Camembert Apricot Appetizer Food

BAKED CAMEMBERT WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400. Place Camembert in a small round casserole.
• 2. Chop almonds finely and mix with the Apricot Jam. Spread evenly over the Camembert.
• 3. Cover tightly with foil before baking. Camembert should be fully melted within 10-15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes.
• 4. Serve with sliced French Bread, crackers, sliced pears or apples. If desired, pour the schnapps over the cheese immediately after taking out of the oven.

BRIE OR CAMEMBERT APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Dip the wedge of brie or camembert in milk and dredge in flour.
• Then dip in egg and breadcrumbs.
• Let cheese'sit' for 10-15 minutes to allow coating to set.
• Melt butter in a large skillet.
• When hot, add as many brie/camembert slices as will fit without crowding.
• Fry until golden-brown, turn over carefully and fry on other side.
• Put a handful of the lettuce chiffonade on each serving plate.
• Centre a golden brie/camembert slice on the plate.
• Top with a spoonful of fruit chutney or preserves (or serve the chutney on the side); Cranberry Sauce is WONDERFUL with this!
• Serve immediately with plenty of crusty bread to spread the molten cheese on.
• Enjoy!

APRICOT-PECAN CAMEMBERT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350F degrees.
• Place cheese in shallow ovenproof serving dish.
• Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until cheese is soft.
• Remove from oven.
• Top cheese with preserves and pecans.
• Return to oven; bake an additional 3 minutes or until preserves are warm.
• Serve with assorted crackers.

PEARS AND CAMEMBERT

Steps:

• Slice cheese wheel in half crosswise; set aside. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add diced pear, and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in brandy, and cook 1 minute more. Add rosemary, and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and spread pear mixture over bottom half of reserved sliced cheese wheel, reserving 2 tablespoons mixture for garnish. Transfer cheese to serving plate.
• Return skillet to stove, and heat balsamic vinegar and honey until simmering. Simmer mixture until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes. Pour half the glaze over cheese and reserved pear mixture; top with remaining half of cheese wheel and pears. Drizzle with remaining glaze, and garnish with walnut halves and rosemary. Serve immediately.

HERB AND GARLIC BAKED CAMEMBERT

Steps:

• Heat:
• The oven to 350°F.
• Assemble:
• Most Camembert comes in a little wooden crate. If yours does, remove the crate lid and any packaging or wrappers around the cheese, and place it back inside the basket. Yes, it is safe to bake it right in there for the short time that this recipe calls for. If you're nervous about leakage, you can wrap the Camembert in foil or line the basket with parchment paper as a layer of protection. Place the cheese in the wooden crate on a baking tray.
• With a thin sharp knife, make gridlike cuts in the cheese, 3 or 4 in each direction, about 1 inch apart and going about 1 inch deep into the cheese but without cutting through the bottom rind. Use your knife tip to "open" each cut and your fingers to press a little sliver of garlic into each cut. Combine the olive oil with the thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small dish. Spread thickly on top of the cheese.
• Bake:
• For 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is loose inside the rind. Serve immediately with crackers.

FROZEN CAMEMBERT APPETIZER

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, combine cheese, cream, butter, and pepper; process until smooth and creamy.
• Fold in 1/2 cup nuts.
• On waxed paper, form cheese mixture into a log.
• Coat with remaining nuts.
• Cover and freeze until firm, but not too hard to cut (or freeze until hard for storage and defrost to cutting consistency at a later date).
• Slice and serve.

CAMEMBERT APRICOT APPETIZER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Start by placing one sheet of phyllo on a baking sheet.
• Brush a thin layer of melted butter on one side.
• Add the next sheet on top of the butter.
• Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have the appropriate amount of sheets 'glued' together.
• Place the whole cheese on one side of the pastry leaving a 2 inch border.
• Spoon your jam on top of the cheese (one side only).
• Fold the pastry around the cheese remembering to keep the jam side up.
• Tuck the ends under the cheese to create a tidy pocket.
• Remember that if you can see the cheese, it can leak out.
• Brush the jam side with melted butter.
• Place in the center of the baking sheet JAM SIDE UP and bake approx 10-15 minutes.
• Serve whole on a platter with plain crackers (I use Carr's table water crackers).
• Add knife or spreader so everyone can help themselves.
• Everyone loves this appetizer.
• DO NOT PREPARE THIS AHEAD OF TIME (UNLESS IT IS JUST TO RE-HEAT IN THE OVEN).