Southern Comfort Baked Brie Food

BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types).
• Unwrap brie and place in a small, shallow ovenproof dish slightly larger than the brie (to be used for serving) OR a piece of crumbled baking / parchment paper (for transference). (Note 2)
• Oven: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (for 250g/80z), or until melted through. For 500g/1lb brie, increase to 25 minutes. To check, gently touch the centre of the brie - it should feel very soft, like it is about to collapse if you press any harder.
• Microwave option: 2 minutes on high (no one will know!) in 30 second increments.
• Carefully transfer to serving plate / board - it's delicate (transfer on paper if you used paper).
• Drizzle with honey, top with sprig of thyme (if using).
• Serve immediately with crostini on the side for scooping. Provide a knife to cut through the rind and a cheese or pate knife (or similar) to scoop cheese up onto crostini or crackers (plain or fruit/nut flavoured).

EASY BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• Remove the brie from the refrigerator. Remove any paper wrapping and return the wheel to the bottom part of it's wooden box or place it on a small square of parchment paper (that is slightly larger than the brie wheel itself). Make very shallow slits across the top of the brie, just through the rind layer, every ½-inch to 1-inch, in a criss-cross pattern. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the brie on a small sheet tray. Sprinkle the top with the fresh thyme and rosemary, and drizzle with honey. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until very soft.
• Carefully transfer the brie, in the box or on the sheet of parchment paper, to a serving plate. Serve warm alongside toasted bread, apple slices and/or grapes, for serving.

BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the brie on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper and drizzle with the honey. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it starts to ooze but not melt.
• Serve with crackers.

SOUTHERN COMFORT BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• Slice the cheese in half.
• Spread middle with chutney and fruit, put back together.
• Arrange nuts on top.
• Mix liquids together and spoon over top.
• Sprinkle with pepper.
• Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes Should be heated all the way thru.
• Serve with an assortment of crackers, or little rounds of French bread.
• Enjoy.

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.

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.)

BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• For caramelized onions, cook onion in hot butter or margarine in a small saucepan, covered, over low heat about 15 minutes or until tender and golden, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, stir together tomato preserves or mango chutney (cut up any large pieces of chutney), rosemary, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl.
• Cut off a thin slice from the top of the Brie to remove the rind; discard.
• Place the Brie in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.
• Top with tomato or chutney mixture, then with caramelized onions.
• Bake, uncovered, in a 325F oven about 10 to 12 minutes or until Brie is softened and warmed but not runny.
• Serve with breadsticks, crackers, or bread slices.

BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In small skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
• Add onion & garlic. Saute until onion is golden brown, then set aside.
• Microwave Brie & cream cheese in large bowl just until melted.
• Whisk in onion mixture, sour cream & remaining ingredients [except for the loaf of bread!].
• Season to taste with salt & pepper.
• Cut off top of bread loaf, & scoop out center, leaving 3/4" thick shell of bread.
• Spoon in cheese mixture.
• Cover with bread lid, & wrap in foil.
• Bake cheese-filled loaf until filling bubbles, about 1 hour.
• Unwrap & place on platter.
• Remove bread lid, & sprinkle sheese with paprika.
• Serve with crackers and/or vegetables [broccoli/cauliflower florets, carrot & bell pepper sticks, etc.