The Best Pairings To Try For Easy Brie Bites
Brie cheese is the perfect, creamy, umami element to add to any cheese board or snack tray. The soft cow's milk cheese from France is celebrated for its melty texture, and mild, buttery flavor. Depending on how long the cheese has been aged will impact how gooey it is in the middle. The outer rind of the brie is made of a mold called Penicillium candidum, but don't be alarmed by the fact that it's a mold; the rind is still perfectly safe to eat. Plus the rind brings an earthy, almost mushroom-like flavor to the cheese, making it a complex flavorful bite.
Because of this mild flavor and wonderful texture, there are a wide array of pairings that you can try with brie cheese. It goes well with both sweet and savory options, on crackers or even baked; there's no limit to the different ways you can construct a brie bite. This makes brie cheese an excellent centerpiece for a snack board to let everyone experiment and find their favorite matchups, but in the meantime, there are a few classic pairings you can use as a starting point.
Salami and cornichons
If you're a fan of savory bites for your cheese boards, opting for a salami and cornichon pairing with brie will satisfy all your savory needs. The meaty, salty flavor of salami brings out the subtle buttery flavor of the brie. You can add more complexity by opting for a spicy or herb-crusted salami for more tasting notes. Salami has an excellent, somewhat dry texture that contrasts nicely with the softness of the cheese.
Salami and brie can become rich when paired together, and using a cornichon helps break up some of that richness. Cornichons are small, garlicky, pickles that are perfectly sized for cheese boards. The briny flavor of the cornichon brings a pop of brightness to the pairing and offers a textural crunch as well. The garlic notes in the cornichon play off the subtle garlic notes in some salamis.
Onion jam and Marcona almonds
Onion jam is a savory jam that brings a concentrated, French onion flavor vibe. You can either make your own onion jam or buy a premade version. Carmelized onions are turned into a spreadable jam mixture that pairs excellently with brie cheese. The sweet and savory blend of onion jam provides the forward flavor in your brie bite, with the umami flavor of the rind adding in a light bitter note to balance out some of that sweetness.
Marcona almonds are prized almonds from Spain known for their gentle sweetness and are often said to taste like the almond flavoring you'd find in baked goods. This almond flavor highlights the natural nuttiness of brie cheese and brings a warmth of flavor to go with the onion jam. Marcona almonds also provide that textural crunch that's missing from the other components. A good brie bite needs to have not only a variety of flavors but a variety of textures as well.
Smoked salmon and fresh dill
This is one of the more unique pairing options you can try with brie, but don't knock it till you try it. Smoked salmon has a subtle buttery flavor from its smoking process that meshes with the brie for a melt-in-your-mouth experience. It almost acts as a play on smoked salmon and cream cheese but in a single-bite kind of way. The smoky flavor of the salmon works with the flavor of aged cheese in a surprising yet delicious way.
Fresh dill balances everything and gives the richness of the cheese and fish a break. Dill and smoked salmon are a flavor match made in heaven, and it adds to the allusion of lox and cream cheese. Dill as a fresh herb is moderate in flavor, but don't use too much. Just a small frond is all you need to get the desired effect. Dill provides not only a flavor element but an aromatic element as well — perfect if you're not a fan of the odor of brie cheese.
Honey, thyme, and Honeycrisp apple
This is a classic pairing all around. The sweetness of the honey and Honeycrisp apples pair with the cream flavor of brie cheese, and these three components play off of each other without being overly sugary. This is a great collab to break up some of the savorier aspects you may find on your typical cheese board. The tartness of the apple and the bright flavor interestingly juxtaposes the creamy cheese. Honeycrisp apples also bring that much-needed crunch factor we've mentioned.
Adding a few fresh thyme leaves to this pairing helps tamper down some of the sweetness of the other components without hiding it. Thyme has an earthy, peppery flavor that works with the notes of the brie rind. Fresh herbs are one of the simplest ways to introduce a new flavor combination without feeling overwhelmed by ingredients. Thyme and honey are an iconic flavor combination, and adding in the brie and apple makes the whole bite complete.
Fresh figs and prosciutto
This classy pairing is sure to be a beautiful standout on any cheese board. Fresh figs have multiple components that blend amazingly with brie cheese wrapped into one easy fruit. The jammy texture pairs with the creaminess, and the gentle sweet, floral notes of the fig are reminiscent of honey. The slight crunch of the fig seeds breaks up the texture as well. You can slice your figs into small circles to lay on top of your brie slices.
Prosciutto brings the salty component to this bite for a balance of salty and sweet. Like other cured meats, prosciutto is salty, a little rich, and savory. That salt component works with the nutty, butteriness of the cheese to balance both ingredients. When using a meat like prosciutto you'll want a sweeter, fresh element to it so that the meat doesn't become the dominant taste. Figs are a great option because of the different texture, and pleasant sweetness.