How to Cut Brie for a Cheese Platter

Brie is a soft, creamy cheese that gets its name from the French region from where it originates. Brie is produced as a wheel, and you can purchase brie whole or in wedges. Brie cheese has an edible white rind encasing cow’s-milk cheese. The interior is a pale yellow color and becomes gooey and spreadable when heated in the oven.

Cheesemakers can use whole or skim milk to produce brie. The cheese is a source of protein and vitamin B. Like camembert, brie's mild, agreeable flavor makes it a common addition to cheese plates or charcuterie platters.

Before placing brie on your cheeseboard, you’ll want to cut it properly, so each wedge of brie is easily accessible for your guests.

1. 1. Let the brie cheese reach room temperature. After getting your wheel of brie from the grocery store, cheesemonger, or farmer’s market, refrigerate it, so it stays fresh. Brie is easier to slice at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge fifteen minutes before you plan on cutting it.
2. 2. Place your brie on a cutting board. With cheese platters, presentation is vital, so before you decorate your spread, you’ll first want to cut the brie on a different surface.
3. 3. Gather your tools. You will need a sharp knife for cutting the whole wheel and a cheese knife for serving later.
4. 4. Trim the rind. The skin of the brie—the rind—is entirely edible and provides a nice texture contrast to the creamy cheese inside. As such, there’s no need to trim off the rind, but if you would like to, you can hold the cheese up on its side and, with a sharp knife, slice off the very top and bottom layers before laying the wheel down and trimming off the sides.
5. 5. Cut the wheel in half. Hold the sharp knife in your dominant hand and place your other hand on the brie to keep it still. Cut the wheel in half. Keep one half on the cutting board and place the other half on a different surface.
6. 6. Slice the cut half into small wedges. With your sharp knife, cut small wedges out of the half-wheel. Each wedge should be about a ⅓ inch thick, but you can customize the width to your liking.
7. 7. Place the brie on your cheese platter. Transfer the uncut half of your brie and the wedges to your cheese platter. Fan out the wedges, so one slightly overlaps the next. The uncut half serves as a visual contrast and highlights the type of cheese. Place a cheese knife near the half-wheel so guests can trim additional pieces.
8. 8. Mix in other cheeses. Brie is a mild cheese. You can create a more dynamic platter by adding different cheeses such as sharp cheddar, gouda, and gruyere. Round out the table setting with a sliced baguette, salami or other meats, and glasses of red wine.

If you have leftover brie, you can seal it with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Try these brie recipes to impress party guests or give a fresh spin on this popular type of cheese.

1. 1. Baked brie. Great for winter gatherings, baked brie yields oozy cheese that’s spreadable on a cracker. Wrap the brie in foil and heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper for twenty minutes. For extra flavor, add an apricot compote or caramelized pecans on top of the wheel before baking; when heated, the flavors will meld for a hot cheese dip.
2. 2. Ham and brie sandwich. Create a French-influenced lunch with a baguette, ham, brie, and arugula. Warm your baguette slices in the oven (preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit), then add the cut cheese to make a gooey sandwich. Bake for ten minutes, just to get the bread toasty. Add your favorite ham and top with arugula; you can also add halved cherry tomatoes or a balsamic glaze for extra flavor.
3. 3. Brie bites. For this appetizer, you’ll need a mini muffin pan. Coat it in a nonstick spray, then cut a pre-made puff pastry into tiny squares. Take each small piece and place it into the muffin cup, gently thumbing it down, so the four corners stick out just a bit above the cup. Dice brie, and add the cheese to each cup and a spoonful of cranberry sauce. Bake for twenty minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, then garnish with a toasted walnut crumble and a short sprig of rosemary.

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