Traditional baked Brie is fairly nice as is. I imply, it’s onerous to seek out fault with melty cheese and flaky pastry! However does it blow me away with its ingenuity? No. Is it the very first thing I run to on the appetizer desk? Not a lot.
As an alternative of giving up on the considerably sleepy dish, I started to consider methods to liven it up. A fast Google search proved the work had been accomplished for me: Numerous recipes have been created with this actual premise in thoughts. From flavorful fillings to inventive cooking strategies, there aren’t any scarcity of how to have enjoyable with the old-school app.
With the vacations drawing nearer, I figured now was the proper time to offer a number of of those twists a attempt. In the end, I used to be searching for a baked Brie that was paying homage to the unique — gooey cheese and golden-brown pastry have been non-negotiables — however with a bit of extra oomph. What kind of dough could be the perfect for wrapping? What taste of filling would greatest complement the cheese? And most significantly, which recipe would excite me?
In the end, I fell in love with each recipe I attempted. Each impressed me with its appears, creativity, and irresistible taste. However after numerous reflection (and a heck of numerous cheese), I managed to declare a winner. It’s the one I couldn’t cease consuming, the one I discovered most wow-worthy, and the one I’ll suggest to any good friend in want of a crowd-pleaser.
Meet Our 4 Baked Brie Contenders
To maintain the taking part in subject truthful, I solely thought of recipes that have been wrapped in some kind of pastry. (In spite of everything, true baked Brie is solely heat cheese!). From there, I regarded for ones that used several types of pastries and a wide range of fillings. In the end, I landed on 4 thrilling recipes that every had a definite viewpoint.
Two Peas and Their Pod’s Baked Brie has a 5-star score and ranks on the primary web page of Google. The Brie is drizzled with maple syrup and topped with a sugary, buttery nut combination, inserting it firmly within the “candy” class. It’s wrapped in puff pastry and served with all kinds of dippers and snacks, from crackers and crostini to pomegranate seeds and pears. I additionally appreciated that Maria, one of many creators of the weblog, responded to each single remark and query.
Meals Community’s Baked Brie falls on the other finish of the baked Brie spectrum, calling on savory marinated artichoke hearts, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes for the filling. The puff pastry is woven into an ornamental sample and, maybe most apparently of all, the entire thing is cooked within the air fryer. As an enormous fan of the versatile countertop equipment, I used to be keen to do that one out.
Smitten Kitchen’s Baked Brie regarded like every thing I’d anticipate from Deb: wealthy and comforting with a contact of magnificence. A easy selfmade galette dough is used instead of puff pastry, and the Brie is roofed in jammy balsamic pink onions. Dijon mustard and recent thyme spherical out the filling, and the wrapped Brie is sprinkled with sesame seeds earlier than baking. How might it not be good?
Tasty’s Baked Brie was the closest to the basic. The Brie is topped with raspberry preserves, however flaky phyllo dough is utilized in lieu of puff pastry. Would this one easy improve have most affect? I couldn’t wait to seek out out.
How I Examined the Baked Brie
I made every recipe with an 8-ounce spherical of Président Brie. For the 2 recipes that referred to as for puff pastry, I used DuFour (a favourite amongst Kitchn staffers). I baked all of them in the identical oven, on the identical day, and allow them to cool per the particular recipe’s directions. I served them with no matter every recipe referred to as for, however I additionally made certain to attempt a chew of every by itself. I had two buddies over to assist me and my fiancé check them.
So as to style all the Bries in a single sitting however nonetheless serve them heat, I assembled them prematurely, popped them within the fridge, and baked them off in succession (except for Meals Community’s, which I air-fried whereas one other was baking). Not solely was this the easiest way for me to match them, it additionally allowed me to check out their make-ahead talents. And truthfully, I used to be impressed! All 4 proved they are often assembled and refrigerated a number of hours prematurely — though they every wanted a number of further minutes within the oven for the Brie to soften fully.
1. The Celebration Favourite: Tasty’s Gooey Baked Brie in Phyllo Dough
If you happen to’re serving visitors who take pleasure in conventional baked brie, they’ll go wild for this simple-yet-impressive improve. The layers of phyllo baked up impossibly mild and flaky, and I beloved the distinction between the crunchy pastry and melty cheese. Whereas I’m not going to eliminate puff pastry for good, I do suppose the phyllo added pleasure and tasted nice. Plus, all the layers make it tremendous forgiving — it actually doesn’t matter if one sheet tears or is off-center.
I favored that the jam’s acidity balanced out the Brie’s richness, stopping the entire thing from tasting too decadent. Even nonetheless, I’d be curious to experiment with extra savory-leaning flavors, like fig or bitter cherry. It’s additionally price noting that the recipe doesn’t specify ingredient quantities. I discovered success with a stick of butter, a half cup of preserves, and an eight-ounce wheel of Brie.
2. The Most Luxurious: Smitten Kitchen’s Baked Brie with Balsamic Crimson Onions
This can be a Smitten Kitchen recipe by and thru. It’s detailed however unfussy, spectacular but rustic, and the result’s precisely as promised: a less-sweet, extra nuanced baked Brie filled with fascinating flavors. The jammy pink onions are a revelation: They cook dinner in simply 10 minutes however are slinky and shiny and flavorful. When mixed with the melty cheese, it gave the entire dish French onion soup vibes.
The selfmade galette dough comes collectively shortly in a single bowl, and bakes up buttery and flaky. Resulting from its round form, it was additionally simpler than puff pastry to wrap across the Brie. With that mentioned, I’m undecided it was price the additional effort — particularly if you happen to go for all-butter puff pastry like DuFour. Throughout a busy vacation season when shortcuts are lifesavers, I’m undecided that is the recipe I’ll wish to flip to.
3. The Finest for Wine Evening: Two Peas and Their Pod’s Baked Brie
This baked Brie was a lot higher than the sum of its elements. One way or the other, a easy mixture of pecans, cinnamon, brown sugar, and maple syrup mixed to create probably the most aromatic, irresistible filling that had all of us swooning. When eaten all collectively, the dish tasted like nutty French toast paired with gooey Brie cheese, which I wouldn’t suppose I’d take pleasure in however I completely did.
I really suppose everybody will go wild for this recipe. It’s excellent for e book membership or wine evening, or starring in a dinner-sized snack platter. It’s additionally very easy to make! With that mentioned, I do suppose it’s too candy to function a pre-dinner appetizer, which is why it didn’t take house high prize.
4. The Wow-Worthy Winner: Meals Community’s Air Fryer Baked Brie with Pesto Solar-Dried Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts
Speak about a celebration trick! This golden-brown magnificence emerged from the air fryer trying (nearly) too fairly to eat. The ornamental sample, which was surprisingly easy to execute, gave this Brie the pizzazz I used to be trying to find. As soon as sliced into, the colourful pesto filling made the entire thing really feel festive.
The style of this dish was equally spectacular. Beginning with herby marinated artichokes, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, and garlicky store-bought pesto meant that each chew was jam-packed with taste — with little or no work from me. Plus, the air fryer made the pastry further flaky and croissant-like, and melted the cheese to perfection. I additionally like that it freed up oven house, which I’m all the time grateful for throughout the holidays.
If you happen to don’t have an air fryer, this Brie continues to be 100% price making. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes, then serve to visitors.
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