Apple Cranberry Baked Brie

Apple Cranberry Baked Brie is the one baked brie recipe you’ll want to make over and over again this fall, if only to devour the apple, cranberry and walnut compote.

I’m throwing it back with this baked brie today. I always fall into some sort of throwback cooking routine around my birthday. Being another year older (and supposedly wiser) is both exciting and stressful. Generally I want to run back under the covers and pretend that it’s not happening, like somehow my bed is the place where time stands still for a bit. However the truth is, absolutely nothing happens when you turn that year older.

Really, nothing happens. 

There’s a ton of celebrating (whoever doesn’t give themselves an entire birthday week is seriously missing out), but then the clock strikes midnight and…. yep another year older and not magically wiser. I never seem to learn this lesson and every year naively think some grand epiphany is waiting for me on the morning of my birthday… Maybe it happens at least once in your lifetime?

I know, my expectations are way to high for this whole birthday thing. I’m going to crawl back into bed with this apple cranberry baked brie to make myself feel a little better (and maybe even stop time…?).

This baked brie is one of the simplest appetizers I’ve ever made and it’s also the one that most represents fall to me. The apples, cranberries and walnuts in the compote bring just the right amount of sweet tartness to the savory puff pastry wrapped brie. You’ll watch this disappear within mere moments after setting it out on the table.

There’s nothing like oozing gooey cheese to bring family and friends together, amIright? 😉

Apple Cranberry Baked Brie

Yield: Serves 8-10

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

A warm apple, cranberry and walnut compote piled high on this baked brie makes it the ultimate fall appetizer.

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Ingredients

• One 8 oz round of Brie cheese
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• One sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tbsp water

Instructions

1. In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the apples and cook until the apples are tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add the sugar, walnuts and cranberries, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cook the mixture down until the liquid has evaporated, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
3. On a clean, lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry until it’s approximately one-quarter inch thick. Cut the pastry into a 10-inch round and place the round on the lined baking sheet.
4. Cut off the top of the wheel of Brie. Place the Brie cut side up in the center of the puff pastry round. Top the Brie with the apple cranberry mixture (I used about two-thirds of the mixture and saved the rest to serve alongside the finished dish). Fold up the sides of the puff pastry over the sides of the cheese, pinching the edges together to form pleats and leaving a slight gap in the center. Make sure you pinch the pleats together tightly, they will slightly expand out as it bakes.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the beaten egg and water. Brush the puff pastry with the egg wash.
6. Bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, or until the pastry if golden brown. Serve with the remaining apple mixture and crackers or toasted bread.