My goodness, what a treat this gluten free dough wreath was! A molten baked camembert, topped with honey, surrounded by gorgeous gluten free dough balls for dunking and scooping. Serve as an appetiser, part of a buffet spread with charcuterie and chutneys, or simply as some good old winter comfort food with a big glass of red wine on the side. Heaven!
I finished my gluten free dough ball wreath with some whole garlic cloves, a sprinkle of salt and sprigs of rosemary for a focaccia-vibe, but you can skip these or play around with other flavours if you prefer.
The dough itself is based on my gluten free focaccia recipe. I found the inclusion of olive oil in the dough keeps the dough balls lovely and soft and gave the bouncy texture I was really looking for when developing this recipe.
Which Flour Do You Use?
I use the Schar All Purpose Baking Mix to make this gluten free dough ball wreath and would recommend you use the same. Using a different flour blend will yield a different final bread, which may not be as nice.
If you are a confident baker please feel free to play around with other blends. However, if you are new to gluten free bread making please note it is a bit of an exact science. Substitutions and ingredients swaps never end well, so please follow the ingredients and recipe carefully :).
Gluten Free Dough Ball Wreath with Baked Camembert Recipe
You’ll find a detailed method below, with some pictures to help guide you through the recipe. If you have any questions feel free to get in touch. You can contact me at [email protected] or message me on Instagram/Facebook @myglutenfreeguide.
If you enjoy this gluten free dough ball wreath, I would be really grateful if you could leave a star rating or review on the recipe card below. Thank you!
Laura xxx
Gluten Free Baked Camembert Dough Ball Wreath
An epic tear and share gluten free dough ball wreath with a baked camembert centre. Perfect as a winter appetizer or for a cosy night on the sofa.
Ingredients
- 500g Schar All Purpose Baking Mix
- 1.5 tsp xanthan gum
- 1.5 tsp fine salt
- 14g dried active yeast (I use Allinson's Easy Bake Yeast)
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 330ml warm water
- 50ml olive oil + 20ml olive oil for topping
- 2 tsp cider vinegar
- 1 camember cheese in wooden box (I use Le Rustique)
- 1 tsp honey
- Optional: pinch Maldon salt flakes, garlic cloves, fresh rosemary sprigs
Instructions
- Liberally grease the base (and sides if applicable) of a non-stick circular tin, dish or baking sheet with olive oil and line the base with baking paper. Set aside.
- Combine the warm water, caster sugar and yeast together in a measuring jug, give everything a good stir and then leave to stand for 10-15 minutes (no stirring during this time). The yeast will activate and a thick layer of foam will form on top of the liquid (see image below).
- Add the all purpose baking mix, salt and xanthan gum to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine them well.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour in the bowl and add the 50ml olive oil, cider vinegar and contents of the jug. Use a wooden spoon to mix the liquids into the dry ingredients. You'll need some muscle to give it a good stir, I always get a sore arm doing this (but you might be more of a dedicated gym goer than me...kudos if so!). Mix until you have a dough that is slightly wet and sticky but that you can handle and shape.
- Take the camembert out of the box and set the cheese aside. Set the lid of the empty wooden box in the centre of your baking dish, and discard the base of the box. Use your hands to shape the dough into dough balls and place them around the camembert box. Leave a little bit of space between the dough balls, to allow space for them to prove (grow and rise) - see the picture below.
- Ensure you've formed the dough balls into a nice circular shape around the camembert box. Now cover the dish with a clean, damp cloth or tea towel and set aside in a warm place for around 50 minutes. Or until the dough balls have puffed up nicely - see picture below.
- Preheat the oven to 180C (fan). Then once the dough balls have risen, drizzle the remaining 20ml olive oil over the top and gently spread all over with a pastry brush. Sprinkle with a big pinch of Maldon salt and push small springs of rosemary and garlic cloves into any gaps.
- Place the camembert into the half wooden box (ensure you have taken off and disposed of any wrappers). Score the top with criss crosses and drizzle the honey over the top of the camembert.
- Place the dough balls and camembert into the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Once baked, serve immediately and enjoy while the dough balls are hot and delicious, and the camembert is all melty!
If you have any dough balls leftover, store them in an airtight container and they should stay nice for a couple of days. If you want to rewarm them, pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds and then enjoy!
For more winter warmers and festive treats, why not try some of my other gluten free recipes:
Happy baking! Laura xxx
