One of America's most popular soft cheeses is beloved yet sometimes still a mystery.
Brie, a round, creamy cheese with a hard rind, comes in many different sizes, flavors, and forms, and there are even more ways to enjoy the mild but rich cheese. If you're wondering how to eat brie, know that while nibbling on a wedge is totally acceptable (guilty!), there are so many more presentations and styles to indulge in. For the best brie experience, find a brie style that suits your tastes, serve it at the right temperature, and follow a few more tips for the best brie you've ever had.
Brie is both a very specific and a general type of cheese. "Generally, when we think of a 'brie' style cheese, we're thinking of a soft-ripened cheese with a downy white rind," says Lauren Toth, cheesemonger and director of training and curriculum at Murray's Cheese. "Some of the cheeses that fall into that category and look like a traditional, French brie to most observers may not be a 'brie' at all." Cheeses with a delicate rind, called bloomy, are a distinct and vast category beyond brie.
Categorically, there are a few different types of brie, including traditional styles, original styles, standard brie, double-crème, triple crème, and alternative (also called mixed-milk) brie.
The Milk: Traditional brie is a French cheese made from cow's milk. Alternative bries, including American-made options, can have use various types of milk. Brie can be made with sheep or goat's milk, or a mix of various types of dairy to layer flavors.
Crème: In terms of creaminess, brie has three distinct levels. "A cheesemaker may choose to add additional cream to the milk they use for cheesemaking to create an even richer and more decadent texture and a more buttery flavor," explains Toth. "A double-crème will have 60 percent or more butterfat and a triple-crème 75 percent or more. Double-crèmes tend to have a thicker, creamier consistency, while a triple-crème will be very silky and melt-in-your-mouth, practically butter."
Like any cheese, the "best" version of brie depends on personal taste. Asking a cheesemonger for their favorites or knowing which qualities to ask for, such as a double-creme or a mixed milk brie, can help guide you to a favorite selection.
If no experts are around your supermarket cheese case, Toth suggests you ask yourself a few questions when choosing a brie:
Splurging a bit on brie may be worthwhile."Don't be put off by a higher price tag," Toth says. "Artisanal cheeses depend on a lot of labor and painstaking care to create and transport from the farm to your fridge. The price will reflect that quality and value."
Brie can be enjoyed at room temperature or baked and served warm and gooey, but a cold brie straight from the fridge is not gonna cut it.
"For a cheese plate, you want to let your brie come up to room temperature," Toth says. "This will unlock the full depth of aroma and flavor for the best-tasting experience." Remove your brie from the fridge about half an hour before serving it.
Presentation: For a visually stunning cheese board, Toth recommends using a large wedge of brie to anchor the display. If functionality is more important, pre-slice smaller wedges for guests to serve themselves rather than scooping out the center and leaving the rind of a gooey brie. Brie can also be cut out with a cookie cutter to make fun shapes.
Pairings: "Brie is a soft and creamy cheese with a buttery flavor, sometimes a little grassiness, and a rich mouthfeel. For the most natural pairings, you want to look at complementary textures and flavors," says Bonnie Kaufman, brand manager at Marin Cheese Co. She loves serving brie with seasonal fruits, which can highlight the fresh crisp texture and add a bit of sweetness without competing with the cheese's delicate flavors. For more savory pairings, try buttery Castelvetrano olives or lightly salted Marcona almonds. Pickled vegetables, or even fruits, can pair nicely with brie, too.
Warm, gooey, baked brie is a favorite of many soft cheese lovers.
"Don't be afraid to heat your brie, or other bloomy-rind cheese, in a baking dish in the oven," Toth says. "Just keep an eye on it to make sure the center doesn't completely ooze out." Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Timing will depend on the size of the wheel, but small wheels can get melty in just 5 minutes. Set the whole wheel in a small baking dish, a sheet pan, a cast iron, or even aluminum foil.
Just like mozzarella in a Caprese salad or a melty square of American in a grilled cheese, brie can really make a dish. And yes, it can be subbed into either of those recipes. In fact, brie works in almost any recipe that calls for a soft and melty cheese.