Baked Brie With Pear Cranberry Walnut Conserve Recipe 475

BAKED BRIE WITH PEAR, CRANBERRY & WALNUT CONSERVE RECIPE - (4.7/5)

Steps:

• To make the conserve: 1. Heat the butter in a heavy pan over medium heat until it begins to foam 2. Add the pears and cook stirring for 2 - 3 minutes, until the pear is tender 3. Stir in the brown sugar, dried cranberries, walnuts and spices 4. Continue cooking for 10 minutes, then set aside and cool to room temperature To make the brie: 1. Put Brie on a work surface and with a 2-inch round cutter cut out 10 rounds 2. On a lightly floured surface unfold 1 pastry sheet (do not roll out pastry) and with a 2 1/4-inch round cutter cut out 10 rounds 3. Unfold remaining 3 pastry sheets and with a 5-inch round cutter cut out 10 rounds 4. On cleaned work surface arrange 1 large pastry round and brush top with some egg. Center 1 cheese round on pastry and wrap pastry up over cheese to form a 3/4-inch border on top of cheese. Brush border with some remaining egg and top with 1 small pastry round, pressing edges of dough together gently but firmly to seal. Brush round with some remaining egg and chill on a baking sheet. Make more wrapped Brie with remaining pastry and cheese rounds in same manner. Chill each wrapped Brie, uncovered, at least 30 minutes 5. Preheat oven to 425 F. and lightly grease a baking sheet. 6. Bake Brie on baking sheet in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. 7. Cool Brie on baking sheet on a rack about 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm * Chef Phil likes to serve the brie on a bed of frisèe with a spoonful of the conserve. The bitter frisèe provides a nice contrast of flavors with the creamy and buttery brie. The conserve can be made ahead, cooled and refrigerated up to a week. Allow to come to room temperature 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.)