French Brie en croute (appetizer)
Main ingredients:
 | Brie cheese wheel |
 | Puff pastry crust dough |
 | Egg |
Baked brie is one of those delicious and impressive appetizers that everyone can dig into. It is made by wrapping a wheel of brie cheese in puff pastry and baking it until warm and gooey.
And to make it even more interesting, I recommend adding a sweet or savory filling in the middle of two layers of the brie cheese to make it even more interesting.
It is the sort of dish that you can serve at a dinner party, game night, or simply as a fun snack. The creamy and gooey texture of the cheeses combined with the flaky pastry makes for an irresistible combination.
The Brie cheese
Brie cheese is soft cheese from the Brie region of France, made from cow’s milk. There are two well-known districts that make Brie, Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun, which are near the historical towns of Provins and Meaux.
Both are unpasturized cheeses, with Brie de Melun having a stronger flavour and more pungent smell. It is quite similar to Camembert cheese, which is from the region of Normandy.
The brie cheese is made by heating cow’s milk to a specific temperature and then adding rennet. The curds are then drained and molded into rounds, which are then left to mature for several weeks. While maturing, the cheese develops a white, edible mold known as Penicillium candidum, which gives the cheese its distinctive flavor and helps to develop its soft and creamy texture.
Optional Sweet ingredients
There are many options for fillings that you can place in between the brie cheese wheel to give it that added oomph. If you prefer a sweet flavor, you can try one of the following ingredients in your brie en croute:
 | Fig jam |
 | Honey |
 | Cranberry sauce |
 | Raspberry jam |
Optional Savory ingredients
If you don’t have a sweet tooth and would prefer a savory tinge to your brie en croute, try one of these ingredients to place in between the two layers of brie cheese:
 | Pesto sauce or pistou sauce |
 | Pistachios |
 | fresh herbs (thyme, basic, and rosemary) |
 | Pine nuts |
 | chili flakes |
Similar appetizer recipes
French Brie en croute appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 brie cheese wheel
- 1 puff pastry crust dough
- 1 egg
Optional Sweet Toppings
- fig jam
- honey
- cranberry sauce
- raspberry jam
Optional Savory Toppings
- fresh herbs eg. thyme, basic, and rosemary
- pesto sauce
- pistachios
- pinenuts
- chili flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C /400°F.
- Remove the plastic and paper packaging and place the brie cheese in a plate.
- With a knife, cut the brie horizontally into two halves.
- Add the toppings onto one side of the brie cheese, and cover with the other half of the brie, like a sandwich.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with one tablespoon of water to make an eggwash.
- Roll out the puff pastry dough onto a large baking tray.
- Place the brie wheel in the middle of the puff pastry dough.
- Wrap the puff pastry dough over the dough, folding the corners so that they cover the brie entirely.
- Brush the eggwash onto the outside of the puff pastry for a golden brown crust.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes or until the puff pastry looks nice and golden.
- Remove from the oven and serve with crackers or bread.
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
Brie en croute can be served with itself, since the pastry crust around it makes for a handy way to scoop up the cheese. For additional bread, use baguette or pain de campagne. Any type of unflavored toasted pita or chips will also do.
If you are planning on having several appetizers, you can serve it with this tomato bruschetta, charcuterie board, or paté for a bit of contrast from the cheese.
What drinks to serve with it?
Brie en croute goes really well with sparkling wines like crémants from the Loire Valley, or if the budget allows, champagne. It is a rather creamy cheese and so goes well with young red wine like a Beaujolais, or a Pinot noir from Alsace.
You can read about more French apéritifs and wine and cheese pairings here.
Can you prepare it in advance?
Brie en croute will not do very well if cooked in advance, so I don’t recommend it.
You can prepare it (without cooking) and keep it in the fridge, and put it in the oven right before serving.
