Apricot Cranberry Almond Stuffed Brie Food

BAKED BRIE EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk egg and water together to make egg wash.
• Roll out puff pastry gently to a 14-inch square. Trim corners with a knife or pizza cutter to make a circle. Spread apricot preserves over the pastry, leaving a 1-inch margin around the edge. Sprinkle cranberries and almonds over the pastry, and place Brie cheese in the center.
• Brush the edges of the pastry with some of the egg wash. Fold top and bottom of pastry over the dough; trim 2 inches off each edge. Fold remaining pastry on top to cover the Brie cheese completely. Press the seams with your fingers to seal. Remove any excess apricot preserves that leaks out.
• Transfer wrapped cheese, seam-side down, to baking sheet. Brush top with egg wash.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let stand before serving, about 30 minutes.

APRICOT CRANBERRY BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• Combine apricot preserves, dried cranberries and pecans in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
• Remove brie from the wrapper, leaving casing on, place on your serving dish. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or allow to come to room temperature.
• Right before serving, top with apricot topping. Can be served hot or at room temperature. Serve with your favorite crackers.
• If you tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!

APRICOT, CRANBERRY & ALMOND STUFFED BRIE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine apricots, preserves, cranberries, and almonds.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the brie horizontally creating two equals thick slices.
• Spread fruit mixture onto the cut center of brie.
• Top with other half of brie.
• Heat at 300 degrees until just warm.

PHYLLO-WRAPPED BRIE WITH APRICOT AND ROSEMARY CHUTNEY

Steps:

• To Make Chutney:
• Combine all ingredients except almonds in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until most liquid has evaporated and chutney is thick, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Mix in almonds. Transfer chutney to bowl.
• Chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover, keep chilled.)
• Assembly of cheese and phyllo:
• Brush heavy large baking sheet with butter; set aside. Unroll pastry. Cover with plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel. Transfer 2 stacked phyllo sheets to work surface, arranging 1 short side parallel to edge of work surface. Arrange 2 more stacked phyllo sheets on work surface, overlapping long side of first sheets by about 5 to 7 inches and forming rectangle about 18 by 17 inches. Brush pastry with butter; sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary over. Place 2 more stacked sheets atop first set of 2 sheets, then 2 more stacked sheets atop second set of 2 sheets. Brush with butter and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary. Repeat layering 1 more time with phyllo, butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary. (You will use a total of 12 sheets.)
• Using sharp knife or scissors, trim phyllo corners, forming approximately 17-inch oval. place Brie in center of phyllo. Spread 1 1/2 cups chutney evenly over cheese. Slide hand under 1 rounded corner of phyllo. Lift phyllo and fold onto top of cheese. Brush folded pastry with butter. Continue to lift phyllo in sections and to fold snugly over top of cheese, brushing with butter and pressing each section to adhere until cheese is wrapped (the top center 2 to 3 inches of cheese will not be covered). Use hand and metal spatula to transfer wrapped cheese to prepared baking sheet.
• Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface. Brush with butter. Starting at 1 long side, fold 1 inch of pastry over. Continue folding pastry loosely over itself, forming 1-inch-wide strip of pastry over. Continue folding pastry loosely over itself, forming 1-inch-wide strip of pastry. Roll up strip into coil. Gather bottom edge of coil together, pinching to force top slightly open and forming rose. Place rose atop uncovered center of cheese. Brush with butter. Repeat with 2 more sheets of phyllo, forming 2 more roses. Place atop cheese, covering opening completely. Chill 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic; keep chilled.)
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Bake cheese until pastry is deep golden brown, covering roses loosely with foil if browning too quickly, about 25 minutes. (If cheese leaks from pastry during baking, press piece of foil over tear in pastry; continue baking.)
• Cool cheese on sheet 45 minutes.
• Presentation:
• Using metal spatula, transfer warm cheese to large platter. Arrange herbs, dried fruit, baguette slices and apple slices around cheese. Cut cheese into wedges.

BAKED APRICOT BRIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Place cheese in small baking pan. Spread top of cheese with preserves; sprinkle with almonds. Bake about 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese begins to melt and lose its shape. Serve hot with assorted crackers. Refrigerate leftovers; reheat before serving.

BAKED STUFFED BRIE WITH CRANBERRIES & WALNUTS

Steps:

• Score the side of a wheel of brie all the way around with a sharp paring knife. Cut directly on the "equator" through the rind. Using a long piece of string or dental floss, wrap the string around the brie on the newly made cut. Loop one end of the string over the other (a half knot). Then pulling the ends of the string in opposite directions, cut the brie in half.
• Press the dried cranberries on one cut side of the brie, and the walnuts on the other. Quickly put the 2 sides back together with the cranberries on top of the walnuts. Press together and stuff back in any cranberries or walnuts that fell out.
• Roll out a thawed sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Place brie in center of pastry. Gently pull up edges to ensure you have enough dough to entirely wrap the brie. You can trim off the corners if there is too much dough. Brush the dough with the egg wash. Fold one edge of the dough over the brie and then the opposite side. Fold over the remaining edges and complexly encase the brie. You can trim off excess pieces of dough, if necessary. Flip the brie over so the seam is at the bottom; gently press in the sides to snug the dough against the brie. Brush the top and sides of the wrapped brie with egg wash.
• If you choose to decorate the brie with cut-out shapes of additional puff pastry, use very cold (almost still frozen) dough to ensure sharp lines. Lightly brush the decorative pieces with egg wash. Place the brie in the freezer for one hour (this is a crucial step; see note below).
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the brie on the prepared baking sheet. Bake on the center rack in preheated oven until it is browned and leaking cheese, about 20 minutes. (Only rarely does the brie not leak through, but 20 to 25 minutes is about how long it takes to melt the cheese and brown the pastry.)

PERFECT-FOR-PARTIES BAKED BRIE IN PUFF PASTRY WITH APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Using a large chef's knife, cut the white rind off the top of the wheel of Brie and discard. Put the disk into the freezer and at the same time pull out the sheet of puff pastry. Allow the puff pastry to thaw until it is pliable but still cold, about 30 minutes.
• Roll the puff pastry to a 14-by-14-inch (35.5-by-35.5-cm) square. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut a 1/2-inch (1.3-cm) wide strip from one edge of the pastry. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon (20 g) of the preserves at the center of the pastry and then the frozen Brie wheel. Top with the apple and cinnamon, then dollop the remaining 2 tablespoons (40 g) of preserves on top. Gather the four corners of the dough, one at a time, across the Brie to enclose it completely. Tie a simple knot with the strip of dough to make a purse.
• Brush the entire top and sides of the purse with the egg wash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If at any point the pastry seems like it's melting or too soft, put it in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes before continuing. Make sure the pastry is well chilled before baking.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway through, until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 8 to 10 minutes before serving warm.

CRESCENT WRAPPED BAKED BRIE WITH APRICOTS, CRANBERRIES & ALM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Unroll dough, separate crosswise into 2 sections, seal perforations. Place one square on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Cut brie horizontally using a very sharp knife to create 2 equally thick rounds. Place one round (cut side up) in the middle of the pastry square on the cookie sheet.
• In a small bowl, combine apricots, preserves, cranberries and almonds. Spread fruit mixture on the cut center of the brie, top with the other half (cut side down).
• Place the other square of crescent roll dough on top of the cheese round. Press dough evenly around the cheese and fold the bottom edges over the top, to seal. Seal completely.
• Brush with beaten egg.
• Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.

APRICOT ALMOND STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place torn croissant pieces, chopped onion, sliced almonds, tarragon, thyme, parsley, quartered apricot bits, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, apricot preserves (or jam), and half of the chicken broth; stir until blended. Pour the broth mixture over the stuffing mixture.
• Use a large spatula or wooden spoon to toss the stuffing mixture until all the ingredients are well blended. Use as much of the remaining broth--adding a little at a time--as is needed to get the stuffing thoroughly moist (but not saturated or "soupy"). I usually use nearly all of the 2 cups of broth, with maybe 1/8 cup or so not used (I've never really measured the unused portion).
• Place stuffing in a 10x10-inch baking dish, cover, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• NOTE - I don't usually grease my pyrex casserole dish for this stuffing, and I have never had a problem with the stuffing sticking to the edges or bottom, and the clean-up is very easy (no crusty pieces stuck to the dish). But, depending on what type of dish you use to roast the stuffing, you might want to first lightly butter your baking dish or lightly coat it with a no-stick cooking spray.
• TIP - Take advantage of sales, and buy day-old croissants at a reduced price when you plan to make this dish. They will be well moistened with the buttery broth, so it won't matter if they are a bit dry.

BRIE WITH APRICOT TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, combine first five ingredients; bring to a boil. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in rosemary. , Trim rind from top of cheese. Place cheese in an ungreased ovenproof serving dish. Spoon apricot mixture over cheese. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is softened, 10-12 minutes. Serve warm, with crackers.