Baked Brie

I must have been bad. I woke up to some coal in my stocking. Or rather, a COLD in my stocking. Cruel joke Father Christmas. I can’t taste jack. This hasn’t stopped me from eating, but other than salty and sweet, I’m really not sure what’s going on. I think the realization that I couldn’t taste anything was where I caved and took some cold medicine. I generally abhor medicine; I rarely get sick and when I do, some OJ, vegetables, sleep and my vitamins are all my immune systems needs to get me through! Seeing as how it’s the holidays and I’ve been getting pretty much none of those things — fine Tylenol, you win.

Spending the holidays in zero degree temperatures in Wisconsin probably does not help my cause. But it does help my cheese intake. Oh yes, the rumors you’ve heard are true. This is the land of cheese. Thinking back on the meals I’ve eaten since I arrived, I can’t recall one that didn’t involve cheese.

Hence my love for baked brie. Yes, I know brie is French, but it’s still cheese, cheese wrapped in puff pastry with jam. That pretty much ticks my boxes for a perfect party appetizer: salty, sweet, puff pastry, cheese. It looks so fancy, but it’s so easy to make — just don’t forget to thaw the puff pastry.

Feel free to switch up the jam flavor and type of nuts. Serve with water crackers and apples. For bonus points make a little design with the puff pastry scraps.

PS – Santa actually brought me a MacBook Air – SCORE!

Brie en Croute (a.k.a. Baked Brie)
Adapted from Pepperidge Farm

Ingredients
1/2 package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup cherry preserves of jam
1/3 cup dried cranberry (optional)
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 (13.2 ounce) round Brie cheese

Directions
Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix egg and water.

Trim rind off of brie round (if desired, some people like this part) and slice, lengthwise, in two.

Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14 inch square. Cut off corners to make a circle. Spread preserves on puff pastry in the center area where you will place the brie round – you can use the cover from the brie round to get an idea of the area you want to cover with the preserves. Sprinkle half of the cranberries and almonds over preserves. Top with one half of cheese (rind side down if you did not trim). Repeat with remaining preserves, cranberries and almonds on top of the brie, then sandwich with second brie round.

Brush edge of pastry circle with egg mixture. Fold two opposite sides over cheese, then other two sides, trimming puff pastry as necessary to seal without too much excess. Press edges together to seal. Place seam-side down in pie plate sprayed with cooking spray. Decorate top with pastry scraps if desired. Brush entire pastry with egg mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Let stand 1 hour before serving. I generally transfer to a pretty serving plate. Serve with crackers and apples.

Tags: almond, brie, cheese, jam, party food, preserves, puff pastry