Buttery and light as air. This delightful, whipped brie is topped with fresh thyme and sweet, golden honeycomb!
This is one of those recipes that I keep in mind when I want to make an appetizer that’s super simple but is also super impressive. I have to credit the great Chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry for this technique. When I first saw this technique in his French Laundry cookbook I was immediately intrigued – would this actually work? And amazingly, it did! I have always been surprised that this technique has never quite taken off and I rarely see recipes featuring whipped brie cheese.
Brie cheese itself is deliciously creamy but once whipped it becomes luxuriously silky soft with a taste like butter! It is truly a revelation and a fun recipe to share with others. The brie can be served plain but I like folding in fresh herbs like thyme or savory. The sweetness of the honeycomb is a wonderful complementary flavour to the rich and herbaceous cheese. This brie cheese recipe is perfect for indulging in with a cocktail on the patio!
Ingredient Notes
Brie Cheese: The number one thing to keep in mind with this recipe is to be sure to use triple cream brie cheese. I have made this recipe many, many times with consistent success. Until one time it flopped. The brie didn’t whip so much as liquify. What I hadn’t noticed was that the brie I had picked up was double cream. Double cream brie cheese has a lower fat content which can inhibit the ability of the cheese to whip up into a luxurious, buttery cloud. So make sure you buy a triple cream brie which will never let you down!
Fresh Herbs: The beauty of this brie cheese recipe is that you can easily customize it with your favourite flavours. I love fresh thyme in this recipe – it goes well with both the brie and the honeycomb. This time I used both fresh thyme, which is flowering right now, and winter savory from my garden. Plus, I was able to use the tiny thyme flowers as a pretty garnish!
Honeycomb: It is such a treat to cut into slab of honeycomb and watch all that gorgeous honey ooze out. And yes, the comb is completely edible. It is made from beeswax so there is a different mouthfeel to it, but I really recommend trying it at least once! If you are really unsure about eating the comb or you just aren’t able to source any, then a drizzle of honey will work just fine.
How to Make Whipped Brie with Herbs and Honeycomb
This whipped brie recipe is so simple to make, you can hardly call it a recipe. But, it is a good idea to go over the technique of making the whipped brie itself. Whipping the brie takes some time. Every time I make it I experience some apprehension around the 7 or 8 minute-mark and I begin to doubt it will even work at all! Just keep whipping and you will be rewarded with the most buttery, soft cheese you’ve ever had.
Prepare the Brie Cheese
First, you will need to cut the rind off of the brie. Since brie cheese is so soft, it is easier to cut if you keep the cheese refrigerated right until you want to make it. The easiest way to cut the rind off is to start by cutting the wheel in half. Then stand each half up on the cut side and slice the rind off each side of the brie. Next, lay the cheese down on its side and cut off the edges. Finish by cutting the brie into cubes.
Whip the Brie Cheese
Place the cubed brie cheese in the bowl of mixer. Using a paddle attachment begin whipping the brie cheese on medium speed. The cheese should look dry and a bit gummy and it will stick to the sides and paddle of the mixer. It can take up to 10 minutes for the brie cheese to whip properly.
Stop whipping every couple of minutes and scrape down the sides of the mixer and the paddle. At first the brie cheese will be stiff and sticky and a little bit gummy, but trust me, it will work in the end! Keep mixing and eventually you will start to see the cheese lighten in color and it won’t be quite as sticky when you scrape down the sides.
Keep whipping until the cheese is light and fluffy and the texture of whipped butter. It should be very soft and fluffy. While the brie is whipping you can chop the fresh herbs. Add the herbs to the finished brie and fold in with a spatula. Transfer the whipped brie to a serving bowl.
To serve, you can either make individual crostini by topping a slice of baguette with the whipped brie and a piece of honeycomb or just set out the bowl of brie and a slab of honeycomb and let your guests pile on as much as they want!
Pairing & Serving Suggestions
More often than not I will pair this appetizer with a cocktail – particularly one with a floral or herbal aroma such as my Chamomile Honey Gin Sour or my Rhubarb Lavender Gin Cocktail Recipe.
If you are interested in pairing it with a wine, I suggest an off-dry white wine. An off-dry Riesling has a bit of sweetness to complement the creamy richness of the cheese but also some acidity to balance the sweet honeycomb. Another great choice would be to pair a slightly off-dry sparkling wine. A recipe like this is worth the splurge!
For more seasonal appetizers, try these:
