Just ten minutes of prep to gooey, cheesy goodness
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Optional chilling time: 15 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Baked brie in puff pastry (also called brie en croûte) is an elegant cheese appetizer, and you don’t have to be a pro to prepare and bake it. You can throw it together in as little as 10 minutes—it’s easy enough to make for a quick family snack and fancy enough for a holiday party or special event.
One Baked Brie, Many Flavors
Aside from its easy prep, one of baked brie’s other great features is its versatility. Use your favorite sweet jam or preserves (fig jam is always a favorite), or make it with a more savory spread (such as pepper jelly), or try caramelized onions or bacon jam.
Whole cranberry sauce and chutney are also excellent alternatives. Feel free to add chopped toasted walnuts, almonds, or pecans for extra texture.
Tips for Working With Puff Pastry
Although you can certainly make puff pastry from scratch, that’s not necessary. The one you find in the freezer section of your supermarket works beautifully, but there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to puff pastry.
- Thaw it overnight—For starters, you have to thaw it. Move it from the freezer to the fridge and let it sit overnight before you plan on making this baked brie. If you try unfolding the sheet before it fully thaws, it'll start to crack.
- Handle it lightly—Be gentle with it. Roll lightly and cut with care so you don't flatten it too much.
- Chill for maximum flakiness—Popping the baked brie back in the fridge helps the butter in the puff pastry chill so it will be nice and flaky once baked.
Can You Eat the Rind?
The rind on a wheel of brie is edible and adds to the unique flavor of the cheese, so there’s no need to remove it. If you prefer it without the rind, you may slice it off before wrapping.
How To Serve Baked Brie
Serve the brie on a round plate or platter with a cheese knife or butter knife and crackers, sliced fresh apples or pears, toasted baguette slices, or breadsticks.
More Puff Pastry Appetizer Ideas
Most packages come with two sheets and since this recipe only calls for one, you'll likely have a leftover piece for other recipes. Here are some other puff pastry appetizers you can whip up:
- Tomato Tart
- Ham and Cheese Empanada
- Cranberry Brie Bites
- Spinach and Mushroom Strudel
Ingredients
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1 sheet (about 1/2 pound) puff pastry, defrosted following package directions
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1 wheel (8 ounces) brie cheese, unwrapped, rind left on
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1/2 cup fig jam, or another kind of jam or preserves
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1 large egg
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1 tablespoon water
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Unfold the sheet of pastry on a floured surface.
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Roll the pastry out to a 12-inch square and trim the corners to make a circle. Save the trimmings to decorate the top, if desired.
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Spread the jam in the center of the pastry.
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Place the wheel of brie cheese on top of the jam.
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Whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl.
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Brush the egg wash around the edge of the pastry.
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Fold the pastry up over the wheel of brie, gently pressing to seal.
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Brush the seams with more egg wash.
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Place the pastry-wrapped brie seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top and sides of the pastry with egg wash.
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If desired, cut the pastry trimmings into decorative shapes, place them on top of the pastry round, and brush lightly with more egg wash. Refrigerate the pastry-wrapped brie for 15 to 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 400 F.
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Bake the wrapped brie until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the brie rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
How To Store
- Refrigerate leftover brie in an airtight container and consume within 3 days.
- To reheat leftover baked brie, place it in a lightly greased or parchment paper-lined pie plate and bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot. Look for an internal temperature of at least 165 F.
Feeling Adventurous? Try This:
- Swap out the jam—Replace the jam with sweet chutney, cranberry sauce, or preserves.
- Maple nut baked brie—Instead of jam, use a mixture of 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey and 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts.
- Savory baked brie—For a savory topping, replace the jam with pesto, olive tapenade, caramelized onions, or bacon jam.
- Use phyllo instead—To bake the brie in phyllo, layer three sheets of phyllo dough on a cutting board, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Place the wheel of brie in the center of the dough and top with jam or another topping. Gather the corners of the dough and bring them together to make a package. Brush all over with more butter. Place the phyllo-wrapped brie seam-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 F until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
- Bake it seam-side up—You can also make and bake the pastry-wrapped brie seam-side up. Just place the brie in the center of the trimmed pastry, top it with jam and fold the pastry over the topping. Place the wrapped brie on the baking sheet, seam-side up, brush the sides and top with the egg wash, refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, then bake as directed in the preheated oven.
Make Ahead
Pastry-wrapped brie may be prepared (without the egg wash) up to 1 day in advance. Cover the brie loosely and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake. Brush the pastry with the egg wash and bake as directed.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 8 to 10 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 254 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 15g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat 5g | 27% |
| Cholesterol 41mg | 14% |
| Sodium 212mg | 9% |
| Total Carbohydrate 22g | 8% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 2% |
| Total Sugars 8g | |
| Protein 7g | |
| Vitamin C 1mg | 7% |
| Calcium 50mg | 4% |
| Iron 1mg | 5% |
| Potassium 68mg | 1% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
