Brielle's Avalon

Brie by itself on a cheese board is amazing. With other cheeses, wine and a variety of breads and crackers is wonderful as well. But baked, especially in puff pastry, takes it to a whole different level. As either an hors d’oeuvre with chopped almonds and tarragon (or other spices) or a dessert with chopped hazelnuts and berries, drizzled with honey…oh, my! What a way to start or end a feast!

You can either wrap and bake a whole piece of brie or you can do individual pieces. I chose to do individual pieces for us. Start by placing the pieces on sheets of puff pastry. If you made your own, fabulous! if you bought it you’ll have to that it in the fridge first.

Fold the end of the pastry over the end of the brie

Fold one side up, tucking the end of the pastry as if you’re gift wrapping it.

And fold the other side up and cover any exposed brie with more pastry and pinch it all together to seal well. Roll any leftover pastry into croissants or maybe make little cups and fill with jam or spiced nuts for additional appetizers or dessert sides.

Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Oh, dear! Some cheese melted and escaped! Don’t despair! This is the best part. Don’t let anyone else have it, it’s amazing!

Serve drizzled with honey and jam or fruit on the side. The honey fig jam was amazing, but blackberry, apricot, raspberry or any other you happen to have would be nice, too.

Make a whole dinner menu from wrapped tings! Some baked brie for starters, beef Wellington for the main course, vegetable eggrolls, wonton, phylo-wrapped spinach, nuts and cheese for the vegetable side, and baked Alaska for the dessert. A major dinner event compleat with candles, nice linens, fine china and wine. maybe I need to get working on the rest of the menu!