Warm Cranberry Pecan Brie Food

BAKED BRIE WITH PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cheese on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate; cool about 20 minutes.
• While cheese cools, place nuts on a clean baking sheet; bake until toasted and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle nuts over cheese.
• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and maple syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat; simmer until foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle warm sauce over slightly cooled cheese and nuts; serve with crackers or baguette.

PECAN BRIE TARTS

Steps:

• Bake tart shells blind, or if bought according to directions on package.
• Divide brie into 24 wedges and place in baked tart shells.
• In a saucepan, heat pecans, sugar and whiskey over medium heat, stirring until bubbly.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minutes or until thickened.
• Working quickly, spoon pecan mixture over Brie.
• (Tarts can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking). Bake in 375°F oven for 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

MAPLE PECAN BAKED BRIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Shave off the top rind of the Brie (it is easiest to do this after it has been in the freezer for about 20 minutes). If the Brie came in a wooden box, return it to the original container. If not, create a makeshift "box" out of a few layers of aluminum foil, leaving the top of the Brie exposed.
• Place the cheese on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until warm and gooey, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving. Carefully transfer to a serving platter; you do not want the rind to puncture, if possible.
• While the Brie is cooling, make the praline sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, and pecans. Cook, stirring constantly, until all of the ingredients are well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in coarsely ground black pepper and remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, until it has thickened up just a bit. Dollop the warm sauce over the baked cheese. (There may be extra praline sauce.) Serve with assorted crackers.

BAKED BRIE WITH CRANBERRY-PECAN-BACON CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lay the bacon in a large skillet, then cook over medium heat until golden and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Drain the bacon on paper towels, let cool, then finely chop.
• Combine the bacon, pecans, cranberries, apricots, rosemary, vinegar, pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl.
• Remove the Brie from its packaging. Cut off the top rind of the round of Brie, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges (use a sharp knife and go in from above at a slight angle). Discard the rind you have removed. Put the Brie in a small baking dish. Top with some of the cranberry-pecan-bacon crumble, and scatter the rest around the Brie. Cover the dish with foil, and bake until the cheese is warm and gooey, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Serve with bread, crackers and apple and/or pear slices for dipping.