Kicked Up Savory Brie In Boule Food

BAKED BRIE BREAD BOWL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice off the top third of the bread boule and set aside. Place the Brie wheel in the center of the bread and cut around to "trace" the outline of the Brie in the bread; be careful not to go all the way through the bottom. Remove the center part of the bread that was traced out and cut into 1-inch pieces for dipping. Brush the oil along the inside exposed bread. Spread the pepper jelly on the bottom and sprinkle with salt. Cut slices in the side of the bread about halfway down and about 1 inch wide all the way around. This will create tearable pieces to enjoy later.
• Cut the top layer off the Brie and discard, then place the Brie in the bread. Cover with the bread top and bake until the cheese is melty and the bread is crusty, about 20 minutes. Top with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. Serve with the bread and fruit or veggies if desired.

BRIE CHEESE APPETIZER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
• Slice one wheel of Brie cheese in half so you have 2 circles of cheese. Spread apricot or peach preserves on (the cut side) half of one circle of brie. Make sandwich out of the two halves of Brie, so that the preserves are in the center of both halves. Wrap the entire wheel of Brie with one sheet of puffed pastry and flip the entire concoction onto the prepared cooking sheet so the seam is on bottom. Brush the puffed pastry with the egg white.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry in golden brown. Serve immediately.

BRIE CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Arrange phyllo cups on the baking sheet. Place one piece Brie cheese in each phyllo cup. Top with 1/2 teaspoon raspberry preserves.
• Bake in the preheated oven until Brie is melted, about 7 minutes.

BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine pecans and sugar, using your fingertips to thoroughly mix; set aside. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat (French nonstick baking mat) or parchment paper; set aside.
• Lightly dust work surface with flour. Place 2 sheets (one box) of puff pastry on the work surface one on top of the other. Using a rolling pin, adhere the 2 pieces of the puff pastry together. Continue rolling puff pastry until it is very thin, slightly less than 1/8 inch thick. Using a pastry wheel or a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry into a 13-inch round, reserving scraps for decorating.
• Place the brie in the center of the puff pastry. Top the brie with pecan mixture, spreading to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the cheese. Be sure to remove any sugar or nuts from the puff pastry, as they may cause holes to form during baking. Fold puff pastry up and over brie to enclose. The center of the brie will not be completely covered with pastry. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
• Lightly dust work surface with flour. Repeat rolling and cutting process with remaining 2 sheets of puff pastry. Drape pastry over the brie, tucking the edges under to enclose.
• In a small bowl, combine egg yolk and cream to make an egg wash. Cut reserved scraps of puff pastry into decorative shapes. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the decorative shapes with the egg wash, and adhere to wrapped brie. Brush the wrapped brie evenly with the egg wash. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake brie until golden brown and puffed, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until dark golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes more.

MUSHROOM-STUFFED BRIE EN CROûTE

Steps:

• Mince enough onion to measure 1/2 cup and finely chop mushrooms. In a 9- to 10-inch heavy skillet cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add mushrooms, Sherry, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Cool mushroom mixture.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out 1 sheet of pastry into a 13-inch square and, using Brie as a guide, cut out 1 round the size of the Brie. Cut out a mushroom shape from scraps for decoration.
• Horizontally halve Brie. Roll out remaining sheet of pastry into a 13-inch square and transfer to a shallow baking pan. Center bottom half of Brie, cut side up, on pastry square and spread mushroom mixture on top. Cover mushroom mixture with remaining half of Brie, cut side down.
• Without stretching pastry, wrap it snugly up over Brie and trim excess to leave a 1-inch border of pastry on top of Brie. In a small bowl lightly beat egg and brush onto border. Top Brie with pastry round, pressing edges of dough together gently but firmly to seal. Brush top of pastry with some egg and arrange pastry mushroom on it. Lightly brush mushroom with some egg, being careful not to let egg drip over edge of mushroom (which would prevent it from rising). With back of a sharp small knife gently score side of pastry with vertical marks, being careful not to cut through dough. Chill Brie, uncovered, 30 minutes. Brie may be made up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, loosely covered.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Bake Brie in middle of oven until pastry is puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Let Brie stand in pan on a rack 15 minutes and transfer with a spatula to a serving plate.
• Serve Brie with bread or crackers.

SAVORY BRIE-EN-CROUTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• In a small bowl, mix together the walnuts, 1 1/2 tbsp of butter, rosemary and cayenne; set aside.
• Unfold the pie crust on a greased baking sheet and spoon the walnut mixture into the center of the dough.
• Spread into a 5" circle.
• Place the brie on top of the walnut mixture and fold the dough over the brie, starting at two opposite sides, bringing to the center and pinching to seal.
• Fold in remaining pastry ends to the center, crimping as necessary, and press to seal.
• Invert brie onto a baking sheet and brush the top with the remaining melted butter.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is browned.
• Cool to room temperature before serving with toasted slices of French baguette and fruit chutney.

KICKED-UP SAVORY BRIE IN BOULE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• Combine spices and sugar and set aside.
• Cut off circular top of bread and remove the bread center to make a shell, leaving chunks intact for dipping later (but don't scrape the bread shell too thin).
• Thinly spread butter inside the bread shell and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of spice mixture.
• With knife, make 2-inch cuts around edge of bread at 1-inch intervals to make a"fringe".
• Remove rind from Brie and cut into irregular chunks, and place in bread.
• Sprinkle Brie with remaining spice, tossing lightly to distribute.
• Replace top of bread.
• Bake on baking sheet in 350 degrees F oven 20-30 minutes.
• To serve, remove bread top and break into bite size pieces.
• Dip leftover bread pieces in hot Brie.