Food & Recipes
Perfect Appetizer for a Pot-Luck: Baked Brie en Croûte with Honey, Dried Cherries, Rosemary Pecans
Perfect Appetizer for a Pot-Luck – Baked Brie en Croûte with Honey, Dried Cherries, Rosemary & Pecans
Author:
I’m always searching for great websites that I can use as references for recipes. One of these is a terrific website – Onceuponachef.com – from Jennifer Segal, a classically trained chef and recipe developer. I have found several recipes on her site that she has created and that I can’t wait to try. One of the great things about her site is that she has pictures in the middle of her recipe descriptions so you can see how everything should look at each step. It’s a great addition to any recipe, especially if you’ve not made it before. This recipe is from her November 10 newsletter and is one that she adapted from Pepperidge Farmtm. It looks really festive and delicious and would be the perfect thing either for a girl’s night at my house or to bring to a pot-luck at a friend’s. It’s always great to find something that is easy to create but is impressive and looks like you slaved over a hot stove for hours. Ha Ha! There are so many parties during the Holidays, I’m sure I will be able to find at least one to bring it to.
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen Puff Pastry, thawed (I use Pepperidge Farm)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 (16 oz.) Brie cheese round (about 6-inches in diameter)
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll each pastry sheet out to a 12-inch square. Trim the corners of each sheet to form two circles. Set the scraps aside; you’ll use those later for decorations. Put one of the pastry rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Set the cheese in the center, rind side down. Drizzle the top of the cheese with the honey, and then top with the dried cherries, pecans and rosemary.
- Brush the exposed edges of the pastry with the egg mixture. Cover the Brie with the other pastry circle; press against the sides of the cheese and the bottom pastry to form a tight seal. Using a pizza cutter, cut off the excess dough, leaving a generous 1-inch border. Crimp the edges firmly with a fork to seal. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture. Set aside.
- Using a pizza cutter or cookie cutter, cut out nine leaves (about 2-inches long and 1-inch wide) from the scraps. Use a knife to draw the ribs on the leaves, pressing down but not cutting all the way through. Place the leaves on top of the pastry in the shape of a flower, overlapping them slightly and pressing them together in the center. Brush the leaves with the egg mixture. Roll up a 1/2-inch ball of dough and press it in the center; brush the ball with the egg mixture.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes, then serve with fruit and crackers.
- Note: You can prepare this appetizer ahead of time up until the baking step; refrigerate until ready to cook.
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