We were sent a selection of Violife vegan cheese to try, so we made this vegan cheese baked camembert with candied walnuts. All images and opinions are our own.
Since I became lactose intolerant five or more years ago, I’ve been reducing the amount of dairy I’ve been eating. Rich dairy, things like soft cheese, brie, camembert and halloumi all seem to make me quite poorly. I can take tablets to lessen the symptoms, but sometimes it’s just easier to avoid them altogether. Baked Camembert is one of those things I really miss. Sharing an oozy baked cheese with some crusty bread and a nice glass of crisp white wine is, or was in the past for me. However, vegan cheese makers, Violife have created a camembert which melts when you bake it, and it’s perfect for dunking crusty bread in and sharing with a friend; glass of crisp white wine optional.
I baked my camembert very simply, with a good crack of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, but there are all kinds of different vegan recipes and suggestions on the Violife website. I adore candied walnuts and their nutty sweetness really brings out something special with the cheese. They’re also something I make quite a lot of just for snacking. Walnuts are one of my favourite nuts and they’re packed full of the good stuff.
This recipe makes enough for a nice lunch for two, with crusty bread.
Vegan Baked Camembert with Candied Walnuts
Ingredients:
A Violife Le Rond Vegan Camembert
A drizzle of olive oil
Some ground black pepper
Fresh thyme or rosemary, optional
For the candied walnuts:
100g walnut halves
2 tablespoons of water
25g of sugar
How to make your Vegan Baked Camembert with Candied Walnuts:
Begin by candying your walnuts. To do this, toss your walnut halves in the water and shake off the excess. Toss the damp nuts in the sugar and place on a baking tray and pop them in the oven at 200° for five minutes, check them regularly as you don’t want them to burn. Once they’re starting to brown a tiny bit, remove them from the oven and tip onto a plate to cool down. While your nuts are cooling, it’s time to turn your attention to the vegan cheese.
I’ve got a camembert baking dish, but any ceramic or cast iron dish would work well. Put your vegan cheese in the baking dish, drizzle over about half a tablespoon of olive oil and add some black pepper. If you have it, some fresh thyme or rosemary works well on top. Bake the cheese in your oven until it’s melting and bubbly, this took me around 15 minutes.
Serve your baked vegan camembert with crusty bread, a heap of fresh rocket and a lovely, crunchy handful of the candied walnuts. Delicious!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like to try my vegan sausage rolls or these Vegan cheese and baked bean pasties.
