Baked Brie with Berries and Nuts

The combination of honey, nuts, cheese and fruit is a classic one, and this recipe combines those four simple ingredients amazingly well.  This dish works great when you want to bring something to a party due to the long cool-down period (45 minutes to an hour).  You can bake the brie, stick it in your car, and by the time  you get to where you are going, it will have cooled off enough to be served.  Almost any combination of dried fruits and nuts can be used, and maple syrup or even jelly can be substituted instead of honey.  The combination of dried cranberry and walnuts works great for a holiday version of this recipe as well.  For a fun twist try it with chutney.  There are many variations of this recipe; baked brie is not a new concept.  However this specific combination and quantity of the ingredients are what I have found to be my personal favorite version.

Serving Size:  12+ people as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

*2 sheets of frozen instant puff pastry

*1 round of brie cheese (about x oz)

*2/3rd cup dried tart cherries

*2/3rd cup chopped pecans

*1/2 cup honey

*About 2 tbsp of melted butter (optional)

*Good crackers or bread 

 Preparation:

1)  Pull the sheets of puff pastry out of the freezer and allow to thaw for 40 minutes before trying to use them.

2)  Mix together dried cherries, chopped pecans, and honey in a bowl.  Set aside.

3)  Spray a cookie sheet with Pam and place one of the sheets of puff pastry on it

4)  Using the top of the container that the brie cheese came in as a guide, cut out two circles of puff pastry out of the second sheet.  By doing this you will end up with two circles of puff pastry that are the same size and diameter as the round of brie.  Cut the remaining pastry from the sheet that you cut the two circles out of into at least 6 long thin strips and set aside.

5)  Place one of the circles of dough in the center of the first piece of puff pastry that is on the baking sheet. 

6)  Spoon half of the honey, cherry, and pecan mixture on top of the circle of dough.  Be sure none is spilling out past the edges of the circle.  

7)  Place the wheel of brie on top of the honey, cherry, and pecan mixture.  Top with the other half of the honey, cherry and pecan mixture.

8)  Place the second circle of pastry dough on top of this  You now should have a “cheese tower” with  the layer set up like this:  Bottom sheet of puff pastry, circle of pastry dough, honey, cherry and pecan mixture, wheel of brie cheese, honey cherry and pecan mixture, circle of pastry dough.

8)  Fold the four corners of the first sheet of puff pastry into the center of the cheese "tower".  Using your fingers, pinch closed the 4 seams that get created.

8)  Fold the 4 extra points of dough to the side in one continuous direction, creating 4 triangles of dough on the sides of the cheese tower.  Press all the edges together to seal the pastry dough.  It is important to get a tight seal, or the honey and cheese will leak out as it cooks.  If the pastry dough does not want to seal use a small amount of water or egg white on the seam to get it to stick closed.

9)  Using the extra strips of dough that was set aside earlier to create a simple lattice pattern on top like you would for a pie.

10)  For that shiny looks professional baked good have, brush it with butter before baking it.

11)  Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees or until the puff pastry cooks to a nice golden-brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 45 minutes.  If you cut into it too early, the molten cheese will all drain out so it is important to not get impatient.  Serve with crackers and/or good bread.