Equipment
Ingredients
Baked Cheese
- 250 g camembert cheese, whole round in wooden box or loose
- 1 garlic, cut into thin slivers
- 2 g fresh rosemary, cut into small sprigs
- 5 ml olive oil
- 15 g honey
Two-Ingredient Flatbread Dough
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 250 g plain greek yogurt, full fat preferred
- 10 g baking powder
- 4 g kosher salt
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, Greek yogurt, baking powder, and kosher salt. Mix until a shaggy dough begins to form.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth. If it feels excessively sticky, add a light dusting of flour.
Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel or return to the mixing bowl and cover. Let it rest at room temperature to allow the gluten to relax.
Preheat the oven to 200C/390F. Unwrap the Camembert and discard any plastic packaging. If it came in a stapled wooden box, you can bake it in the box bottom, otherwise place it snugly in a small baking dish.
Using a paring knife, score the top rind of the cheese in a crosshatch pattern, cutting just deep enough to pierce the rind without hitting the bottom.
Tuck the garlic slivers and rosemary sprigs firmly into the scored cuts of the cheese. Drizzle the top evenly with 5ml of olive oil.
Divide the rested dough into 4 equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece out on a floured surface into an oval shape about 5mm thick.
Place the prepared cheese into the preheated oven and bake until the center is deeply molten and the top is slightly puffed and golden.
While the cheese bakes, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the flatbreads one at a time until large bubbles form on the surface and dark charred spots appear underneath. Flip and cook the other side, then brush lightly with olive oil.
Remove the cheese from the oven. Drizzle immediately with honey if using. Serve the hot, molten cheese surrounded by the warm flatbreads for tearing and dipping.
Chef's Notes
- Retain the side and bottom rind on the Camembert. It acts as an edible bowl that holds the molten cheese interior together.
- Using a high-hydration base like Greek yogurt generates rapid steam during the cooking process, creating the sought-after air pockets in the flatbread.
- For additional flavor complexity, rub the hot, freshly cooked flatbreads with a halved raw garlic clove just before brushing with olive oil.
- Ensure your skillet is preheated well before cooking the dough. A hot surface is mandatory to trigger the immediate puffing action of the baking powder and steam.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store flatbreads and cheese separately in airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Only freeze the flatbreads, tightly wrapped. Cheese should not be frozen.
Reheating: Reheat flatbreads in a dry skillet over medium heat. Gently warm leftover cheese in the oven at 150C or microwave in 15-second bursts.
