, or dried cherries. Add some nuts such as pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or almonds are all great choices.
Yes, you should keep cold brie and keep it well enfolded after opening the package for the first time. Also, keep it away from any strong aromas and other stale cheese like blue cheese.
The following things are well to serve with a baked brie appetizer;
- Baked brie with honey and a balsamic sprinkle after you remove it from the microwave oven.
- With toasts.
- Seeded nuts or the flax ones
- Sparsely sliced apples or pears.
- Roasted Garlic in a small plate.
- Also with sun-dried tomatoes.
Merging two classic infantile favorites into one lovely hybrid sandwich is a vivid move by Healthy Nibbles & Bits. Adults will appreciate that this heartening panini, made with peanut butter, jelly, and brie cheese, counts in at 300 calories per sandwich. Spread a layer of peanut butter on 2 slices of bread.
The shrill blade makes it perfect for laxer cheeses, and often you will see perforations on the blade to help prevent stabbing with cheeses like brie and camembert. The fork-pronged tip is supportive of serving cut pieces of harder cheeses.
Cut the top crust off the brie and place it in the microwave on high for 60 seconds. Depending on the readiness of the cheese, it will take 60 to 90 seconds on high to heat and flux. If the brie is not yet lax and hot after 1 minute, place it back in the microwave for additional 30 seconds on high.
Stand the brie on its side and use a toothed knife to slice both round ends off of the brie. Once you have made the cut, use your fingers to interfere with the crust. If the brie is adequately firm, the top and bottom should be informal to cut off.
Milk chocolate pairs well with sweet fresh cheeses, white ricotta, and creamy cheeses like brie. Chocolate with roasted nuts and dried fruit should pair best with creamier semisoft cheeses and also aged cheeses that have more density, washed rind cheeses foil fruity chocolates.