Baked Brie in Puff Pastry is a quick, easy and elegant appetizer perfect to serve at any gathering or holiday party. This baked brie recipe has layers of flaky puff pastry, warm and gooey melted brie cheese and delicious cranberry sauce.
If you are looking for a crowd pleasing, incredibly delicious and easy to make appetizer, this baked Brie in puff pastry is sure to impress your friends and family.
This baked Brie recipe is one of those appetizers everyone always raves about. It is always the first appetizer to disappear at every holiday party and a recipe my family requests all the time.
Baked Brie with Puff Pastry
Brie en Croute is a great way to dress up a wheel of creamy Brie cheese.
Brie is a soft, buttery cheese with mild flavor. This cheese originated in France and is traditionally made from cow’s milk, although it can also be made from goat’s milk. Brie cheese has a soft interior and a bloomy edible rind.
When baking Brie in pastry, make sure the puff pastry is chilled. After wrapping the wheel of cheese, always chill it in the fridge before baking.
How to Bake Brie in Puff Pastry
- First, make the cranberries. I use a combination of dried cranberries and dried cherries.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven.
- Place the pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll the pastry to get rid of the creases.
- Place the round of Brie in the middle of the pastry and top it with the cranberries. Fold the pastry as if wrapping a present.
- Chill the wrapped Brie in the fridge before baking.
- Remove the cheese en croute from the refrigerator and brush the pastry with egg wash. Bake.
Baking Brie Tips For Success
- It is best to use a Brie wheel, not a wedge. These days smaller Brie rounds are sold at the supermarket. If you are making this appetizer for two people and cannot find a mini wheel, then use a wedge.
- Although cranberries are a delicious option for the topping, you can be creative and use other ingredients. If you want to keep things simple, a drizzle of honey is all you need. Crunchy nuts and/or dried fruit tossed in honey or jam are good options.
- You don’t need an expensive, top of the line Brie when baking it.
- Defrost the puff pastry in the fridge overnight or on the kitchen counter for about 25 – 35 minutes.
- Always chill the puff pastry right before baking it.
FAQ for Baked Brie with Puff Pastry
Do You Take The Rind Off The Brie Before Baking?
No, you don’t need to remove the Brie rind or skin. The rind is edible and adds texture and a complex flavor to the cheese. If for some reason the rind has an oddly strong flavor, that means the cheese has not been stored properly.
How Long Does The Brie Stay Melted After Baking?
Baked Brie will stay gooey and melted for about 15 minutes.
What Is The Best Way To Serve Baked Brie?
I like to bake the Brie over a piece of parchment paper so when it’s done baking I can transfer it to a plate by lifting the paper.
Baked Brie can be served by itself or as part of a cheese platter.
Can Baked Brie In Puff Pastry Be Made Ahead?
You can make the cranberry sauce 4-5 days in advance.
You can wrap the cheese in pastry and refrigerate it for up to a day.
Tips for Baked Brie with Cranberries
- If your puff pastry sheet tears or gets a hole, you can easily fix it with your fingers.
- The 5-ingredients cranberry sauce doesn’t contain any added sugar. The sweetness comes from the dried fruit.
- I am giving you 2 methods to wrap the brie cheese in puff pastry. Do whichever one makes you feel more comfortable. Just think play-doh that will cook beautifully as long as you cool it before baking!
- Allow the baked cheese to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow the cheese to become a bit former and prevent all the cheese from oozing out like a lava river!
Take A Look At These Other Appetizer Recipes:
- Baked Brie with Strawberries
- Maple Brown Sugar Bacon
- Crostini Appetizers
- Pear and Goat Cheese Tart
- Hot Crab Dip Recipe
Baked Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry
Ingredients
For the Cranberries
- 8 ounces dried cranberries
- 4 ounces dried cherries
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cheese and Pastry
- 1 (13.2 ounces) Brie Cheese wheel (anywhere from 8 to 14 ounces will work)
- 1 package Puff Pastry thawed (one sheet will cover the cheese completely. You can use the second sheet to make some decorations if you cho0se to)
- About ¼ cup of flour for rolling the dough
- 1 egg
- For serving: Choose from French Bread sliced crackers, sliced apples, sliced pears, grapes
Instructions
For the Cranberries
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, place the cranberries, cherries and water. Make sure the water covers the dried fruit. Add more water if needed. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to low. Add the orange zest and vanilla extract. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat, parchment paper or foil.
- Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit
- Dust your work space or counter with a little flour. Do the same to your rolling pin. Unroll one sheet of puff pastry gently and place it on the counter. Roll your pastry gently until it reaches about 11 x 11 inches. There is no need to measure it! We are just trying to make the pastry a bit thinner and get rid of the folding creases (slightly). If it breaks, wet your fingers with water and pinch the pastry dough back together. (Think of it as play dough and enjoy the process!!)
- Follow one of the methods below.
Method #1 Super Easy
- After rolling the pastry, place the round of brie in the middle. Top with the cranberries. Fold the corners over the cheese forming a neat package. Almost like wrapping a present. If you feel you have too much puff pastry in some areas, trim it with a sharp knife. Keep the trimmings to use for decorating.
Method #2 Easy
- Lay the pastry on a dinner plate. Add the cranberries in the middle of the puff pastry. Place the cheese on top. Fold the corners over the cheese. This will be the bottom so you don’t have to be so neat.
- Place the prepared sheet pan on top of the wrapped brie. Gently hold the dinner plate (don’t press too hard) and flip! Lift the dinner plate. Voila! The seams are down.
- In a small bowl, combine the egg with about a tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Cut decorative shapes from the remaining puff pastry. You can use cookie cutters if you wish. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the decorative cut outs with the egg wash and adhere to the wrapped brie. Brush the wrapped brie evenly with egg wash. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
- Bake the brie for about 15-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. This will give the cheese time to firm up a bit. Otherwise, it will all gush out. Not that there is anything wrong with that!
- Serve with accompaniments.
Recipe Notes
- I am giving you 2 methods to wrap the brie cheese in puff pastry. Do whichever one makes you feel more comfortable. Just think play-doh that will cook beautifully as long as you cool it before baking!
- Allow the baked cheese to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow the cheese to become a bit former and prevent all the cheese from oozing out.
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