I discovered the indulgent buttery goodness of baked Brie sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. I had a passion for cooking but little technique and less experience, and I made a version of this dish for the first time in my toaster oven, without the bread. I sautéed almonds and served with sliced apples on the side.
Later, the first time I made it with bread, I didn’t close the dough tight enough and the cheese oozed out while the dough crisped up, like toast. It didn’t look pretty, but it was amazingly good. And this recipe is even better. You can serve this with apple slices, pear slices, or celery sticks. Buttery crackers will do the trick, too.
I suggest using the puff pastry to bring this sweet, crunchy treat to your mouth one bite at a time. Simply decadent, this dish is perfect either before a special meal or for dessert. There’s one last step: Prepare for compliments.
Excerpted from Valerie’s Home Cooking by Valerie Bertinelli. Copyright © 2017 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of TimeInc. New York, NY. All rights reserved.
Ingredients
- 1/2 (17.5-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1/4 cup mango chutney
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 5 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 (8-ounce) Brie round
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 large apples, sliced
- 1 French baguette, sliced (optional)
- Ingredient note: Mango chutney is usually in the international food aisle of your local grocer—if you can’t find it, any chutney will do.
Preparation
- 1 Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2 Place the pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface, and roll into a 10-inch square. Spread the chutney over the pastry; sprinkle with the raisins and almonds. Place the Brie round in the center of the dough. Fold the dough up and over the cheese and fillings, pleating the dough to enclose like a packet or purse. Trim the dough, if needed. Flip the packet over, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- 3 Whisk together the egg and water; brush the Brie packet with the egg mixture.
- 4 Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with the thyme. Cool about 3 minutes, and serve with the fresh apple slices and/or sliced baguette.
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