Baked Brie en Croûte with Pistachios, Apricots, Cherries, and Hot Honey

Baked Brie en Croûte with Pistachios, Apricots, Cherries, and Hot Honey

This elegant baked Brie en croûte combines creamy Brie cheese with a sweet and savory blend of dried fruits, nuts, and fragrant rosemary, all wrapped in flaky pie dough. Garnished with hot honey, served alongside crisp apple slices and crunchy crostini, it’s the perfect show-stopping appetizer for any special gathering.

Ingredients (Serves 6–8):

  • For the Brie en Croûte:

    • 1 round refrigerated pie dough (about 8.8 oz), brought to room temperature for 10–15 minutes
    • 1 oz (about ¼ cup) salted pistachios
    • 1 oz (about ¼ cup) diced dried apricots
    • 1 oz (about ¼ cup) dried cherries
    • ¼ oz fresh rosemary leaves (about 1 tablespoon), divided (½ teaspoon finely chopped, remainder left whole)
    • 7 oz Brie (1 small wheel)
    • All-purpose flour, for dusting (about 2 tablespoons)
    • 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, beaten together
    • Mike’s Hot Honey, for drizzling (about 1–2 tablespoons, or to taste)

  • For the Crostini:

    • 1 mini baguette (about 6–8 inches)
    • About 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • For Serving:

    • 1 apple, cored and sliced into ¼-inch pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) with a rack in the center. Allow the pie dough to warm slightly at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes to make it more pliable. Meanwhile, coarsely chop half of the pistachios and half of the apricots. Pick the rosemary leaves from the stems; finely chop about ½ teaspoon of leaves and set the remaining leaves aside for garnish. In a small bowl, combine the chopped pistachios, chopped apricots, the dried cherries, and the chopped rosemary.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and unroll the pie dough. Roll it out until it’s about ⅛-inch thick. Sprinkle half of the fruit and nut mixture in the center of the dough, forming a circle roughly the size of the Brie. Slice the Brie horizontally to create two rounds. Place the bottom half of the Brie, cut-side up, over the fruit mixture. Press the remaining fruit mixture onto the exposed surface of the cheese, then top with the other half of the Brie, cut-side down, creating a “sandwich.”

Whisk together the egg and egg yolk. Trim the dough around the cheese, leaving a 3-inch border. Brush the exposed dough with the egg wash. Fold one side of the dough over the cheese, then the opposite side, followed by the remaining edges, to completely encase the Brie snugly. Trim off any excess dough if needed. Flip the wrapped Brie seam-side down onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roll out any excess dough and cut into decorative shapes, if desired.

Brush the entire surface of the wrapped Brie with the remaining egg wash. Decorate with the cut dough shapes and the reserved whole rosemary leaves, pressing gently to adhere. Brush the decorations with egg wash as well. Refrigerate the wrapped Brie for at least 1 hour before baking to help the dough firm up.

While the Brie chills, slice the baguette into ¼-inch rounds, place them on a separate baking sheet, and drizzle both sides with olive oil. Bake the crostini at 425°F (218°C) for 8–10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.

After chilling, bake the Brie en croûte on the center oven rack for 25–30 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden brown. It’s okay if a little cheese leaks out. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, arrange the Brie en croûte on a platter with the crostini and apple slices. Drizzle the top with Mike’s Hot Honey to add a sweet and spicy note. Enjoy warm as an impressive appetizer.

Serving Suggestions and Tips:

  • Serving Size: This recipe serves 6–8 as an appetizer.
  • Wine Pairing: Serve with a sparkling wine or a crisp white to complement the creamy Brie and sweet fruit flavors.
  • Make Ahead: The wrapped Brie can be assembled and refrigerated several hours in advance. Just bake before serving.
  • Substitutions: Experiment with other nuts like walnuts or pecans, or try dried cranberries in place of cherries.
  • Leftovers: If you have any leftovers, gently reheat in the oven at 350°F (177°C) until warmed through, or enjoy at room temperature.
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