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Pomegranate Brie en Croute (Baked Brie)

By baking your brie wheel in some puff pastry along with fruit and nuts, your pomegranate brie en croute is very simply elevated into a very elegant and unforgettable appetizer. Find more of my pomegranate recipes.

Baked brie wrapped in puff pastry and stuffed with pomegranate and nuts cut open on a round wooden tray

When you cook as much as I do, my family tries a variety of foods from all over the world. Even though I love trying new things and experimenting in the kitchen, there are certain recipes that become a standard in my menu or I get requested to make.

I especially love appetizers. The Spaniards have it figured out with their tapas and assorted small bites of deliciousness. One of my favorite appetizers to serve, especially during the holidays, is this brie en croute.

Why this recipe is so great

Brie en croute, or baked brie, is a brie wheel wrapped in puff pastry and baked til golden. To add extra flavor, it is usually stuffed with fruits and nuts. When you cut into it, you have buttery puff pastry dough, like a croissant, with melty brie.

Since I usually serve this during the holidays, I usually have pomegranate on hand. And well, we adore pomegranate and put it in so many of our meals. My baked brie is stuffed with pomegranate arils, chopped pistachios and dried cranberries.

The stuffing is mixed with pomegranate molasses, making it a sweet and sour topping to go the rich and creamy brie. This elegant and incredible appetizer is super easy to prepare. It might look like a lot of work to whip up, but it is not.

And the beauty of puff pastry is that no matter how you wrap it, no matter what you do with the scrap on top of it, the baked brie looks beautiful, golden and simply perfect.

Top view of a baked brie wrapped in puff pastry on a round wooden tray with rosemary and pomegranate next to it

Ingredients you need

Ingredients labeled and needed to make pomegranate brie en croute (baked brie)

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Step-by-step directions

1. Remove 1 sheet of puff pastry from freezer and thaw at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it is easy to handle.

A sheet of raw puff pastry on a concrete work surface with other ingredients around it to make stuffed baked brie

2. To make egg wash, whisk egg and 1 TBS water in a small bowl. In another bowl, soak dried cranberries in hot water for 1 minute to soften. Drain cranberries and pat dry.

A rolled out sheet of raw puff pastry on a concrete work surface with a wooden rolling pin next to it and other ingredients

3. On a lightly floured surface, unroll thawed puff pastry sheet. Using a rolling pin, roll it into a 14-inch square.

A rolled out sheet of raw puff pastry with a circle indented on it on a concrete work surface with a wooden rolling pin next to it and other ingredients

4. In a bowl, mix softened cherries with pistachios, pomegranate arils, chopped rosemary and pomegranate molasses.

A small glass bowl with chopped pistachios, dried cranberries, pomegranate arils and chopped rosemary in it

5. Spread fruit and nut mixture onto center of puff pastry. You can trace the shape of your brie wheel onto the puff pastry sheet so you can shape it in a circle.

A mixture of pomegranate arils and nuts with a fruit syrup on a sheet of raw puff pastry on a concrete work surface with a wooden rolling pin next to it

6. Place brie on top of fruit and nut mixture. Using a pastry brush, brush outer edges with the egg wash.

A wheel of brie on top of fruits and nuts on a sheet of raw puff pastry on a concrete work surface with egg wash and brush next to it

7. Using one corner at a time, gently fold two sides over cheese. Trim remaining two sides of square to 2-inch from edge of cheese, using egg wash as a glue to keep seams sealed.

Wrapping up a wheel of brie wrapped in raw puff pastry on a concrete work surface with egg wash and brush next to it

8. Fold sides up onto cheese and press edges to seal, removing extra pieces of puff pastry. Brush with egg wash.

A wheel of brie wrapped in raw puff pastry on a concrete work surface with egg wash and brush next to it

9. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Decorate top of brie en croute with pastry scraps. You can cut them into shapes with a knife or use mini cookie cutters. Brush top with egg mixture.

Ready to put in the oven brie wrapped in raw puff pastry on a baking sheet with egg wash and brush next to it

10. Bake at 400ºF until a deep golden brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Let stand for at least 30 minutes and transfer to serving plate. Garnish top with more pomegranate and chopped rosemary, if desired.

Top view of a freshly baked brie wrapped in puff pastry on a baking sheet with egg wash and brush next to it

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQS

A baked brie is very versatile and you can tweak it and modify it to fit what you have in your pantry as well as what your family prefers. Instead of pomegranate, you can chop up fresh cherries or use blueberries or blackberries.

We soak the dried cranberries so they do not soak up all of the moisture in the baked brie. You can soak it in hot water, brandy, grand marnier or port.

Love brie as much as I do? Try it in these other unique recipes:

Do you take the rind off of brie cheese before baking it?

Unlike in other cheeses, the rind of the brie and camembert cheese is totally edible, so I keep it on when I wrap it in puff pastry and bake it. It also helps the cheese keep its shape.

How do you reheat a brie en croute?

You can reheat any leftovers or an entire baked brie by wrapping it in aluminum foil and reheating it in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. You can also reheat it in the microwave in 20-second intervals (depending on the amount you are reheating). If using a microwave, note that the puff pastry crust will soft and not crispy.

pomegranate ecookbook cover and table of contents

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Yield: serves 6-8

Pomegranate Brie en Croute (Baked Brie)

Baked brie wrapped in puff pastry and stuffed with pomegranate and nuts cut open on a round wooden tray

By baking your brie wheel in some puff pastry along with fruit and nuts, your Pomegranate Brie en Croute is very simply elevated into a very elegant and unforgettable appetizer.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 puff pastry sheet
  • ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 TBS water
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup chopped pistachios
  • ¼ cup pomegranate arils
  • ½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 13 oz brie wheel

Instructions

  1. Remove 1 sheet of puff pastry from freezer and thaw at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it is easy to handle.
  2. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  3. To make egg wash, whisk egg and 1 TBS water in a small bowl.
  4. In another bowl, soak dried cranberries in hot water for 1 minute to soften. Drain cranberries and pat dry.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, unroll thawed puff pastry sheet.
  6. Using a rolling pin, roll it into a 14-inch square.
  7. In a bowl, mix softened cherries with pistachios, pomegranate arils, chopped rosemary and pomegranate molasses.
  8. Spread fruit and nut mixture in a circle onto center of puff pastry.
  9. Place brie on top of fruit and nut mixture.
  10. Using a pastry brush, brush outer edges with the egg wash.
  11. Using one corner at a time, gently fold two sides over cheese.
  12. Trim remaining two sides of square to 2-inch from edge of cheese, using egg wash as a glue to keep seams sealed.
  13. Fold sides up onto cheese and press edges to seal.
  14. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet.
  15. Decorate top of brie en croute with pastry scraps. You can cut them into shapes with a knife or use mini cookie cutters.
  16. Brush top with egg mixture.
  17. Bake the pastry until a deep golden brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes.
  18. Let stand for at least 30 minutes and transfer to serving plate.
  19. Garnish top with more pomegranate and chopped rosemary, if desired.

Notes

You can use dried cranberries, cherries, raisins or any of your favorite dried fruit. Instead of pistachios you can use almonds, walnuts or pecans.

If you want the cheese to be melty (as in the picture), you can serve it after waiting 20-30 minutes. Let brie en croute cool longer for less melty presentation.

One sheet of puff pastry will wrap around a brie wheel 8 to 16 ounces in size.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 wedge

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 248Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 327mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 12g

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