A tip of the hat to the French! Not only did they give us brie cheese, but they gave us brie en croute, which we have elevated to Baked Brie with Fig Jam and Pecans for your holiday sharing pleasure. Sharp, creamy brie, sweet, mellow fig preserves and toasty pecans all nestled in a golden, flaky crust makes for a merry Christmas (party), indeed!
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We’ve all had the realization in our adult lives at some point that we could just buy things, on our own, whenever we want, and consume them of our own free will.
Brie cheese is one of the first things I had the following realization for: “You mean I don’t need to wait for a fancy dinner party at some older, worldlier person’s house to have brie? I could just… buy it? For myself? And just… eat it? Without a special occasion?”
Yes, Baby Danielle. Yes.
But be warned, reader: when you realize just how easy it is to buy puff pastry dough and turn brie into baked brie, and subsequently turn it into baked brie with fig jam and pecans, you must exercise restraint!
While I semi-regularly have a wedge of brie in the fridge, I do not regularly whip up brie en croute as a snack. Not to say you couldn’t, but while having nice cheese around to nosh on is one of adulthood’s few perks, I wouldn’t want to detract from the Christmas morning-esque giddiness that comes from cutting into gooey brie cheese on special occasions. (Nor would I want the heart attack associated with eating as much cheese as my heart desired.)
But this easy appetizer is perfect for holiday spreads. I always enjoy that it naturally becomes a gathering place for my fellow cheese-loving partygoers as we try to scoop up all that oozy, melty goodness before it reconstitutes. And we especially love serving baked brie with apples (since the bread is “built in”) which leaves a bit more room for other decadent holiday treats.
For a condensed post with just the step-by-step recipe instructions, click to view the web story for this brie en croute recipe.
How to Bake Brie
Brie en croute is delicious, but Baked Brie with Fig Jam and Pecans is a next level indulgence. This brie cheese recipe is super simple thanks to pre-made puff pastry dough. Plus, we’ve got lots of serving suggestions and alternate preparations to fit any holiday spread.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Thaw puff pastry at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Roll out the thawed puff pastry between two sheets of parchment paper into a 10″ x 10″ square.
- Center brie on puff pastry square. Spread fig jam on top, then sprinkle with the pecans.
- Fold in edges, one after the other, to wrap brie in the pastry.
- Brush the puff pastry with an egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake at 400°F for 35-40 minutes, or until pastry is a deep golden brown.
- Rest 5 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter and serve with crackers, apples, and toasted crostini.
Chef’s Tips!
- There’s no need to score or cut the wheel of brie – and we actually recommend you don’t! You run the risk of the melted cheese leaking through the puffed pastry.
- Keep the puff pastry on the thicker side – roll it out just enough to wrap around the brie wheel.
- We like to roll out puff pastry between two sheets of parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- You can make baked brie with crescent roll dough in place of puff pasty, but for my two cents, it’s not nearly as good because you miss out on that flaky, crispy crust. If you do sub, no other adjustments to the recipe are needed.
What is Puff Pastry?
Puff pastry is a flaky pastry made from laminated dough, that is repeatedly (and I mean repeatedly) folded and rolled in on itself to build many, many layers of butter and dough.
Though the “rough puff” method is a less time-consuming way to make puff pastry dough, this is honestly one of those items I don’t mess with. To do it the “right” way takes a lot of time and skill, and the number of non-professional pastry chefs who successfully make it is slim enough without me adding to the ratio. Be like me, and pick up a package of frozen puff pastry from the frozen food aisle!
What is Brie Cheese?
This soft French cheese is usually made from cow’s milk (though do not sleep on sheep or goat’s milk brie), and usually features a strong taste and odor; a texture (and color) similar to softened, spreadable butter; and a surprisingly tasty edible rind. ]
It is made in wheels of varying size and is typically sold as a full (smaller) round or wedge slices. For this recipe, you’ll want an individual round, which is usually ~4-6″ in diameter.
What to Serve with Baked Brie
- Sliced apples or pear. Tarter apples, like granny smith, are a great flavor contrast to creamy brie. Firmer pears will perform better than soft, ripe pears as dippers.
- Crostini or sliced baguette.
- Crackers (stoned wheat crackers are a favorite) or crisp breads (ones with dried fruit and nuts are perfect with brie!)
- Grapes are a great palate cleanser with brie cheese, and they’ll make each new bite taste just as good as the first!
Make it Your Way
- Swap the nuts: try walnuts, hazelnuts, or pistachios.
- Swap the jam: cranberry jam (or leftover cranberry sauce!) is great; apricot, raspberry or blueberry preserves also work really well.
- Use an equivalent amount of brown sugar in place of jam.
- Make baked brie with honey by finishing with a healthy drizzle on top, or try spreading creamed honey on the inside in place of jam.
- Sweet and Savory: try a bit of ground pepper and cooked, chopped bacon. (Flavor tip: cracked pepper and honey go great together too, so mix it up!)
Make Baked Brie Ahead (Partially)
Prep brie and wrap in puff pastry. Place in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Do the egg wash and dust with sugar just before adding to the oven.
More Party Perfect Treats
- Maryland Style Hot Crab Dip
- Mini Butternut Squash Tarts
- Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Steak Skewers with Dipping Sauce Trio
- Winter Harvest Endive Cups
- Italian Antipasto Platter
Did you make this baked brie recipe? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
While you’re at it, let’s be friends – follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for the latest and greatest.
Recipe
Fig Jam Baked Brie
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
For the Brie
- 8 oz brie wheel
- ¼ c fig jam, we like Bonne Maman
- 2 tbsp pecans, chopped
- 1 sheet puff pastry, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar, demerara sugar
For Serving
- crostini
- apple slices
- crackers or crisp breads
- grapes
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the puff pastry sheet on the counter to thaw.
- Sprinkle a cutting board lightly with flour. Gently unfold the puff pastry sheet, then arrange on the prepared work surface. Dust the top with a small amount of flour as well. Roll out the puff pastry into a 10-11” square.
- Place the brie in the center of the puff pastry square. Spread the fig jam on top, then sprinkle with the pecans.
- Fold up the edges to wrap the brie in the pastry. Whisk the egg, then brush the egg all over the puff pastry.
- Transfer to the oven and bake 35-40 minutes, or until the puff pastry is a deep golden brown.
- Rest 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with crackers, apples, and toasted crostini.
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