How To Make Brie Cheese At Home

This Brie Cheese article will uncover all there is to know about this delectable cheese, “The Queen of Cheeses”.

Our how to make Brie cheese at home recipe will guide you, step by step, to making your own delicious homemade cheese.

The best part?

You will have more confidence in your cheese making and less stress throughout the process, and you’ll have a simple, proven recipe for a delicious creamy homemade cheese.

That’s not all…

By the end of this article you will know all there is to know about this amazing cheese.

Such as baked brie recipes, wine pairings, it’s origins, nutritional and calorie facts and much, much more. But first what is it?

 

How To Make Brie Cheese At Home

Photo: Thesupermat

What Is Brie Cheese?

Brie is a soft, creamy cheese with a moldy, edible rind.

The cheese can either be made using pasteurized or unpasteurized cow’s milk and is often sold in small cheese wheels.

Brie can either have an off-white or yellow appearance on.

It is considered one of the most delectable cheese in the world and is sometimes referred to as ‘The Queen of Cheese’.

It is regarded as the best known French cheese.

It has a similar complexity of aging as the Camembert recipe which makes it a more challenging soft cheese to make, but it is definitely worth the effort when you get it right.

The cheese is best served at room temperature. It goes down well with champagne, fruits, nuts, and can also serve as a wonderful dessert treat.

The taste can be described as being earthy, fruity, nutty, and even grassy.

The aroma is well balanced and milder compared to other types of French cheese such as Camembert.

The flavor may, however, vary depending on what other ingredients have been added to the cheese.

Some people add herbs in the initial stages imparting upon it a unique flavor.

Baked Brie Cheese Recipe

Photo: Ina Garten

Brie Cheese Origin

A French cheese that is named after the small town of Brie located in the Seine-et-Marne region.

Since the mid-8th century, it has been adored and worshipped by French royalty.

From Charlemagne, King Philip Augustus, to Louis XVI who delayed escape plans to enjoy some Brie and wine, before being captured and eventually beheaded.

The cheese was occasionally gifted to members of the French Royal court for as Christmas and New Year’s gifts.

Traditionally made using raw cow’s milk which imparts upon it a rich earthy flavor that is milder then when made using pasteurized cow’s milk.

Declared the Cheese of Kings at the Congress of Vienna, Brie comes in two variants;

  • Brie de Meaux: A wheel of this type of cheese weighs an average of 2.8kilograms and has a diameter of 14 to 15 inches.
  • Brie de Melun: A wheel of De Melun has a diameter of 11 inches and weighs 1.5 kilograms. It has a pungent smell accompanied by a stronger flavor.

How To Cut Brie De Melun

Brie De Melun: Myrabella

 

AOC And AOP Certification

Both varieties of cheese attained AOC status in 1980.

Most countries prohibit the import of ‘true” Brie which is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk.

The United States, for instance, demands that cheeses made from raw milk must be aged at least 60 days to qualify for importation.

60 days is a long time as far as this is concerned. It would be too ripe for enjoyable consumption.

 

Substitute For Brie Cheese

To substitute your Brie, you can settle for equally flavourful and soft textured cheeses such as Camembert or Reblochon.

These work as excellent replacements and deliver a wonderful taste experience as well.

How To Make Brie De Melun

Photo: Thesupermat

Brie Cheese Nutrition

Brie Calories per 100 grams – 334

For every 100 grams consumed, there are 334 calories of which 43% are fats, 42% protein, and some sugar.

It is also rich in Vitamins A, D, B-6, B-12, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium.

Can You Eat Brie When Pregnant?

This cheese has been enjoyed by Royalty and peasant folk as well for centuries.

It is however not safe for consumption by pregnant women.

Cooking it thoroughly could render it safe for consumption by pregnant women as this kills all the “live bacteria”, but it is best to be avoided.

I know it may be extremely difficult to avoid this delicious cheese for 9 months.

To be safe, however, it is recommended to not consume during the pregnancy up until when you have weaned your baby.

Homemade Brie Cheese Recipe

Photo: Thesupermat

 

How To Make Brie Cheese At Home

Brie Ingredients

 

Brie Recipe

  1. Gently warm the milk up to 30°
  2. Proceed to add the Flora Danica starter and stir thoroughly.
  3. Leave the milk to ripen for about 15 minutes.
  4. Afterwards, add in the Penicillium Candidum and give it a good stir.
  5. Add in the Rennet and stir in steady up and down motions for about 30 continuous strokes.
  6. Leave the mixture for about 3 hours or until a clean cut is observed.
  7. Cut the resulting curds into equal 1cm cubes.
  8. Using a long serving spoon with a cup-shaped end, place the curds into a sterilized open bottom mold.
  9. Leave it overnight, or until your cheese has settled to approximately half their original size.
  10. Flip over the cheese in the mold while being careful not to tear the surface of the cheese.
  11. Leave it for an additional 12 to 24 hours. This is until the cheese is firm enough to retain its shape.
  12. Remove the cheese from the mold and sprinkle it with salt on all surfaces.
  13. Age the cheese in a covered container in a position where the cheese is raised allowing the whey to collect under it, but not in contact with the cheese.
  14. Dry the cheese at 10 to 12 degrees Celsius for a week.
  15. A white mold should begin to develop during this time, allow it to develop fully.
  16. Move your cheese to an aging environment that is somewhere in the range of 10°C and 85% humidity.
  17. Make sure to regularly turn it and age for 3 to 5 months.

How To Make Brie Cheese At Home

Photo: Coyau

 

How To Cut And Store Brie

As mentioned, it should always be served at room temperature. The French have rules that govern almost everything you can imagine.

As far as cutting cheese goes, Cheese etiquette demands that you cut it the same way as you would a pie.

When presenting your “plateau de fromage” be sure to include a couple of cheese knives.

To cut a cheese wedge, simply cut off the nose at an angle and NEVER parallel to the rind as this is frowned upon.

Afterwards, cut slices downwards from the rind to endure everyone gets a taste of the delicious white moldy rind.

Lastly, it is considered odd to scoop out the cheese and leave the rind behind. Every part can be consumed.

To store, wrap it in plastic wrapping and place it in your cheese or vegetable drawer.

Never at any point should it be frozen.

Generally, Brie will last for up to two weeks after it has been cut.

 

How To Make Brie Cheese At Home

Photo: Natalie Maclean

 

Brie Wine Pairing

Pairs well with fruity wines, dry Rosé, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot and some raspberry or cherry flavored fruit beers.

 

Baked Brie Recipe

Brie makes excellent baked recipes among others. The cheese of Kings boasts its share of delightful recipes your family will be eager to try.

baked brie with lemon thyme recipe

Baked Brie with lemon thyme

This simple yet utterly flavor-filled recipe is a classic Australian Christmas Day treat.

As the name suggests, the recipe entails baking Brie and introducing the wonderful aromas of thyme and garlic.

The method is fairly simple.

  • All you need to do is place your wheel of cheese on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
  • Cut small slits on top of the cheese.
  • Insert Thyme and garlic in the slits and bake for about 20 minutes.

This recipe is best enjoyed when served with crackers or bread.

How To Make Baked Brie Puff Pastry Recipe Baked Brie Puff Pastry

This is one of those recipes that you should try on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

The beauty about it is that the method is quite simple while the flavor on the other hand is anything but modest.

Nothing beats a baked Brie recipe and this is most certainly one of my favourites.

Throw in some sautéed onions, some crispy bacon, and a sauce of your choosing and be amazed!

Treat your senses to this delightful experience, you deserve it.

How To Make Brie, Bacon, Basil, PastaBacon, Brie and Pasta

This pasta recipe is sure to wow you and your loved ones. Odds are, it’ll make regular appearances at dinner on your weeknights.

The recipe is incredibly simple yet so tasty!

In about 25 minutes or less, your taste buds will be having the time

of their lives with this dish. Bacon is well-loved and so is pasta with cheese. Throw in some Basil and toss the cooked ingredients together and voila!

 

Do you have any questions, comments or suggestion? Join the discussion over at the Curd Nerd Forum.

We would love to hear from you! We really hope that you enjoy our homemade Brie cheese recipe as much as we do.

 

Articles Relating To Making Homemade Brie

 

Curd Nerd Forum

9 thoughts on “How To Make Brie Cheese At Home

  • 30/12/2011 at 5:54 pm
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    Hi there..love your site but just starting out with cheese making. Brie is one of my favourite cheeses, so keen to give either that or Camembert a try. How do you provide a controlled environment for your cheese ripening? Thanks

    • 01/01/2012 at 1:52 pm
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      Hi Vicki. Thank you for reading! I am so glad you are enjoying Curd Nerd. Brie and Camembert are great cheeses to make and well worth the effort for the taste. To control the environment for these cheeses I use a microwave fish poacher which has a tray to raise the cheese up and a lid with a vent. I leave the lid slightly ajar in the fridge to control humidity and also mop any expelled whey twice daily while the mold is growing. You can see the fish poacher dishes and read more about Camembert aging in this post. If you have any other questions, please let me know. Look forward to ‘seeing’ you again at Curd Nerd.

  • 15/04/2012 at 1:02 pm
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    Thank you… I really enjoy your site.
    I have made Brie several times. I use a wine cooler cave to age which keeps it at about 52 degrees F. All goes well and after 4-5 weeks the cheese will soften. It tastes wonderful but it still has a little curd… It continues to soften into a liquid. What am I doing wrong?

    • 24/04/2012 at 11:43 am
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      Hi Joe

      Thanks for visiting.

      Are you confident of the temperatures in your fridge?

      It seems that your Brie needs to be slightly cooler when aging and it may be within just 1 or 2 degrees. Brie ripens from outside in and it seems that yours aren’t quite getting to the middle but are aging quicker on the outer, so it needs to be left a little longer, at a slightly cooler temperature.

  • 14/06/2013 at 9:11 am
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    hi there
    I am new to cheese making and want to know the difference between brie and camembert. Also how do you get that soft centre of the cheese. I get it to the ripening stage and eat it after about 2-3 weeks of the mould growing, should I leave it longer.
    Thanks

    • 17/06/2013 at 7:16 pm
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      The main difference noticed between Brie and Camembert is the size of the cheese, and therefore the way this cheese ripens and matures to create the taste.

      Traditionally, Brie and Camembert come from different provinces of France, and therefore the bacterias in each respective cheese would differ.For homemade Brie and Camembert this difference is lost and the same cultures tend to be used for both cheeses.

      In regards to your cheese center, yes, you should be leaving the cheese to age for a few weeks longer. Check out this post, to find out more about the ripening process and what to try to get a better paste.

  • 13/01/2014 at 9:09 pm
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    Hi, I tried making goat milk brie for the first time but just threw it out. It took nearly two weeks at 10*C and another week at 13*C for the mould to cover the whole cheese. The sides got good cover early but the top and bottom took ages. At this point I wrapped it and when I checked it today there were greeny-yellow areas and it felt like the mould ‘skin’ was too big for the rest of the cheese. I cut it open and there was a foul-smelling slimy white ooze between the skin and the cheese. The cheese centre was still a solid curd. The cheese was very wet when I put it in the container in the fridge, and proceeded to lose a lot of whey over the first week. Any suggestions as to what may have gone wrong would be greatly appreciated before I give it another try.
    Thanks for all the great info on your page. Cheers, Jodie.

    • 03/02/2014 at 4:15 pm
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      Hi Jodie. It sounds like you have what is often referred to as Slip Skin, or Toad Skin. You can find out more about it here, along with some tips on how to avoid it. It’s a horrible outcome for your cheese unfortunately, and often nonredeemable 🙁

  • 26/02/2014 at 8:44 am
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    can i make brie from goats milk and where do i get Penicillum Candidum in auckland nz
    i have made camber t and blue style out of goats milk

Comments are closed.