Camembert Tart Recipe

This Camembert tart oozes delicious melted cheese as soon as you cut into it. The centre is a whole baked Camembert, and the rest of it is made from pastry and quiche filling, which makes for a lovely combination. You can make this tart ahead if you're making it for Christmas or for a dinner party.

This takes 45 minutes in the oven and a little bit of prep time, but it's well worth the effort, especially if you're making it for a special occasion. You can either make it as a starter, or for a festive lunch to be enjoyed with friends and family. It serves 8-10 people which means there will be enough to go around for a whole group. You'll even have enough if they ask for seconds!

HOW TO MAKE A CAMEMBERT TART

Ingredients

• 350g all-butter shortcrust pastry
• 160ml double cream
• 130ml milk
• 50g grated Cheddar
• 1 egg, plus 3 egg yolks
• 250g whole Camembert
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 3tbsp red onion marmalade

You will need:

• A 20cm fluted loose-based, 3 or 4cm-deep flan tin, lightly oiled, and baking beans

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C fan, gas 6. Use the pastry to line the flan tin. Chill, then bake blind for around 20 minutes until it’s cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before adding the filling.

2. Meanwhile, make the custard. Mix the cream, milk, most of the Cheddar, egg and egg yolks, and season well. Turn the oven down to 130C fan, gas 2. Put the whole Camembert in the centre of the pastry and make a few cuts across the centre.

3. Pour the custard around the edge. Poke the sprigs of thyme into the Camembert, and add teaspoons of the red onions into the custard. Scatter the remaining Cheddar on top of the custard then bake for 40-45 minutes until the quiche is just set. Allow to cool and serve at room temperature– serve it hot and the Camembert will pour out! It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days but bring it back to room temperature before serving.