Did you know that the combination of cheese and sweet fruit is not a modern invention, but a tradition that was already loved in royal courts? It has been said that cheese without fruit is like a lover without eyes. In short, he is missing something essential.
A modern recipe with a French twist
Are you also interested in the eyeless lover? The saying “cheese without fruit is like a lover without eyes” comes from the French gourmet tradition. The statement is often associated with gastronomist Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, author of the famous book Physiology of Taste.
In France, cheese was traditionally served with fresh fruit because the sweet component enhances the taste, aroma and structure of the cheese. The comparison to a lover seems slightly provocative, but the meaning is simple. Without the contrast of flavors, food lacks emotion and tension. Just as a relationship without a look lacks connection, cheese without fruit loses some of its charm. The French were reminding us that good food should engage all the senses and create harmony, not just fill the plate.
The secret to success lies in the dough. Forget rolling and rising. We will use thin plates filo pastryis less well-known, but you can already find it in various Czech stores, or feel free to use our rolled into very thin slices.
The whole trick is to “squeeze” the dough casually or fold it like an accordion into the mold. The more bumps you create, the crispier and more interesting the cake will be in the end.
A recipe for a tender filo cake with cheese and fruit
What will you need? Just a few ingredients that you shouldn’t skimp on. The preparation is simple and you will be done in 10 minutes. You should have this in your fridge:
- packaging filo or puff pastry,
- honest cheese type brie or camembert (don’t be afraid to take the one with a stronger taste),
- cranberry jam or fresh cranberries stewed with a little sugar,
- a little dissolved butter and a mixture of cream and egg (to hold it all nicely together),
- a couple of cuts rosemary and a handful walnuts for the right twist.
How to make it look divine?
You have three options to shape the cake, and they all look great:
Round shape: Fold the sheets of dough into long strips, spread them with butter and roll them around like a snail from the center to the edges.
Rectangular form: Fold the dough like an accordion and place one strip next to the other.
Roses in a muffin tin: Make a snail out of two or three crumpled filo sheets. A rose shape will be created, the size of a smaller palm. Place such roses in a mold and fill each one separately. After baking, such portions will serve you well.
But let’s take it in a nice order. The procedure is as follows:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare a round or rectangular mold and lightly grease it with butter to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Carefully spread the sheets of filo dough. Brush each lightly with melted butter. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just the irregularity will create the resulting crunch.
- Fold the dough according to the chosen variant. You can press the sheet into the accordion one or two at a time. Don’t be afraid to press and make waves, they will give the cake structure and the peeking edges will be nicely baked.
- Tuck slices of brie or camembert cheese between the dough folds. Add or steamed cranberries with a spoon. The distribution does not have to be uniform, on the contrary, it looks more natural.
- In a bowl, beat the cream with the egg and a pinch of salt. Pour the mixture slowly over the entire cake so that it flows between the layers of dough.
- Sprinkle the surface with chopped walnuts and add a few rosemary leaves.
- Bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the edges are noticeably crisp. The cheese will spread inside and connect all the flavors.
- Leave to rest for at least 10 minutes. The cake will harden slightly and will be easier to cut. Serve still warm, ideally with a glass of white wine.
