Baked brie capabilities as a type of cheese balloon; as an alternative of air, the within is filled with gooey, melted cheese (and promise). It’s when that first guess slices into the aspect of the brie—popping the balloon—that issues begin to collapse. Out of the blue, it’s a mad sprint to catch the liquid cheese earlier than it cascades off the cheese board, leaving the rind empty and alone. Give up the cheese chase, and reduce into the brie from the highest as an alternative.
Baked brie goes by way of two life phases: scorching and melty, adopted by room temperature and congealed. Exposing inside of the brie from the highest helps the cheese preserve it collectively whereas navigating these modifications. Whether or not you’re serving the brie in a bowl or or on a flat floor, puncturing the spherical with a slice to the aspect goes to empty the cheese, leaving a bizarre, deserted, cheeseless rind subsequent to a puddle of congealed cheese. The rind is sweet. That’s the place all of the mushroomy funk lives, and it’s even higher with some cheese inside. Protecting the recent cheese multi functional place permits it to remain heat only a bit longer. Even when it’s just a few extra minutes, that’s top quality dipping time you don’t wish to lose.
Bake the brie the way you usually would. Simply earlier than serving, seize a small serrated knife and reduce a circle out of the highest. It’s type of like chopping a gap within the ice for ice fishing. (I’ve by no means really gone ice fishing, however you already know what I’m speaking about.) I choose to maintain the “lid” a few ¼-inch inside the highest edge. I feel it makes a safer barrier for the liquid cheese, however you possibly can reduce all the best way alongside the sting if you wish to expose extra of the melted inside. You don’t have to chop deeply, simply make it by way of the rind, and be mild. The cheese shall be very delicate, so use the serrated ridges to your benefit, and keep away from urgent and pulling; attempt to use a sawing movement. Once you’ve freed the highest circle of rind, use the knife to elevate it off.
As a substitute of a cheese balloon, you now have a gooey cheese bucket. Fairly than chasing cheese throughout the plate, you possibly can dip and unfold at a leisurely tempo. As soon as the cheese cools, which doesn’t take lengthy, reduce into the edges to complete the remaining cheese and rind collectively, as they had been meant to be loved.
