Brie or camembert - what is the difference?
If you're a cheese connoisseur you'll know, but for the rest of us, there are a fews ways you can spot the difference at a quick glance.
- Size
- Creaminess
- Fat content
Let's look at that more closely.
What is camembert?
See that small-ish wheel of cheese in the pic above? That's camembert.
Camembert cheese was originally founded in the 18th century and takes its name from the village in Normandy, France, where it was first made.
Originally created using unpasteurised cow's milk, these days it's often made with pasteurised milk as regulations around raw milk prevent the former.
You can distinguish a camembert from a brie by its size.
How? Because camembert will always come in a small wheel with a diameter of roughly 8-10 centimetres. Just like in the pic above.
So now, let's look at the image below…
What is brie?
See the difference? That's brie (above).
Both brie and camembert are soft, creamy cheeses with an edible white rind, but you can tell a brie from a camembert because brie will be larger (unless it's a baby brie or petit brie in which case, you'll have to check the label).
But most brie comes in a large-ish wheel and you'll often see it sold in wedges. You wouldn't get a wedge of camembert because the wheel is too small.
Brie gets its name from the Brie region in Northern France where it was first made.
Camembert vs brie
Take a look at the pic above. Can you tell which is brie and which is camembert? Yes!
Congrats, you're becoming a cheese expert! But other than one being small and round and the other one being larger and coming in long wedges, what's the difference in taste?
Cream is added to the curd of brie which gives it amilder, lighter and more buttery finish.
Double and triple brie are even more buttery. In fact, French law states that a double-cream cheese must contain 60-70% butterfat which equates to about 30%+ fat in the finished product.
Camembert is slightly stronger with a more earthy and mushroomy taste and if left at room temperature will fully melt where brie will be more likely to hold its structure.
How to eat brie and camembert
According to calorieking.com.au, brie contains 30.5g fat and 18.5g protein per 100g. The same amount of camembert contains 25g fat and 19.5g protein.
To cut through all that fat, both cheeses pair well with a sharp or sweet taste such as grapes or figs.
Camembert is sometimes baked and served with cranberry sauce, and both cheeses are regularly eaten with crackers, a baguette and a glass of wine.
In the Brie region of France, the locals are said to dip Brie Noir (a type of longer-ripened brie) in to their morningcafe au lait.
So, the winner of the brie vs camembert argument?
That's entirely up to you.
Hannah Hempenstall is a writer, life coach and meditation facilitator based in Byron Bay.
