Baked Brie En Croûte
Recipe by Mon Ami Gabi
Chef David Koehn from Mon Ami Gabi shares his family’s tradition of enjoying baked brie with honey and nuts during Christmas with this recipe for Baked Brie En Croûte. The creamy richness of the brie contrasts beautifully with the bright and tart jam, and the crunch of the almonds.
Baked Brie En Croûte
With apricot jam and toasted almonds
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
INGREDIENTS FOR BRIE EN CROÛTE
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1 8-oz. small wheel Brie (Chef Koehn recommends Président or any brie of choice–Triple Cream Brie, Camembert, Bucheron, and Saint-André are all high-end cheeses that would fit perfectly here)
⅓ cup Apricot Jam (see sub recipe below; for grocery store option, Chef Koehn recommends a “stiff” jam such as Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves)
All-purpose flour, for dusting work surface
1 puff pastry square, 9-inch x 9-inch (Chef Koehn recommends Dufour)
⅓ cup skin-on, sliced almonds, toasted and lightly crumbled
4 Tbsp. local clover honey
Maldon salt, generous amount to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh mint, baby leaves only
INGREDIENTS FOR APRICOT JAM
6 cups water
1⅔ cups sherry vinegar
1⅔ cups champagne vinegar
3 ¼ cups granulated sugar
2 lbs. dried apricots
Method:
METHOD FOR APRICOT JAM
1. Combine all ingredients except apricots in a heavy-bottomed pot.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the apricots to the boiling liquid and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to ensure they don’t stick together.
4. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to a syrup consistency, about 30 minutes.
5. In a colander set over a bowl, strain the apricots. Reserve the syrup for a sweet and sour fruity kick for your morning granola or drizzled over a chopped salad.
6. Allow the apricots to rest until they are cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.
7. Transfer the apricots to a cutting board and chop them as roughly or finely as you want. (The more finely you chop them, the smoother the resulting jam will be.)
8. Use prepared apricot jam immediately for the Baked Brie recipe and refrigerate extra (this recipe makes one pint) in a covered container for up to two weeks.
METHOD FOR BRIE & APRICOT JAM EN CROÛTE
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and coat completely with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together the whole egg and the egg yolks in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Place the brie wheel on a cutting board.
4. Using gloves, form ⅓ cup of apricot jam into a disk on top of the brie wheel, slightly smaller than the surface of the brie.
5. On a well-floured surface, place your 9” x 9” puff pastry square.
6. Invert your brie so that the jam is on the bottom (which will become the top of the Baked Brie) and place it in the center of the puff pastry.
7. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of the puff pastry with your egg wash.
8. Fold one corner of the puff pastry over the brie, then fold the opposite corner over the first, keeping your wrapping of the brie as tight as possible.
9. With the last two corners, bring in any excess dough close to the brie, like you are wrapping a present. Brush the entirety of the exposed surface with egg wash.
10. Flip the brie over so that the jam is now the top layer, and place the pastry on the prepared baking sheet.
11. Brush the entirety of the pastry with the egg wash in an even layer, trying to avoid excess dripping.
12. Refrigerate the pastry for 20 minutes to allow it to absorb the first egg wash, then repeat the process, chilling the pastry for another 20 minutes to absorb the second egg wash before baking.
13. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F. If you have the option of using a convection fan, set the fan to high. (If you have an air fryer with a baking setting with a fan, that’s an excellent option as well.)
14. Bake the prepared brie for 20-22 minutes total, rotating halfway through. (The brie will take on a lot of color during the first part of cooking; the second half of cooking is about making sure that the dough is completely cooked to be flaky and delicious, and to make sure the cheese is hot and melted.)
15. While the Baked Brie is still warm, drizzle 2 Tbsp. of honey directly over the top of the pastry, then coat completely with the toasted almonds.
16. Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbsp. of honey over the almonds, then cover generously with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
17. Finish with picked mint.
