Brie With Dried Fruit Food

BRIE WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with foil. Place cheese on cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 minutes or until cheese begins to soften.
• Meanwhile, in 8-inch sauté pan or skillet, heat syrup, brown sugar and liqueur to boiling. Cook until mixture becomes thick and syrupy.
• Place warm Brie on serving plate. Top with dried fruit and pecans. Pour syrup over top. Serve with baguette slices.

BAKED BRIE RECIPE WITH JAM AND NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the fig jam in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 30 seconds to soften.
• In a small bowl, combine the sliced dried figs with the nuts. Add half of the fig jam and mix well to coat the nut mixture.
• Place the round of brie in a small cast iron skillet or oven-safe dish. Using a small knife, coat the brie with the remainder of the jam or honey.
• Top the brie with the fig and nut mixture.
• Place the dish or skillet on top of a baking sheet (this will make it easier to handle and will also catch any melted cheese). Bake on the middle rack of your heated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the brie softens.
• Remove from the oven and let the brie sit for 3 to 5 minutes or so. Serve warm with your favorite crackers!

BAKED BRIE WITH DRIED APRICOTS AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Combine the dried apricots, apple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, allspice, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the apricots are plump and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool; stir in the pistachios.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll the pie dough on a clean surface; gently roll out the outer 2 inches of the dough to make the edges slightly thinner. Put the brie in the center of the dough and top with the fruit-and-nut mixture. Trim about 1 inch off the edge of the dough, all the way around. Brush the edge with some of the beaten egg. Pull the dough up and over the cheese to meet in the middle, folding and pleating as needed; pinch the dough at the top to seal. Transfer the wrapped cheese to the baking sheet and brush with the remaining beaten egg. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the cheese is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve with apple and/or pear slices.

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.

BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a warmed sharp knife, or unflavored dental floss (See Cook's Note 1) cut the wheel of brie in half horizontally and separate the top half of the wheel from the bottom half. Sprinkle the bottom half of the brie with the dried cherries, toasted almonds, and brown sugar. Replace the top half of the brie and apply pressure to secure the stuffing. Working on a well-floured surface, roll out the puff pastry so that it will fully cover the brie. Place the brie in the middle of the puff pastry and fold the excess pastry around the wheel. Put the wheel aside. Roll out another piece of puff pastry and cut out a circle the same circumference as the top of the brie. Save the trimmings for decorations. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg on top of the brie in the puff pastry and place the circle on top. Brush the top of the circle with egg. Cut out decorations using cookie cutters or a small knife on top of the brie. Brush the entire top side of the brie with the egg and place the brie on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the pastry begins to turn golden brown, then turn the temperature down to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes. Serve on a pretty platter. See Cook's Note 2.
• Cook's Note 1: Instead of using a knife to cut the brie, use a piece of unflavored dental floss. Make an initial cut half way down, along the outer side of the brie with a pairing knife. Then, take a long piece of dental floss and wrap it around both hands. Starting at the front of the wheel at the initial cut, work through the wheel with the floss, separating the top half of the wheel from the bottom.
• Cook's Note 2: The brie can be made, wrapped securely and stored in the freezer up to a month ahead of time.

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 BRIE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE AND FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and flour. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes continuously stirring. Remove from heat. Once mixture is lukewarm, add milk and stir until smooth. (It will be lumpy at first- just keep stirring.) Add pecans - I used about a handful of halved pecans broken into fairly large pieces.
• Place brie into oven until melted- only 5 minutes or so- you will know if you touch the outside and it moves with the melted cheese inside.
• Take brie from oven and onto a serving platter. Warm caramel/pecan mixture if it has cooled, and pour over the top. Serve with sliced apples. Enjoy!
• **NOTE: If you choose a slice of brie instead of a round, you should not bake the brie. It would melt all over the place. Just take out to room temperature, pour warm caramel sauce over it-- that should soften it enough to still be delicious.

ALOUETTE EXTRA CREAMY BRIE WITH DRIED FRUIT AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Leave Brie out for about an hour prior to prepping.
• Slice the Brie in ¼ inches slices.
• Places slices on top of crackers or baguette.
• Layer dried fruit and almonds on cheese to taste.