{"id":11039,"date":"2026-08-11T18:43:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T18:43:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bhiggs.x10hosting.com\/foodie\/?p=11039"},"modified":"2026-08-11T20:22:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T20:22:38","slug":"monstrous-christmas-cauliflower-cheese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bhiggs.x10hosting.com\/foodie\/monstrous-christmas-cauliflower-cheese\/","title":{"rendered":"Monstrous Christmas Cauliflower Cheese [Video]"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\n\t
\"\"<\/div>\n\t
<\/div>\n\t<\/g><\/svg><\/span> Print Recipe<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Monstrous Christmas Cauliflower Cheese [Video]<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n
"I think I have finally gone too far with this OTT cauli cheese. It\u2019s got cheddar, it\u2019s got camembert, it\u2019s got cauliflower, what more can you want? This definitely is not a recipe for the faint-hearted, so get ready for this beautiful bad boy.<\/span>
<\/div>My favourite part about this recipe is the face people make when you set it down in front of them. Pure amazement, with a little bit of awe and a slight hint of fear thrown in. It\u2019s truly a mammoth side, but that makes it perfect as a Christmas side. We\u2019re all about decadence, so why not apply to your festive sides?"<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Prep Time<\/span>20 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Cook Time<\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hr<\/span> 30 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time<\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hr<\/span> 50 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n
Servings: <\/span>6<\/span><\/div>\n\n
Author: <\/span>Poppy O’Toole – Poppy Cooks<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n

<\/span>Ingredients<\/span><\/h3>

<\/span>For the Roasted Cauliflower:<\/span><\/h4>
  • 1<\/span> large head<\/span> fresh cauliflower<\/span> (with tender inner leaves attached)<\/span><\/li>
  • 3\u00bd<\/span> Tbsp (50g)<\/span> salted butter<\/span> softened<\/span><\/li>
  • 1<\/span> Tbsp<\/span> fresh parsley<\/span> finely chopped<\/span><\/li>
  • 2<\/span> cloves<\/span> garlic<\/span> minced<\/span><\/li>
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper<\/span> to taste<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>

    <\/span>For the Cheese Sauce (Mornay):<\/span><\/h4>
    • 3\u00bd<\/span> Tbsp (50g)<\/span> salted butter<\/span><\/li>
    • \u2153<\/span> cup (50g)<\/span> plain flour<\/span><\/li>
    • 3<\/span> cups (750ml)<\/span> whole milk<\/span><\/li>
    • 1<\/span> cup (100g)<\/span> sharp mature Cheddar cheese<\/span> grated<\/span><\/li>
    • \u00bd<\/span> cup (50g)<\/span> Comt\u00e9 or Double Gloucester cheese<\/span> grated<\/span><\/li>
    • 1<\/span> Tbsp<\/span> wholegrain mustard<\/span><\/li>
    • 1<\/span> tsp<\/span> Marmite<\/span> (optional, for savory depth)<\/span><\/li>
    • 1<\/span> pinch<\/span> ground nutmeg<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>

      <\/span>For the Camembert Crown:<\/span><\/h4>
      • 1<\/span> whole wheel<\/span> Camembert cheese<\/span><\/li>
      • 2<\/span> cloves<\/span> garlic<\/span> peeled and thinly sliced<\/span><\/li>
      • 3 – 4 <\/span> small sprigs <\/span> fresh rosemary<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n

        <\/span>Instructions<\/span><\/h3>

        <\/span>Prep and Roast the Cauliflower<\/span><\/h4>
        • Preheat your oven to 180\u00b0C (350\u00b0F) \/ Gas Mark 4.<\/div><\/li>
        • Trim the cauliflower head, carefully cutting off the large outer greens but retaining the tender, smaller inner leaves. Set the leaves aside for later. Keep the cauliflower head completely whole.<\/div><\/li>
        • Mix the compound butter by combining the 50g of softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.<\/div><\/li>
        • Slather the cauliflower head entirely with the herby garlic butter. Place it inside a large, deep baking tray or a Dutch oven pot.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
        • Cover tightly with a lid or a layer of foil to trap the steam. Or you could invert a pot over it to protect the cauliflower and topping from getting burned.<\/span>
          <\/div>Roast for 1 hour until a knife slides easily all the way through the center.<\/span><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>

          <\/span>Make the Cheese Sauce<\/span><\/h4>
          • Melt the 50g of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Let it foam, bubble, and lightly brown into a beurre noisette<\/em> (nutty brown butter) for extra flavor.<\/span><\/div><\/li>
          • Add the plain flour to the melted butter. Stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes until it forms a thick, doughy paste (a roux) that cleanly pulls away from the sides of the pan.<\/div><\/li>
          • Stir in the pinch of nutmeg and a tiny bit of garlic paste.<\/div><\/li>
          • Slowly whisk in the milk a little splash at a time. Whisk continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Once all the milk is incorporated, let the sauce simmer gently on low heat for 10 minutes until silky and thick.<\/div><\/li>
          • Add the cheeses and flavorings by removing the pan from the heat and stirring in the grated cheddar, Comt\u00e9\/Double Gloucester, wholegrain mustard, and optional Marmite until completely melted and smooth. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste.<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>

            <\/span>Assemble and Bake<\/span><\/h4>
            • Line the bottom of an ovenproof serving dish with the raw, tender cauliflower leaves you saved earlier.<\/div><\/li>
            • Nestle the whole roasted cauliflower head directly on top of the bed of leaves.<\/div><\/li>
            • Smother it in sauce by pouring the entire batch of rich cheese Mornay over the top of the cauliflower, completely blanketing it.<\/div><\/li>
            • Bake uncovered at 180\u00b0C (350\u00b0F) for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese sauce turns bubbly and takes on a light golden color.<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>

              <\/span>The Camembert Finish<\/span><\/h4>
              • Prep the Camembert while the dish is baking. Slice off the top 1\/3 layer of the rind from your Camembert wheel to expose the chalky paste inside.<\/div><\/li>
              • Score a cross-hatch pattern into the exposed surface using a sharp knife. Stud the slits with your thin garlic slices and small sprigs of fresh rosemary.<\/div><\/li>
              • Crown the cauliflower by carefully pulling the baking dish out of the oven and placing the studded Camembert wheel flat on top of the whole cauliflower head.<\/div><\/li>
              • Return to the oven for a final 15 minutes. Bake until the Camembert is entirely melted, dripping down the sides, and fiercely oozy. Serve immediately while roaring hot!<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n
                <\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

                <\/span>Video<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                \n