Friday

Ile de France Cheese ~ Edible Glazed Cheese ~ Friday Favorites


Made with Ile de France Brie ~




Recently I was contacted by Ile de France Cheese to blog about their cheese, and to enter their Spring recipe contest!
The company generously sent me a wheel of one of their cheeses (I chose Brie), to submit a recipe in their Cheese and Spring Pairing Contest. (You can read more about the contest on their website.)






Of course Ile de France cheeses are delicious served as they are, right from the package, but this is a Spring Recipe Contest...

You probably are familiar with the wonderful Ile de France cheeses, but if not ~ you may want to visit their colorful and informative website:



Ile de France Cheese


Authentic French cheeses, made in France and imported
to America since 1936. Readily available nationwide.




I chose to enter my version of
Completely Edible Flower-Glazed Brie.


These are surprisingly easy to make, and the glaze does not alter the delicious taste, or texture of the cheese~





For pure wow factor on the cheese plate, or buffet table, I don't think you can miss with Flower Glazed Cheeses.


This method is a lovely way to dress up cheese for a party, or Bridal or Baby Shower.





As long as you use untreated, organic,
edible flowers and leaves (preferably home grown), it is all completely edible.


I learned how to do this many, many years ago from my mother, I'm sure through Sunset magazine, or one of their single subject cook booklets. You can use any cheese with a flat surface and an edible rind (or no rind at all.)





They are so much fun to do that I'm often disappointed I don't have MORE cheeses to decorate once I get started! The designs are, of course, limited only by your imagination.





Here are some suggestions for edible decorations~

Just remember to choose pesticide-free, well washed leaves or sprigs of herbs, and petals or small blossoms of flowers.


Greenery:
chives, dill, save, thyme, tarragon, rosemary, watercress, cilantro, and parsley.


A few Flower suggestions:


pansies, roses, primroses, geraniums, carnations, calendula, nasturtiums, violets, and strawberry blossoms.


To prepare for use:


After rinsing and blotting dry, store the leaves and flowers in plastic bags in the refrigerator until ready to garnish the cheese.


Everything you need to decorate and glaze several cheeses.


2 cups dry white wine (or regular-strength chicken broth)
Note: Wine will give a clearer, more sparkling aspic glaze than chicken broth.
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (Knox, for example)

Flat-surfaced cheese (any rind must be edible),
Ile de France Brie or Camembert (wheel, or wedge) are perfect, chilled

Edible decorations; see list above


In a 2 to 3-quart pan, combine wine and gelatin; allow to stand for 5 minutes. Place over medium heat and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved and mixture is clear.


Place pan in a larger container filled with ice cubes and water, stir liquid occasionally until it begins to thicken and look syrupy. If it becomes too firm, rheat to soften, then chill again until syrupy.



Place cold cheese on a wire rack in a shallow rimmed pan. Decide upon your pattern/decorations.


Spoon a coat of aspic over top and sides ofcheese; when slightly tacky (1 to 3 minutes), decorate as desired with the flowers, leaves and/or herbs. Refrigerate entire pan with rack and cheese, uncovered for about 15 minutes.


Spoon more aspic over top and sides of cheese to cover all. If desired add one or 2 more coats, refrigerating after each layer is added.

When cheese is completely covered with glaze, invert a bowl over cheese without touching surface until ready to serve. Can be prepared up to 36 hours ahead.

Any unused aspic (including the drippings in the pan) can be refrigerated, covered, for several days. To reuse; reheat to melt, then proceed as in the instructions, above.


Recipe yields enough to coat four to five 7.7 ounce wheels of
Ile de France cheese, or six 3 by 5-inch rectangles of cheese with 3 layers of aspic.

CLICK HERE if you would like a printable copy of this recipe.
(Link will take you to my recipe blog ~ Once Upon a Plate, The Recipes.)



I used edible flowers that are blooming in my garden right now


For the Brie I chose purple violas.
Nasturtium blossom, leaves and a blade of chive
on the block of Oregon Cheddar

Yellow Violas on a small block of cream cheese.


If you make these, I hope they bring you and your family and friends much enjoyment!

With great thank to the generosity of the associates at Ile de France!


Merci Beaucoup!















18 comments:

  1. this has always been one of my very favorite one of yours. its the garden girl in me coupled with food, win win combo!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mari - these cheeses are stunning! I've never seen anything like it! A must 'do' for my next partay. The only aspic I've had is with meat, and I'm not a big fan of it...but CHEESE - now you're talking! Wonderful post. Thank you so much!

    ReplyDelete
  3. So cute! I found thsi recipe in a Canadian Living Cookbook almost 15 yrs ago and never stopped..I have not tried this particular cheese..but I love this recipe for the glaze on any cheese:) In Provence,a lot of the local Goat Cheese rounds and pyramids,and cloches are decorated like this.
    Beau Mary!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, Mari, this is just about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh..they are abs gorgeous Mari..:)
    So many new things to me..:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello Mari...

    Girl, I'm impressed! What fabulous, artsy cheeses!!! They're absolutely beautiful! Thank you for including the recipe and directions for the glaze...I would love to try this!

    Sending you my very best wishes on your contest entry!!!

    Chari

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a beautiful way to dress up the cheese wheel! *love*

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your blog makes me smile every time I visit. Your presentations are so thoughtful, tasteful and beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  9. These are just beautiful, Mari!

    ReplyDelete
  10. A beautiful presentation, Mari. I particularly like the nasturtium on the cheddar. The colors are so pretty and appetizing.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is beautiful. next special occasion, I'm trying this! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. oh wow that's crazy cool!


    Girl! tres cool!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Mari, as usual, your photographs are beautiful! You always do a great job.

    I have to confess that brie makes me cringe. Soft cheese and me don't go well together. Your photos, however, are enough to make me consider taking a bite.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mari, these are gorgeous! I love the look and I'm sure I would love the flavor the glaze adds. You have such an artistic eye. Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a WOW factor!! Your cheeses are exquisite.

    ReplyDelete
  16. How beautiful and impressive! Thanks for sharing and giving details about the "how to". laurie

    ReplyDelete
  17. A good story

    GK Chesterton: “The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese.”

    Voila: www.tastingtoeternity.com. This book is a poetic view of 30 of the best loved French cheeses with an additional two odes to cheese. Recipes, wine pairing, three short stories and an educational section complete the book.

    From a hectic life in New York City to the peace and glories of the French countryside lead me to be the co-founder of www.fromages.com. Ten years later with the words of Pierre Androuet hammering on my brain:

    “Cheese is the soul of the soil. It is the purest and most romantic link between humans and the earth.”

    I took pen and paper; many reams later with the midnight oil burning Tasting to Eternity was born and self published.

    I believe cheese and wine lovers should be told about this publication.

    Enjoy

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments, friends ~ they make my day!

A Sampling of my food . . .

Subscribe:

 Subscribe in a reader...or

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner