Brie is a type of cheese, and in this article, we will discuss everything about Brie, such as what does Brie cheese tastes like the health benefits it offers, how you can cook it, and much more.
In the last section of the article, we will address some queries related to Brie.
What Is Brie?
Brie is a soft cow’s milk cheese that originated in Brie, a region in Northern France.
The versatile cheese has a pale color and a grayish tinge under the white mold rind.
Usually, people eat the rind, whose flavor is defined by the ingredients it’s cooked with and its manufacturing environment.
What Does Brie Taste Like?
Brie cheese tastes fruity, buttery, and rich, and its earthiness increases with age.
The cheese has a creamy texture and a robust earthy flavor.
How Is Brie Made?
Brie Cheese is made from unpasteurized or pasteurized raw cow milk; rennet and enzymes are added to the milk to curdle and thicken it.
Then, the curd is sliced and put into round-shaped molds, and the whey is drained off.
Then the cheese is salted and left to rest for at least 7 days.
It usually takes Brie 4 weeks to ripe.
How Do You, Cook Brie?
Here is how you can make a delicious baked treat with Brie cheese:
Ingredients
- Round Brie: 8 to 16 ounces/250 to 500 grams
- Maple Syrup or Honey (Optional): 2 tbsp.
- Thyme Sprig (Optional): 1
For Serving
- Crackers or Crostini
- Purple Grapes (Optional): 1 Bunch
Method
First, you will need to preheat the one to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit (180 Degrees Celsius).
Then, unwrap the round Brie, and place it into a shallow and small dish.
Please ensure the dish is ovenproof and is larger than the cheese.
Bake the cheese in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese has thoroughly melted.
If the cheese hasn’t melted, you can also increase the baking time by 5 minutes.
To check if the cheese is melting or not, touch the inside of the cheese, it should be incredibly soft, and it would feel like if you press harder, the center will collapse.
However, you can also microwave the cheese for about 2 minutes.
Once the cheese is melted, transfer it to a serving board or plate, be careful because Brie cheese is delicate.
Serve the cheese immediately with a side or with Crostini.
You should also provide a knife along with the rind, such as a pate knife, so you can easily scoop the cheese on the crackers or crostini.
Here is how you can make a Brie Spaghetti:
Ingredients
- Wheel Brie: 1 (35 Ounces)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 2 tbsp.
- Spaghetti: 2 ½ Pounds
- Garlic Cloves (Minced): 3
- Chopped Parsley: ¼ c.
- Red Pepper Flakes: A Pinch
- Grated Parmesan (For Serving): ¼ c.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit, cut the top of the brie rind, and place the cheese in a skillet.
Bake the cheese until it is melted and bubbling; this process should take no more than 25 minutes.
However, the exact baking time will depend on the size of the wheel, so you need to keep an eye on the cheese after 15 minutes.
While the cheese is baking in the oven, cook the spaghetti.
Take a large pot, pour water and salt into the pot, and boil the water.
Save about a cup of the spaghetti water, and drain the rest.
Transfer the spaghetti to a large-sized bowl.
Toss the spaghetti with red pepper flakes, parsley, olive oil, garlic, and salt.
After removing the cheese from the oven, immediately add the spaghetti to the skillet and toss it with the cheese.
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Keep on tossing the spaghetti until it is completely coated with the cheese.
If you feel the Brie cheese is too thick, add some spaghetti water, it will loosen the cheese.
Once the dish is cooked, serve it immediately along with parmesan cheese.
What Do You Eat Brie With?
Brie cheese is a soft cheese and a harder and molten cheese.
While people often wonder whether they can eat the rind, you can eat the cheese in many different ways and with other dishes.
You can pair the Brie cheese with the following:
- Unsalted Nuts
- Berries
- Walnuts
- Almonds
- Peanuts
- Pears
- Grapes
- Apples
You can also pair wine with Brie cheese:
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Pinot Gris
- Champagne
- Dry Whites
- Sparkling Whites
Lastly, you can pair these dishes with the Brie cheese:
- Pasta
- Pizza
- Seafood
- Chicken Dishes
- Poultry Dishes
Is Brie Good For You?
Nutritional Facts About Brie Cheese
Brie is a nutrient-rich cheese that also has a high-fat content.
The cheese also contains protein and several vitamins and minerals.
One 28 gram of full-fat Brie cheese offers:
- Saturated Fat: 4 grams
- Total Fat: 9 grams
- Protein: 4 grams
- Calories: 100
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 0 grams
- Vitamin A: 6 % of DV
- Sodium: 120 mg ( 5 % of DV)
- Calcium: 10 % of DV
- Riboflavin: 11 % of DV
- Vitamin B12: 20 % of DV
Most of the fat in the cheese is saturated fat.
While saturated fat is linked to heart diseases, new studies show that the fat is not as harmful as previously thought.
Brie is also a good source of protein, and a 28-gram serving offers a high quantity of protein.
In addition to the numerous minerals and vitamins, the cheese is also rich in Vitamin B12 and Riboflavin.
These vitamins are essential for ensuring the body’s metabolism works fine and plays a vital role in energy production.
Potential Benefits Of Brie Cheese
Brie contains fat, protein, Riboflavin, Calcium, and Vitamin B12, making it a nutrient-rich cheese.
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The cheese offers over 100 calories per 28 grams of serving.
Protein and fat have long been associated with feelings of fullness, which can help in appetite control and aid in weight loss.
In addition, whole-fat dairy is also linked to lowering the risk of heart diseases and promoting a healthy body weight.
The high content of Vitamin B12 and Riboflavin in Brie cheese helps the body produce energy.
The calcium in Brie is essential for bone growth, and Vitamin A promotes a healthy vision and skin.
Due to the riping process of the Brie cheese, it also contains CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), which is an anti-inflammatory compound and has been shown to have anti-cancer properties.
In a test-tube study, it was concluded that ripened Brie cheese could lower the growth of Leukemia cells.
However, more research is needed in this area before we can conclude.
Related Questions About Brie?
Is Brie Safe To Eat?
Soft cheeses such as Brie cheese contain a small portion of natural milk sugar and lactose.
More than 2/3rds of the global population is intolerant to lactose and is advised to limit their dairy consumption.
However, people are typically good at tolerating cheeses such as Brie, and the vast majority of the lactose content in Brie is either eliminated or converted during the manufacturing process.
Including small quantities of Brie cheese in your regular diet is not harmful and has no severe side effects.
Experts recommend that Brie cheese’s serving size is 28 grams, roughly the size of your thumb.
However, overeating Brie cheese daily can lead to constipation or excessive bloating.
How To Properly Store Brie Cheese?
Most cheese manufacturers state that customers should finish the cheese before expiration.
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However, if the cheese looks fine after the expiration date, it is safe to consume, as long as it is pasteurized.
Once you open the package, you can freeze the Brie cheese in the freezer for 1 to 3 weeks or store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
You can also wrap the cheese in an aluminum foil or put it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to 6 months.
Conclusion
Brie is a delicious variety of cheese; it is soft and tender and pairs well with all types of foods.
In this article, we have thoroughly gone through each aspect of Brie cheese, which should offer you some clarity.
Sources:
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