Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • Baking brie in a puff pastry shell adds another level of deliciousness, without a lot of extra effort.
  • Sweet-tart fig jam combines with the melted brie to balance out its flavor.
  • Keeping the dough chilled beforehand ensures maximum puff when baked.

A party without cheese is like Valentine's Day without chocolate, and, while a well-curated cheese plate will likely do the job for any occasion, a wheel of baked brie will deliver maximum impact with a minimum of effort. Especially at a winter party, it can turn the standard cheese board into a highlight of a gathering: a warm, gooey communal comfort food.

Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam Recipe (1)

Making a baked brie (or a baked camembert, brie's slightly more intense soft-rind cousin, or anything in this small format, soft-ripened category) can be as simple as tossing the cheese in the oven with some kind of drizzled topping, or you can go all out by serving it en croûte—wrapping it up in puff pastry with any number of store-bought or homemade sweet condiments.

There's a lot of variation among the cheeses that are generally available in American grocery stores, and you may have access to fancy imported brands, or a "traditional handmade brie" that promises complex flavor and aroma along with a gooey texture. But honestly, you don't have to spend big bucks on a brie wheel that's going to be heated up and served as a casual party snack. Those complex flavors will end up lost—it's like using a really good bottle of wine to make sangria.

A common complaint with baked brie is that the wheel fails to melt, or even ends up rubbery. When baking brie, remembering a few key things will encourage good melting.

The first is to score or remove some of the top rind. Your brie or camembert wheel comes in a bloomy rind, which, while perfectly edible, can vary in thickness and texture from one wheel to the next. When you cut through that rind, the interior of the cheese can get better exposure to the heat, and air can escape in a controlled manner. That's a good thing, since you don't want your cheese to explode in the oven: De brie would go everywhere. (I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.)

Second, don't overcook the brie. Twenty to 25 minutes in a 350°F (180°C) oven without the puff pastry crust, or up to 35 minutes with it, should be enough to heat the cheese through. In fact, overcooking it, especially if you haven't cut the rind, may actually re-harden the cheese and make it tough and unappetizing.

But here's our main tip: For the gooiest, meltiest baked cheese, look for wheels labeled "triple-cream." Triple-cream cheese (or fromage triple-crème, for you fancy folks) is cheese that contains more than 75% butterfat in the dry matter. (Double-creams must contain between 60 and 74% butterfat.) Extra cream is added to these cheeses before the curd is formed. In triple-creams, this means roughly 40% fat overall, similar to the percentage of fat in heavy cream. Butterfat melts at a relatively low temperature (90 to 95°F/32 to 35°C), so, even with the stabilizers present in most imported bloomy rind cheeses at the supermarket, a triple-cream will turn liquid and gooey when heated.

While the term "triple-cream" may sound ultra-decadent, these rich, buttery cheeses are not quite as fattening as you might think. Fat content in cheese is measured in parts per dry matter, and since so much of a soft cheese is actually water weight, the fat solids are significantly less than in a hard cheese, like cheddar. Ounce for ounce, triple-cream brie is actually less fattening than the same weight of an aged Gruyère, due entirely to moisture content.

Baking your brie en croûte is the simplest way to up your baked brie game. There's something about a well-baked puff pastry crust that screams "comfort food." Frankly, I think you could bake a shoe in puff pastry and it would turn out great, but the technique works especially well with a soft, gooey cheese.

With all of that in mind, here is a decadent baked brie with figs and thyme. We made a few other variations too: one with honey and pistachios and another featuring apple and pear compote in a pastry crust.

Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam Recipe (2)

You do need to take a little care with this technique, so as not to create any gaps that might allow melting cheese to escape, but don't get too fussy with it. Start with a sheet of thawed pastry and roll it out to a square, giving yourself enough of a border around the cheese to wrap over the top. Fold the edges in, making a bulb of pastry at the very top. You can tie this with string if you like.

Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam Recipe (3)

Brush the pastry all over the top and sides with a wash of one egg beaten with a tablespoon of water—this will give you a gorgeous brown color when it's baked. If you're not using string, you can seal the flaps under, then use the egg wash to glue them down.

Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam Recipe (4)

The creaminess of these cheeses benefits from an accompaniment that balances them out with both sweetness and acidity. We like jams from fruit that naturally have less sugar and more complex flavors. Our version uses fig jam, but quince and apricot, for example, would also work very nicely. A sweet berry jam would push this too deep into dessert territory for our taste, but cranberry should pair well. You could even use a pepper jam to give it a spicy, savory twist.

All of these should be served warm out of the oven, though it's important to wait about five minutes to let the brie settle before cutting it open. Serve your gooey, cheesy creation with crackers, warm baguette slices, or crudités (we really like sliced apples). Whichever recipe you go with, you'll make your party guests happy, and, after all, isn't that what it's all about?

January 2017

Recipe Details

Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam Recipe

Active10 mins

Total40 mins

Serves6to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (6- to 8-ounce; 170 to 225g) round brie, camembert, or other soft-ripened cheese, slightly chilled (see notes)

  • 10-inch square chilled puff pastry dough

  • All-purpose flour, for dusting

  • Fig jam, for topping

  • 1/2 teaspoonpicked fresh thyme leaves (from 2 medium stems)

  • 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon (15ml) water

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Using a sharp knife, score top rind of cheese in a crisscross pattern, spacing cuts about 1 inch apart.

  2. Place puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface and roll to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Set cheese in center of square, top with a few tablespoons of fig jam, and sprinkle thyme leaves on top. Fold dough up and over sides of cheese, pleating it neatly on top to enclose cheese. Gently pinch dough together in center to seal gathered pleats. You can tie a bit of kitchen twine on top to hold pleats together if you like, but this is not essential.

  3. If dough is no longer cold, chill wrapped cheese for at least 20 minutes. (Prepared cheese wheel can be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to bake.)

  4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place wrapped cheese wheel on prepared baking sheet and brush evenly with egg wash. Bake until pastry is crisp and golden brown all over, 25 to 35 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve.

Special Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper, rolling pin, pastry brush, kitchen twine (optional)

Notes

If possible, use a triple-cream bloomy rind cheese, which has a higher fat content than a double-cream cheese and melts better.

Read More

  • Simple Baked Brie With Honey and Pistachios
  • Baked Brie en Croûte With Apple and Pear Compote
  • Christmas Appetizers
  • Savory
  • Brie
Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you take the rind off brie before baking? ›

Keep the rind on, as it will help the cheese hold its shape so it doesn't all melt out. The rind is also edible, so you can enjoy it with the melted cheese, or simply remove the top layer after baking and dunk in crusty bread like a fondue.

What is the best jam to serve with brie cheese? ›

Jam - personally, I love the flavour of brie cheese with fig fruit jam, it goes so well with the savoury and sweet flavours. However, you can use absolutely any jam you like! A few of my favourite varieties include: blackberry, boysenberry, apricot or cherry jam.

How long do you leave brie in the oven? ›

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types). Oven: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (for 250g/80z), or until melted through. For 500g/1lb brie, increase to 25 minutes. To check, gently touch the centre of the brie – it should feel very soft, like it is about to collapse if you press any harder.

Should I score brie before baking? ›

When baking brie, remembering a few key things will encourage good melting. The first is to score or remove some of the top rind. Your brie or camembert wheel comes in a bloomy rind, which, while perfectly edible, can vary in thickness and texture from one wheel to the next.

Do you cut the white stuff off brie? ›

The Bottom Line

So, to answer the question, “Can you eat the rind on Brie?” Yes, it is 100% okay to eat the rind on Brie, and is even recommended. If you enjoy the flavor the rind imparts, eat as much as you like! If you're unsure, try it. You just might like it!

What drink pairs well with brie? ›

Most pairings for brie are found on the side of low-tannin white wines and crisp sparkling wines, though fruity and light-bodied reds can also bring out the best in brie.

What flavors pair well with brie? ›

As mentioned, brie's mild, yet buttery and nutty flavor pairs well with so many things. Some examples are salami, prosciutto, pickles, apricots, apples, pears, dates, almonds, candied walnuts, and pecans.

What cheese compliments brie cheese? ›

Brie, Camembert, goat cheese and washed rind cheeses like Epoisses, Rush Creek Reserve, Cowgirl Creamery Redhawk. Also with charcuterie of course – the saltier the better!

Can you overcook brie? ›

If you're not a fan of honey, you can drizzle with maple syrup instead. Be careful not to overbake the brie. The cheese can go from a melty lava-like texture to hard in the middle if it's in the oven for too long.

What's the difference between camembert and brie cheese? ›

Brie is typically aged for a longer period, around anywhere between five and ten weeks, which results in a mild and buttery flavour. Camembert, on the other hand, is aged for a slightly shorter period, usually around three to four weeks.

Can you eat brie raw? ›

You're welcome to serve your Brie straight out of the refrigerator. But experts maintain that Brie's flavors, aromas, and texture are at their best when allowed to come to, at least, room temperature before serving. In terms of planning ahead, you should be aware that this could take up to an hour or more.

Do you eat baked brie with crackers? ›

Creamy, ooey, gooey baked brie is the ultimate recipe to make for entertaining! It takes less than 30 minutes to make and will instantly take any grazing board to the next level. It's tangy, savory and sweet all in one and makes for the perfect dip with crispy bread or crackers!

Do you slice or spread brie? ›

Slice along the length of the room-temperature wedge.

Instead of cutting the brie into chunks, use your knife to make long, thin slices. Start at the tip of the wedge and cut along one side. Then, switch to the opposite side of the wedge and cut another thin sliver. Try to keep the cheese wedge-shaped as you slice it.

Why is my baked brie rubbery? ›

Just know that without the rind, it will likely spread more because there's nothing holding it together. Why is my baked brie rubbery? This can be two things. If you left the rind of the cheese on, the baked brie may seem like it is rubbery once heated, or the brie was overcooked by leaving it in the oven too long.

How do you properly eat brie cheese? ›

To eat Brie, first remove it from your refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This allows the brie to become softer and more flavorful as it warms. Once softened, simply slice your brie into small wedges, without removing the edible, flavorful rind.

Can you melt the rind on Brie? ›

The long answer is when cooking brie cheese recipes, the cheese will melt but the rind won't. The rind will break down a little bit, but it won't evaporate into thin air.

References

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