Baked Brie With Dried Apricots And Pistachios Recipes

GIANT BAKED BRIE WITH APRICOTS AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the thyme, season lightly with salt and toss. Stir in the brandy and remove from the heat. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the dried apricots and preserves. Let cool to room temperature.
• Place the Brie on the center of the prepared baking sheet and cut off the rind on top. Spread the apricot compote evenly over the top of the Brie.
• Unroll the puff pastry sheets on a floured work surface. Brush a 2-inch strip down the long edge of one sheet with the egg and line up the second sheet with the first, overlapping the edge brushed with egg so that the two stick together. Flour the pastry well and roll with a floured rolling pin to make a 14-inch square. Trim the corners from the pastry to make a circle (you want to make the largest circle possible). Reserve the trimmings. Transfer the pastry to the baking sheet and cover the Brie. Tuck the edges underneath the Brie.
• Reroll the pastry scraps and cut out five or six 2-inch leaf shapes, then score them with the back of a butter knife to create simple veins in the leaf. Brush the pastry-wrapped Brie with the egg. Arrange the leaves decoratively on top of the Brie and brush with the egg.
• Bake the brie until the pastry is puffed and deep golden, about 40 minutes. Let stand about 20 minutes before serving with apple and pear slices and crackers.

BRIE WITH APRICOT TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, combine first five ingredients; bring to a boil. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in rosemary. , Trim rind from top of cheese. Place cheese in an ungreased ovenproof serving dish. Spoon apricot mixture over cheese. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is softened, 10-12 minutes. Serve warm, with crackers.

BAKED APRICOT BRIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Place cheese in small baking pan. Spread top of cheese with preserves; sprinkle with almonds. Bake about 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese begins to melt and lose its shape. Serve hot with assorted crackers. Refrigerate leftovers; reheat before serving.

BAKED STUFFED BRIE WITH CRANBERRIES & WALNUTS

Steps:

• Score the side of a wheel of brie all the way around with a sharp paring knife. Cut directly on the "equator" through the rind. Using a long piece of string or dental floss, wrap the string around the brie on the newly made cut. Loop one end of the string over the other (a half knot). Then pulling the ends of the string in opposite directions, cut the brie in half.
• Press the dried cranberries on one cut side of the brie, and the walnuts on the other. Quickly put the 2 sides back together with the cranberries on top of the walnuts. Press together and stuff back in any cranberries or walnuts that fell out.
• Roll out a thawed sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Place brie in center of pastry. Gently pull up edges to ensure you have enough dough to entirely wrap the brie. You can trim off the corners if there is too much dough. Brush the dough with the egg wash. Fold one edge of the dough over the brie and then the opposite side. Fold over the remaining edges and complexly encase the brie. You can trim off excess pieces of dough, if necessary. Flip the brie over so the seam is at the bottom; gently press in the sides to snug the dough against the brie. Brush the top and sides of the wrapped brie with egg wash.
• If you choose to decorate the brie with cut-out shapes of additional puff pastry, use very cold (almost still frozen) dough to ensure sharp lines. Lightly brush the decorative pieces with egg wash. Place the brie in the freezer for one hour (this is a crucial step; see note below).
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the brie on the prepared baking sheet. Bake on the center rack in preheated oven until it is browned and leaking cheese, about 20 minutes. (Only rarely does the brie not leak through, but 20 to 25 minutes is about how long it takes to melt the cheese and brown the pastry.)

BRIE WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with foil. Place cheese on cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 minutes or until cheese begins to soften.
• Meanwhile, in 8-inch sauté pan or skillet, heat syrup, brown sugar and liqueur to boiling. Cook until mixture becomes thick and syrupy.
• Place warm Brie on serving plate. Top with dried fruit and pecans. Pour syrup over top. Serve with baguette slices.

BRIE WITH CRANBERRIES AND PISTACHIO NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°. Lightly brush round pan, 8x1 1/2 inches, or ovenproof plate with vegetable oil.
• Place cheese in center of pan. (Do not peel coating from cheese.) Bake uncovered 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is soft and partially melted.
• Top cheese with cranberry sauce and nuts. Serve immediately with bread.