The Steward House Blackberry, Pecan & Thyme Brie en Croûte
For my daughter's birthday celebration, I wanted to make something she particularly enjoys. She loves Brie baked in pastry with fruit preserves. I decided on blackberry preserves, toasted pecans and a little fresh thyme, all wrapped in puff pastry. I have been in a thyme kind of mood lately.
This is an appetizer you can prepare in advance and bake right before guests arrive. It makes entertaining a little easier.
The recipe below is for one Brie. I made two because we were having more than 25 guests. If you're preparing for a larger gathering, you can double it as I did.
The preparation is fairly simple. The important things are using good pastry, not adding too much filling and allowing enough time for the pastry to bake until golden.
Apologies, I did not take photos. I get so caught up in the moments when I'm entertaining. Also, this was delicious, but the pastry shell did crack while baking, so it did not come out perfectly. I think we added too much filling.
Recipe Information
Yield: One 21-ounce Brie wheel
Serves: Approximately 10–12 as part of an appetizer table
Preparation time: Approximately 20–30 minutes
Baking time: Approximately 30–45 minutes when baked chilled, depending on the size and thickness of the pastry
Resting time: Approximately 10–15 minutes
Best served with: Crisp apple slices, seeded crackers or toasted baguette slices
Equipment
Cutting board
Kitchen knife
Small skillet
Measuring cups and spoons
Small mixing bowl
Rolling pin
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Pastry brush
Oven mitts
Serving platter
Ingredients
For the Brie
1 wheel Brie, approximately 21 ounces
⅓ cup good-quality blackberry preserves
½ cup pecans, finely chopped and toasted
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1–2 sheets all-butter puff pastry, depending on their dimensions and the size of the Brie
A little all-purpose flour, for rolling the pastry
For the Egg Wash
1 large egg
1 teaspoon water
For Serving
Fresh Honeycrisp apple slices
Seeded crackers or toasted baguette slices, optional
A Few Notes About the Ingredients
Brie: I used the larger Brie wheels from Costco, approximately 21 ounces each. You can make this with smaller wheels, but you'll need to adjust the filling and baking time.
Blackberry preserves: Choose a preserve with a pronounced blackberry flavor. I prefer blackberry alone rather than mixed berries for this recipe.
Pecans: Toasting the pecans brings out their flavor. I would not skip this step.
Thyme: Fresh thyme adds a little savory flavor, but I only recommend using a small amount.
Puff pastry: I prefer all-butter puff pastry. If it's frozen, thaw it according to the package instructions. Before working with it, let it sit at room temperature just long enough to become flexible. You still want the pastry cool, not soft or sticky.
How I Make It
Getting everything ready
Start by checking the size of your Brie wheel against the puff pastry.
The pastry needs to be large enough to wrap completely around the wheel, with enough extra to seal the edges. If it's frozen puff pastry, thaw according to package instructions.
Wash the thyme, remove the leaves from the stems and chop them finely.
Measure the blackberry preserves and pecans.
Toasting the pecans
Place a small skillet over medium-low heat.
Add the chopped pecans to the dry skillet.
Toast for approximately 4–6 minutes, stirring frequently.
Watch them carefully because nuts can go from toasted to burned fairly quickly. This is important. I burned two batches because I walked away for a minute to do something else.
Remove the pecans from the skillet and let them cool completely.
Preparing the filling
In a small bowl, combine the toasted pecans and fresh thyme.
Set the blackberry preserves aside.
For one 21-ounce Brie wheel, we're using approximately ⅓ cup blackberry preserves, ½ cup toasted pecans and ½ teaspoon fresh thyme.
Since my pastry cracked when I made this, I would be careful not to pile the filling too high. You don't have to use every bit of it if it looks like too much for your Brie.
Preparing the pastry
Take the thawed puff pastry out of the refrigerator and let it warm slightly, usually about 5–10 minutes, depending on how cold it is.
It should be flexible enough to unfold and roll without cracking.
If it's too cold, it isn't very friendly and tends to crack when you unfold it. You don't want it too warm either, just soft enough to work with.
Lightly flour your work surface.
Unfold the pastry and gently roll it out if necessary, using enough pastry to cover the Brie completely without stretching it too thin.
For a larger wheel, you may need to join two pastry sheets. If so, overlap the edges slightly and press them together to create one larger piece.
Keep the seams secure so the Brie doesn't leak while baking.
Assembling the Brie
Place the Brie wheel in the center of the pastry.
Spread up to ⅓ cup blackberry preserves over the top, leaving a little room around the edges.
Sprinkle the toasted pecan and thyme mixture over the preserves.
Fold the pastry up and over the Brie, enclosing the wheel completely.
Press the pastry edges together firmly to seal.
Trim away any large excess pieces of pastry. Too many overlapping layers can leave the pastry undercooked.
Turn the wrapped Brie over so the seam is underneath.
Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
You don't need to remove the rind from the Brie. It helps hold the cheese together while baking and is completely edible.
If you're preparing it ahead of time, cover it and refrigerate until you're ready to bake.
Baking the Brie
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the assembled Brie on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. If you've prepared it ahead, take it directly from the refrigerator.
In a small bowl, beat the egg with one teaspoon of water.
Brush the exposed pastry lightly with the egg wash.
Bake for approximately 30–45 minutes, checking after 25 minutes. This is a guide, so watch the pastry rather than relying only on the clock.
The pastry should be puffed, deeply golden and cooked through, including around the bottom and seams.
If the top is browning too quickly before the rest of the pastry is finished, loosely cover it with foil.
Baking time will depend on the size of your Brie, the pastry thickness and your oven.
Letting it rest
Wearing oven mitts, remove the Brie from the oven and let it rest for approximately 10–15 minutes before serving.
This is important because the cheese will be very hot and may run out immediately if you cut into it too soon.
Use a large spatula to carefully transfer the Brie to a serving platter.
Serving
I like serving baked Brie with crisp apple slices and seeded crackers.
Place the Brie in the center of the platter, with the apples and crackers arranged around it.
Let guests cut into the pastry and spoon some of the warm cheese, blackberry and pecan filling onto their plates.
Serve while the Brie is warm.
Preparing Ahead
One of the things I like about this appetizer is that most of the work can be done before the gathering.
You can assemble the Brie the day before and keep it covered in the refrigerator. When you're ready to bake, brush it with the egg wash and put it in the preheated oven.
That leaves very little to do while your guests are arriving.
A Note About Freezing
If you'd like to prepare the Brie further in advance, you can freeze it unbaked.
Place the assembled Brie on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Once frozen, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container.
For the best quality, use it within approximately one month.
When you're ready to serve it, remove all the wrapping, brush the frozen pastry with egg wash and bake directly from frozen at 400°F.
Allow approximately 40–55 minutes, checking after 35 minutes. It may take longer depending on the size of the Brie and the thickness of the pastry. The pastry needs to be fully cooked and the cheese hot throughout.
A Few Things I've Learned
Use a good-quality Brie and all-butter puff pastry.
Toast the pecans before assembling the Brie. Don't walk away while toasting.
Don't use too much blackberry preserve. You want enough for flavor without making the filling overly sweet or causing it to leak. I think we may have added too much.
A little thyme goes a long way.
Don't try to work with puff pastry when it's too cold. Let it warm just enough to be flexible.
Make sure the pastry is sealed completely, particularly along the bottom. Don't stretch it too tightly around the Brie.
Don't rush the baking. The pastry should be golden and cooked through, not simply browned on top.
Let the Brie rest before serving. It will still be warm, but easier to cut and enjoy.
Preparing this ahead makes entertaining easier.
Food Safety & Allergens
This recipe contains milk, wheat and tree nuts (pecans). The egg wash also introduces egg.
Check the pastry, preserve, cracker and baguette labels for additional allergens.
Use pasteurized Brie, particularly when serving pregnant guests, older adults, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. Guests at higher risk of foodborne illness should eat Brie only when it has been heated until steaming hot throughout.
Keep the Brie refrigerated until you're ready to bake, or freeze promptly if preparing further ahead.
Bake until the pastry is thoroughly cooked and the center is hot.
Do not leave baked Brie sitting at room temperature for more than two hours.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in airtight containers and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until thoroughly hot.
Keep little ones clear of the oven and baking trays. The melted cheese and fruit preserves can remain very hot even after the pastry has rested.