Baked Camembert in the Air Fryer
A whole camembert baked in the air fryer with garlic, fresh thyme and olive oil, until creamy and gooey in the middle. Serve it warm in its wooden box with baguette for dipping.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Turner
Ingredients
- 1 camembert approx. 250 g, in its wooden box
2 clove garlic thinly sliced- 4 thyme sprigs
1 tbsp olive oil- flaky sea salt to taste
black pepper freshly ground, to taste
For serving
- 1 baguette
Instructions
Preparation
- Remove all the wrapping from 1 camembert, and put the cheese back in the base of the wooden box without the lid. If the box isn't made of wood, use a small ovenproof dish that fits in the basket instead.
- Cut a criss-cross pattern across the top of the cheese with a sharp knife, about 1 cm deep and with about 2 cm between the cuts. Stop a little short of the edge, so the rind holds the cheese together.
- Fill the cuts with the slices of 2 clove garlic and small pieces of 4 thyme sprigs, and press them down well into the cheese.
- Season the top with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over it, so it runs down into the cuts.
- Cut the 1 baguette into slices about 1.5 cm thick.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C on the hot air setting.
- Bake the cheese in its wooden base or dish in the middle of the basket at 180 °C for 12 minutes, until soft and gooey inside. Leave it undisturbed while it cooks: don't shake the basket, and don't turn the cheese.
- Check the cheese by pressing gently on the centre with the back of a spoon. It should feel soft and give way. If the centre is still firm, bake for another 2-3 minutes at 180 °C.
Serving
- Carefully transfer the cheese in its wooden base to a board or plate using a spatula. Both the cheese and the wooden base are very hot.
- Serve the cheese immediately, while it's still gooey, and dip the baguette slices straight into the cuts. You can also remove the top of the rind to make the cheese easier to get to.
Notes
Tips for the best result:
Take the cheese out of the fridge 20-30 minutes beforehand, so it melts more evenly right into the middle. Stop the cuts a little short of the edge, so the rind holds the melted cheese together. Nothing loose in the basket:
Only the cheese in the wooden base or dish should go into the air fryer. The lid, the wrapping paper and loose baking paper are so light that the airflow can lift them up towards the heating element. It's completely normal for the wooden base to darken slightly at the edges. Variation:
Drizzle the cheese with a little honey and sprinkle with chopped walnuts as soon as it comes out. Rosemary can replace the thyme, and a sprinkle of chilli flakes adds a bit of heat. Serving:
Serve with baguette, crusty bread or grissini for dipping, and ideally grapes, apple wedges or fig jam on the side. If you want crispy bread, toast the baguette slices in the air fryer at 180 °C for 3 minutes before the cheese goes in. One cheese serves 4 as a snack or starter, or 2 as a light dinner. Vegetarian:
Many camemberts are made with animal rennet. Choose a cheese made with microbial rennet if the dish needs to be fully vegetarian.
Take the cheese out of the fridge 20-30 minutes beforehand, so it melts more evenly right into the middle. Stop the cuts a little short of the edge, so the rind holds the melted cheese together. Nothing loose in the basket:
Only the cheese in the wooden base or dish should go into the air fryer. The lid, the wrapping paper and loose baking paper are so light that the airflow can lift them up towards the heating element. It's completely normal for the wooden base to darken slightly at the edges. Variation:
Drizzle the cheese with a little honey and sprinkle with chopped walnuts as soon as it comes out. Rosemary can replace the thyme, and a sprinkle of chilli flakes adds a bit of heat. Serving:
Serve with baguette, crusty bread or grissini for dipping, and ideally grapes, apple wedges or fig jam on the side. If you want crispy bread, toast the baguette slices in the air fryer at 180 °C for 3 minutes before the cheese goes in. One cheese serves 4 as a snack or starter, or 2 as a light dinner. Vegetarian:
Many camemberts are made with animal rennet. Choose a cheese made with microbial rennet if the dish needs to be fully vegetarian.
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 18gFat: 20gSaturated fat: 10gPolyunsaturated fat: 1.2gMonounsaturated fat: 7gTrans fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 870mgPotassium: 200mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 540IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 270mgIron: 1.1mgNet carbohydrates: 31g
