If you love Camembert, why not take your next feast one step further — by baking it in a ceramic dish you've thrown yourself, served alongside homegrown herbs and handmade bread?

This slow-living project combines pottery, gardening, and baking into one unforgettable meal. Over a few months, you'll grow your ingredients, craft your pottery, and finish by learning exactly how to bake Le Rustique Camembert (or any brand, for that matter) to gooey, bubbling perfection.

Whether you're looking for a rewarding personal challenge or a show-stopping dinner party centerpiece, this complete guide will show you how, from seed to table.

What You'll Need

Pottery Materials

400g terracotta clay (for camembert dish)
160g terracotta clay (for flowerpot)
160g terracotta clay (for ramekin)
1 bucket of tin glaze
1 pot of blue underglaze

Growing Materials

1 packet fennel seeds
1 small rosemary plant
1 strawberry plant
1 bag peat-free seed compost
1 bag Perlite
Potting containers

Cooking Ingredients

1 Le Rustique Camembert
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 pinch Maldon salt
Cracked black pepper
Rosemary-infused oil
500g organic, stoneground, unbleached white bread flour
350g water
10g salt
5g fresh yeast
100g sourdough starter
Semolina (for dusting)
1.5kg strawberries
400ml water
1.5kg granulated sugar
2 tsp fennel seeds

4 Months Out: Growing Your Ingredients

Begin your journey by growing your own fresh flavors.

Fennel Seeds
Sow fennel seeds into a 50/50 mix of potting compost and Perlite. Keep moist and place in a sunny spot. In a few weeks, you’ll see the first feathery shoots appear.

Tip: If time is short, you can use store-bought fennel seeds directly in your preserve instead.

Rosemary and Strawberries
Plant your rosemary and strawberry plants into soil-filled pots or garden beds. Rosemary will flavor your baked camembert, while strawberries will star in a rich preserve.

1 Month Out: Making the Preserve and Rosemary Oil

After your strawberries ripen and fennel seeds mature, it's time to start preserving.

Strawberry and Fennel Seed Preserve

Top and tail strawberries.
In a preserving pan, combine strawberries and water. Simmer until a pulp forms.
Add sugar, bring to a boil, then simmer for 30–40 minutes.
Test for setting by placing a small spoonful on a chilled plate.
Stir in fennel seeds and transfer into sterilized Kilner jars.

Rosemary Oil

Place rosemary sprigs in a bottle of extra virgin olive oil.
Seal and let infuse in a cool, dark place.

2 Weeks Out: Throwing Your Ceramic Bakeware

Time to craft the pottery that will bring everything together.

Measurements for Throwing:

Camembert Dish: Throw to 12.9cm wide x 3cm high (camembert shrinks to 11.9cm after firing).
Flower Pot: 7.5cm high x 7cm wide.
Ramekin: 6cm wide.

Shape your pieces, smooth them with a damp sponge, and let them dry until bone dry. Biscuit fire at 1120°C.

1 Week Out: Glazing and Decorating

Dip your pottery pieces into tin glaze and allow to dry overnight.
Decorate with blue underglaze designs.
Glaze fire at 1080°C on stilts to achieve a glossy, food-safe finish.

Once finished, your handmade dish will be ready to cradle your camembert in the oven.

Day Of: Baking the Bread and Preparing the Feast

Making the Sourdough Bread

In a mixer, combine water, salt, flour, yeast, and starter.
Mix on slow speed for 4 minutes, medium speed for 4 minutes, fast speed for 2 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Knock the dough back, shape into 200g baguette portions.
After 30–40 minutes (once doubled), score the bread and bake.
Place a tray of ice in the oven bottom to create steam.
Bake 5 minutes at 220°C, then reduce to 200°C for another 15–20 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.

How to Bake Le Rustique Camembert

Now, the best part: baking your camembert!

Preheat your oven to 180°C.
Place your Le Rustique Camembert into your handmade ceramic dish.
Pierce the top and insert fresh rosemary sprigs.
Sprinkle with Maldon salt and cracked black pepper.
Drizzle generously with your rosemary-infused oil.

How Long to Bake Camembert in a Ceramic Dish

Bake for 12 minutes at 180°C.
Your camembert should be soft and gooey inside but still hold its shape.
If your dish is especially thick or heavy, add an extra 2–3 minutes to ensure even melting.

Serving Your Handmade Feast

Pour your strawberry and fennel seed preserve into the ramekin.
Serve the hot, rosemary-infused Le Rustique Camembert alongside freshly baked sourdough baguettes.
Set out your flowerpot of fresh rosemary for table decoration (or a gift for guests).

FAQs

How long should you bake Le Rustique Camembert?
Bake Le Rustique Camembert for around 12 minutes at 180°C in a preheated oven. The center should be gooey but not completely liquefied.

Can you bake camembert in a handmade ceramic dish?
Yes! As long as the dish is fired to food-safe temperatures and is ovenproof, a handmade ceramic dish is perfect for baking camembert.

What herbs pair best with baked camembert?
Rosemary is a classic, but thyme, oregano, and even a hint of sage can complement baked camembert beautifully.

So, there you have it. Creating your own feast — from planting the seeds to throwing the dish to baking the bread — is a slow, satisfying journey that rewards patience and craft.

Whether you're a foodie, a potter, or someone who loves handmade living, baking Le Rustique Camembert in your own ceramic dish is an experience you'll never forget.