There are few sensations in this world more palatable than the pleasant warmth of melted, creamy cheese stretching like elastic as you take a bite out of its smooth, gooeyness. Cheese, in its various forms, could complement almost any dish, but melted cheese deserves a category all on its own. That’s why this week’s Dishes ‘n’ DIYs blog will teach you how to prepare an elegant cheese classic in its most delectable state: baked Brie.
If you thought your cooking skills weren’t advanced enough for this dish, think again. If you have store-bought crescent rolls, some jelly, a wheel of Brie cheese and you know how to operate an oven, then congratulations — you, my friend, are capable of making baked Brie.
What you’ll need:
- 1 can (8 ounces) of Pillsbury crescent rolls or another brand of puff pastry dough
- jelly/jam/preserves of your choice (raspberry, apricot, strawberry, etc.)
- medium-sized wheel of Brie cheese
- optional spices/herbs you may want to add to enhance flavor (lavender, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
- optional fruit
- water crackers
How to make it:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.2. Grease a cooking sheet with butter/butter spray, or use a non-stick cooking sheet. Line the sheet with tin foil if you prefer.3. Unroll tin can, and lay out sheet of dough onto your baking sheet. Keep the triangle shapes in tact, but arrange them if necessary to create a square with about equal-length sides. You may want to use your fingers to press the creases together to prevent them from falling apart while baking.4. Place the wheel of Brie on the center of the sheet of dough. You may remove the rind with a knife if you’d like, but that is unnecessary. Lather any ingredients you want baked inside the pastry directly onto the cheese. This demonstration applied generous amounts of raspberry jelly.5. Take the four corners of the pastry, and again, use your hands to mold them together so that there are no holes. You should not see anything from inside peeking or leaking out. If there is extra pastry, make shapes to decorate or help cover any openings.
An optional additional step: Beat one egg and coat the dough-plastered cheese for optimal flakiness and flavor.6. Place the cooking sheet in the oven, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Times may vary with ovens.7. Let it cool shortly, and serve while hot. Water crackers and fruit pair well with this dish.
This French-origin appetizer is the ultimate party pleaser, so consider making baked Brie for your gal pals at your next wine and cheese night or sharing it at your next potluck. And if you can’t get enough of this dish, BuzzFeed writer Emily Fleischaker mapped out more ways to get creative with this mouth-watering treat in this article. Bon appétit, collegiettes™!