Cranberry Baked Brie
This gooey and melty cranberry baked brie is the perfect party appetizer, and so easy to make!
Raise your hand if you're a cheese addict like I am! When my husband and I first started dating, one of our favorite dates was to cook a meal together, and we always made a little tray of snacks to munch on while we cooked dinner. My husband developed a real knack for putting them together, and usually included things like nuts, olives, dried fruit, and some kind of gourmet cheese. It opened up a whole new world of cheeses to me, and I've never looked back. I grew up eating mostly cheddar, mozzarella, and monterey jack, and had no idea that there were so many other delicious varieties of cheese out there!
After we were married and had the budget of poor college students, we would stretch our meager grocery budget to include a small piece of gourmet cheese every week. We tried so many new cheeses, some becoming instant favorites (Dubliner Irish cheddar, Wensleydale with cranberries, gorgonzola - yum!), and other types just not making the cut. I had heard people rave about brie cheese before, but every time we tried it, it missed the mark for me. It wasn't until years later that I tried baked brie, and realized that what was missing was the gooey melty awesomeness!
This cranberry baked brie is about as simple as appetizers get, but it's also totally delicious! The combination of flaky pastry, melty cheese, and tart cranberry is perfection. I used my favorite homemade cranberry sauce, and I love how much flavor it adds!
I opted for more of a rustic look with the puff pastry folded on top, but if you'd like it to look a little neater, you can turn it upside down, with the folds on the bottom. Be sure to brush the outside with egg wash so it will get nice and golden brown in the oven.
This cranberry baked brie is the perfect appetizer for your next party!
Cranberry Baked Brie
1 wheel brie cheese
1 sheet (1/2 package) puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup cranberry sauce (homemade is delicious!)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
crackers for serving
Preheat the oven to 400. Roll out the puff pastry to 1/4 inch thick. Place the wheel of brie in the center of the puff pastry. Spread the cranberry sauce over the top of the brie. Fold the edges of the puff pastry up to cover the cranberry sauce and cheese completely. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the water. Brush the egg wash over the top of the puff pastry. Bake 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm with crackers.
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