A few weeks ago, I saw a video on Instagram of Myo Quinn making whipped Brie in a food processor, and I was immediately transfixed by the creamy texture of the cheese. The Brie looked so airy and smooth, and it seemed like such a fun way to serve Brie. Moreover, the preparation couldn’t be easier: slice off the rind of the Brie, blend, and serve.
Nearly all whipped Brie recipes I’ve seen serve the cheese with a generous drizzle of honey and other seasonings. But when I first saw the whipped Brie video, I wondered if it would taste good with my homemade chili oil on top. My goodness, it is so delicious! The chili oil adds a layer of smoky, garlicky, and spicy flavor to the Brie and honey. I genuinely had to stop myself from eating too much at once!
HOW TO MAKE WHIPPED BRIE
DOUBLE VS TRIPLE CREAM BRIE
Traditionally, Brie is made with double cream, so the cheese has a minimum of 60% butterfat content. As you can imagine, triple cream Brie has even more butterfat–a minimum of 75%. I’ve tried this recipe with double and triple cream Brie cheeses and I think either will be fine for whipping. However, the triple cream Brie gives a softer and silkier finish. Feel free to experiment with either type of Brie.
CHEESE WHEEL OR WEDGE?
Before you blend the Brie in the food processor, you need to slice off the rind to ensure that the whipped Brie is nice and creamy. I’ve found that large wedges of Brie are easier to work with. Simply lay the wedge on its side and slice off the rind. Wheels of Brie cheese, on the other hand, generally have a lot more rind around the surface area. Therefore, it’ll take more time and will be a messier experience.
HOW MUCH CHEESE TO USE
If you are serving 6 to 8 people, 16 to 18 ounces of Brie (weighed with rind intact) should be plenty. You can also use as little as 8 to 10 ounces of Brie if you’re serving fewer people. However, you’ll need to have a smaller food processor (no larger than a 7-cup processor) in order for the blades to blend the cheese properly.
SLICING OFF THE RIND
Make sure the Brie is cold when you slice off the rind. The cheese softens as it reaches room temperature, making it more difficult to cut cleanly.
Because I don’t like being wasteful, I initially tried slicing off the rind very close to the edge to avoid cutting off too much cheese. In reality, I created more mess than it was worth (see photo above). That’s why I suggest cutting a little deeper into the cheese so that it’s easy to slice off the rind in one piece. Then, use a spoon to scrape off cheese from the inside of the rind.
Cut the cheese into cubes and place them on a plate for about 45 minutes to let it reach room temperature.
COMMON METHODS OF PREPARING WHIPPED BRIE
As I researched whipped Brie recipes, I’ve found that the two most common methods of preparing whipped Brie are to use a mixer or food processor.
With the stand mixer method, you need to whip a larger quantity of Brie at once for about 10 minutes for the cheese to reach its ideal creamy texture. I’ve also seen someone use a hand mixer instead, which works but requires much more muscle, particularly when the Brie is still firm.
The beauty of the food processor method is that you can whip the Brie much faster. It took me less than 90 seconds to whip 16 ounces of Brie. Furthermore, you can whip as little as 8 ounces of Brie at a time, provided that your food processor isn’t too large. I used my 7-cup food processor to whip 8 ounces of Brie with great results. If you have a larger food processor, you’ll need to double the amount of Brie so the blades can actually blend the cheese properly.
WHIPPING BRIE
Add all the Brie to the bowl of your food processor. Blend the cheese for about 15 to 20 seconds. The cheese will gather into a large clump initially but it will spread out. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and then blend the cheese again for another 15 seconds.
Scrape the sides of the bowl again and blend for another 10 to 15 seconds, until the Brie is like the consistency of soft whipped butter. If it still doesn’t look like whipped butter yet, scrape the sides of the bowl and blend again for another 10 seconds. This entire process shouldn’t take more than a minute to a minute and a half.
MAKING CHILI OIL
Before or right after you prepare the Brie, make the chili oil so that the oil has time to infuse with the spices. This is the same chili oil I use for my Chinese smashed cucumber salad; I merely bumped up the amount of garlic and reduced the amount of salt slightly.
Combine the spices in a heat resistant bowl (or saucepan). Heat oil in a saucepan until it reaches about 325ºF to 350ºF. Then, carefully pour the hot oil over the spices: gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes), minced garlic, ginger, hot chili flakes, and salt. Gochugaru gives the chili oil a lovely smoky flavor. You can find it in Asian grocery stores or on Amazon.
FINISHING WHIPPED BRIE
Once you’ve whipped the Brie, transfer it to a bowl. Smooth it out with the back of a spoon. Then, drizzle honey over the Brie. I like to use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of honey but feel free to add more or less. Then, scoop out some of the solids from the chili oil and drizzle that on top. It’s fine if you scoop up the oil too but try to focus more on the solids. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately. Serve with crackers or toasted slices of baguette!
CAN I MAKE THE WHIPPED BRIE AHEAD?
It depends. The texture of the Brie is best right after it is whipped and for the next few hours. If you are planning to bring this dip for a gathering at someone else’s house, cut up the Brie into cubes and leave at room temperature. When you get to your destination, whip the Brie there. If you are going to an outdoor location, whip the Brie right before you leave. Store the Brie in a container and keep it separate from the other toppings. When you are ready to serve, simply spread the Brie over a plate or bowl and then add the toppings.
WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER CHILI OIL
You’ll have a lot of chili oil leftover but there are many ways you can enjoy it. I like mixing a few tablespoons of the oil into my soy and vinegar dumpling sauce. You can also use it for stir fries or toss it with noodles. Here are also a few recipes that work work well with the chili oil:
- Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad
- Spicy Peanut Noodles (substitute the doubanjiang with chili oil)
- Spicy Roasted Edamame
Whipped Brie with Honey & Chili Oil
Ingredients
Chili Oil
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes), (see note 1)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili flakes, (see note 2)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1/3 cup (78mL) safflower, vegetable, or any neutral oil
Brie & Toppings
- 16 to 18 ounces cold Brie, can use double or triple cream Brie (see note 3)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey, add more to taste
- 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons chili oil solids, add more to taste
- 1 tablespoon sliced scallions
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Make Chili Oil
- Place the gochugaru, chili flakes, salt, minced garlic, and minced ginger into a bowl that can handle heat, like ceramic or a stainless steel mixing bowl (see note 4) Pour the 1/3 cup of oil into a saucepan and heat on medium-high for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the oil reaches 325ºF to 350ºF (162ºC to 176ºC). Turn off the heat. Very carefully pour the hot oil over the spices. Then, set the oil aside to infuse.
Prepare Brie
- Take the Brie from the refrigerator and remove any wrappers. Using a sharp knife (I used a serrated bread knife), slice off the rind. Don’t be afraid to slice a little deeper so that the rind can come off cleanly in one piece. If you purchased a Brie wheel, I recommend slicing the Brie in half first. Then, place one half of the Brie, cut side down, and slice off the rind.
- Use a spoon to scrape off the cheese stuck to the inside of the rind.
- Cut the remaining Brie into 1-inch cubes and transfer everything to a plate. Let the cheese sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes, until it reaches room temperature.
Whip Brie
- Transfer the Brie to the bowl of a food processor. Blend the cheese for about 15 to 20 seconds. The cheese will gather into a large clump but it should spread out eventually. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and then blend the cheese again for another 15 seconds.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl again and blend for another 10 to 15 seconds, until the Brie is like the consistency of soft whipped butter. If not, scrape the sides of the bowl and blend again for another 10 seconds. This entire process shouldn’t take more than a minute to a minute and a half.
Assemble
- Once you’ve whipped the Brie, transfer it to a bowl. Smooth it out with the back of a spoon. Drizzle honey over the Brie. Next, scoop out some of the solids from the chili oil and drizzle that on top. It’s fine if you scoop up the oil too but try to focus more on the solids.
- Sprinkle sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds over the cheese. Serve immediately with crackers or toasted slices of baguette!
Notes
- I love using gochugaru for my chili oil because it has subtle spice and a light smoky flavor. More importantly, it turns the chili oil into a beautiful shade of red that is unparalleled. You can find gochugaru in Korean supermarkets in big bags. I also love Mother-In-Law’s gochugaru, which comes in small jars or larger bags.
- These are the standard red pepper flakes that you can find in the spice aisles of your grocery store. They should be a medium level of spice (or spicier, if you want).
- Either double or triple cream Brie cheese will work with this recipe. Triple cream Brie tends to whip into a silkier finish.
- If you don’t have a heat-proof bowl, you can also place the spices in a saucepan and use another one to heat the oil.
- Halving the Recipe: You can use as little as 8 to 10 ounces of Brie. Make sure to use a smaller food processor (no larger than a 7-cup processor) in order for the blades to blend the cheese properly.
- What to do with the remaining chili oil: Use the remaining oil as a dip for dumplings, toss it with noodles, or use it to make my smashed cucumber salad.
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