Brie en Croute
Golden, flaky puff pastry wrapped around warm, melty brie and sweet fig jam. This brie en croute is the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer that looks impressive but takes just minutes to put together. Perfect for holiday entertaining and parties!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Brie. A whole wheel of brie is ideal here. Camembert is a good option, although much smaller. a 13-16oz (300-500g) brie is excellent for feeding a crowd.
- Puff pastry. Try to find the best quality, all-butter puff pastry you can. It makes all the difference.
- Fig jam/preserves. Any jam works here. Apricot preserves, onion marmalade, cranberry jam or sauce, seedless raspberry jam. You could also add chopped nuts (walnuts/pecans) and a generously drizzle of honey.
- Beaten egg. For egg wash – this ensures the pastry bakes into a beautiful golden brown color.
How To Make Brie En Croute
- Prepare the pastry: Roll your sheet of thawed puff pastry out into a square big enough to cover the pastry. Do this on a lightly floured surface to prevent any sticking.
- Assemble: Add two tablespoons of fig jam and spread into a circle the size of the wheel of brie. Add the brie on top of the jam (leave the rind on) then bring all the corners in, sealing them well by pinching them together. This is critical to prevent leaking once the brie is baked. At this point you can freeze the entire thing on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm then wrap well or go ahead and bake immediately.
- Bake: Place the brie en croute on a baking sheet or dish lined with parchment paper and brush the entire surface with beaten egg (egg wash). Place in a preheated oven (350°F/180°C) for 20-25 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown and the cheese is completely melted (check with a sharp knife inserted into the cheese – if it’s soft, the cheese should be melted).
- Rest then serve: Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to prevent the cheese from melting all over the place. Serve with bread or crackers of your choice.
Can I make this ahead?
Brie en croute is a fantastic make-ahead appetizer. Although I wouldn’t usually suggest freezing brie as is (the texture changes significantly once thawed and become grainy), it’s perfectly fine if you plan on baking the cheese.
- Fridge: Assemble the brie en croute then wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for 24 hours before baking.
- Freezer: Place the brie in pastry on a plate or dish lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. Wrap in a layer of plastic wrap and foil and keep in the freezer for up to a month. Bake for an extra 10-15 minute until the cheese is soft. If you see the pastry is becoming too dark, loosely cover with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to ensure the cheese is fully melted.
Ingredients
- 16 oz (450g) whole wheel of brie anything between 13-16oz (300-500g) works well for a crowd.
- 9 oz (250g) sheet puff pastry thawed
- 2 tbsp fig jam
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Roll your sheet of thawed puff pastry out into a square big enough to cover the pastry. Do this on a lightly floured surface to prevent any sticking.
- Add two tablespoons of fig jam and spread into a circle the size of the wheel of brie.
- Add the brie on top of the jam then bring all the corners in, sealing them well by pinching them together. This is critical to prevent leaking once the brie is baked.
- At this point you can freeze the entire thing on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm then wrap well or go ahead and bake immediately. See make-ahead instructions below.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Place the brie en croute on a baking sheet or dish lined with parchment paper and brush the entire surface with beaten egg (egg wash).
- Place in the preheated oven and allow to bake for 20-25 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown and the cheese is completely melted (check with a sharp knife inserted into the cheese – if it's soft, the cheese should be melted).
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to prevent the cheese from melting all over the place.
- Serve with bread or crackers of your choice.
Notes
Make-ahead instructions:
- Fridge: Assemble the brie en croute then wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for 24 hours before baking.
- Freezer: Place the brie in pastry on a plate or dish lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. Wrap in a layer of plastic wrap and foil and keep in the freezer for up to a month. Bake for an extra 10-15 minute until the cheese is soft. If you see the pastry is becoming too dark, loosely cover with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to ensure the cheese is fully melted.
Nutrition
FAQ’s
Yes! Assemble the whole thing, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also freeze it for up to a month. Bake straight from frozen, just add 10-15 minutes to the baking time.
A standard brie wheel works perfectly. Look for one that’s firm to the touch rather than overly ripe and runny. You want it to hold its shape while it bakes and turn beautifully melty inside. Leave the rind on.
Absolutely. Apricot jam, cranberry sauce, honey with walnuts or even caramelized onions all work wonderfully. Use whatever you love or whatever you have on hand.
Make sure your puff pastry is cold when you wrap the brie. Brush the outside with egg wash for a crisp golden finish and bake on a parchment-lined tray so the bottom crisps up properly.
You’re looking for deep golden brown pastry all over. The brie inside should be soft and melty but not completely liquid. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes after baking so it holds together when you cut into it.
Crackers, sliced baguette, apple slices and grapes are all classic pairings. A handful of nuts and some extra fig jam on the side never hurts either.