Holiday Baked Brie (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
1 round bread boule loaf
02 -
8 oz wheel of brie cheese
03 -
½ cup cranberry sauce
04 -
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
05 -
Nonstick cooking spray
# Instructions:
01 -
Heat your oven to 350°F and grab a baking sheet. Cover it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
02 -
Cut off the top portion of your bread loaf (about a quarter from the top). Take your brie wheel and remove the rind completely. Set the brie on top of the bread and trace around it with a sharp knife to mark your cutting line. Carefully hollow out the inside of the bread following that circle. You can save those bread pieces for dipping or make crispy croutons later.
03 -
Put your hollowed bread on the prepared baking sheet. Nestle the brie wheel snugly into the space you carved out. Give the outside of the bread a light coating with cooking spray. Now comes the fun part - make cuts around the entire edge of the bread, spacing them about 1 to 2 inches apart. Cut deep but not all the way through to the bottom. These cuts will become pull-apart pieces for dipping.
04 -
Spoon the cranberry sauce right over the brie cheese. Scatter the fresh thyme on top for a burst of herby flavor. Pop everything into your preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes until the bread turns golden and crispy.
05 -
Pull it out of the oven and serve right away while the cheese is still gooey and melted. Your guests will love tearing off pieces of the crusty bread to scoop up that creamy brie and sweet cranberry combo.
# Notes:
01 -
Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Simply reheat individual portions in the microwave or toast them to warm up the cheese.
02 -
For the best results, use leftover cranberry sauce that's had time to cool and thicken. This helps it stay in place on top of the cheese instead of running off during baking.
03 -
Triple cream brie melts beautifully, but any brie variety works if that's what you have available. No cranberry sauce on hand? Try your favorite jam or fruit preserve as a tasty alternative.