Baked Brie – What A Beautiful Mess!
Looking for something wonderful to serve guests over the holiday season? Like all of the best appetizers baked brie ranks high on the easy to make and fabulous to eat scales, and really low on the difficulty scale. One of the things I like best is that no matter how it is cooked it can be prepped ahead of time and popped into the oven when your company arrives. Serve it warm and when your guests cut in the warm cheese will flow out into “a beautiful mess” that everyone will savour!
There are many versions of this tasty starter. It can be topped with jam or confit, served with fruit, vegetables, bread or crackers; wrapped in puff pastry or phyllo; baked in the oven or planked on the barbeque.…the list is as wide as your imagination.
Simple Baked Brie
The simplest way to prepare Baked Brie is with a Mango Chutney Topping. The combination yields a sweet/savoury flavour. When the cheese melts the creamy texture deliciously coats the fruit of the chutney.
Be sure to serve it warm or just out of the oven. It’s best cooked in the center of a preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese wheel puffs up. It is a great recipe to serve a group of friends as a before dinner appetizer or as an evening snack. They will enjoy the melting cheese while sipping on a glass of wine or a fancy drink.
There are many delicious options to this simple version. Different toppings will create different flavours. Try using Caramelized Onion and Fig, Sun Dried Cherry sauce, your favourite jam, red pepper jelly or the simpler than simple version – no topping at all.
Click here for detailed RECIPE
Barbequed Baked Brie
Perfect for outdoor entertaining. This simple recipe blends “easily done” and “great cuisine” into one very fashionable appetizer! For extra flavour and moisture prepare it on a cedar plank. All you have to do is rub the brie with oil and herbs. Top it with a sauce or chutney and walnuts. Place it on a preheated grill for 20 minutes or until the cheese wheel puffs up. Perfection!
Cedar Planked Brie with Sun Dried Cherry Sauce
Click here for a detailed RECIPE
Baked Brie wrapped in Pastry
Don’t spend too much energy searching for exactly the right wheel of brie or precisely measuring the pastry. Let your appetizer take on its own artsy look!
If you use puff pastry, roll out the pastry until it easily wraps around the wheel. For phyllo pastry follow the instructions on the package and for extra flavour include a sprinkling of Herbs from Provence on each layer. Spread a layer of sauce or chutney over the brie. Pull the ends of the phyllo up around the wheel and twist. Phyllo is very forgiving and will hold its shape nicely.
Curried Brie Wrapped in Phyllo
Click here for a detailed RECIPE
Baked Brie wrapped in Pastry
Don’t spend too much energy searching for exactly the right wheel of brie or precisely measuring the pastry. Let your appetizer take on its own artsy look!
If you use puff pastry, roll out the pastry until it easily wraps around the wheel. For phyllo pastry follow the instructions on the package and for extra flavour include a sprinkling of Herbs from Provence on each layer. Spread a layer of sauce or chutney over the brie. Pull the ends of the phyllo up around the wheel and twist. Phyllo is very forgiving and will hold its shape nicely.
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