For those cheese lovers out there, nothing elicits a sense of fulfilled happiness as easily as a slice of cheese. For brie lovers, nothing encourages the urge to drop everything and devour an entire wheel of brie faster than the mention of brie, especially if it’s topped with berry jam and baked in a crust of golden, flaky puff pastry. Even now as I imagine those flavors all melting into one big crispy bite of melted cheese, my heart starts to beat a little faster and a big smile emerges. Mention that recipe and you will become every brie lovers best friend.
Baked brie is one of my all time favorite appetizers. Growing up in a family of cheese lovers, I have been exposed to the whole spectrum of cheeses, from sharp cheddar to the moldy blues. Brie has always been one of my favorites because of its smooth, rich flavor and it never tastes too cheesy like some blue cheeses tend to taste. I was introduced to the following recipe by my brother’s wife, Kate, who prepared baked brie for an appetizer one time while visiting. Our family was forever grateful to Kate for introducing this simple yet elegant appetizer, which has since become a staple appetizer at family gatherings and parties.
I can honestly say that I have yet to meet a person who does not love this dish. Even the pickiest eaters I know have done their part in devouring this dish at parties. This recipe has even passed the taste-test of college students here at Olaf when I made it for a Christmas/pre-finals party my friends in the dorms last December. Some of the guys didn’t even know what brie was before the party, and they still said it was delicious. I made two wheels and by the end of the night there was nothing left!
Baked brie is an easy recipe to make, even in Olaf’s dorms because it involves just a few ingredients, and quick and easy preparation. You can prepare the brie for just a weekend snack or for a birthday party or any other get-together in the dorms. This recipe is perfect for parties because you can prepare it ahead of time and then bake just before eating. There are so many different variations to this recipe as well. You can vary the ingredients to make it extra enjoyable for your personal tastes. Use any kind of jam you want; I usually prefer raspberry but you could use orange, strawberry, or whatever else you like. You also don’t have to bake the brie in puff pastry, and you could leave out the jam if you are not a jam fan. Baked brie and jam would be perfectly delicious on their own. Adding fruit, bacon or nuts to the top would add a whole other level of flavor to this already flavorful concoction!
Baked Brie:
You will need:
- Jar of jam (whichever flavor you choose)
- One sheet of puff pastry
- Wheel of brie (or several smaller chunks if you can’t find a wheel)
Directions:
Place sheet of puff pastry on a baking sheet and place wheel of brie in the center. If you like, you can roll out the puff pastry sheet with a rolling pin so it covers the brie easier (but this is not necessary if you are living in the dorms and most likely do not have a rolling pin). Spoon as much or as little jam on the top of the brie ( I put as much jam as can possibly fit – the more the better!)
Finally, fold up the edges of puff pastry so the brie is covered. This does not have to look perfect or very pretty- It should look something like this, though.
Bake @ 350 for 30-40 minutes (dorm ovens might take closer to 40 minutes or more), or until golden brown.
Enjoy! :)