Baked brie with beer-caramelized pears
- Preparation 10 min
- Cooking 45 min
- Servings 4 to 6
- Freezing I do not suggest
Ads
🎄 One of the first recipes I ever put on this site
This baked brie with beer-caramelized pears has been on the site since my very first recipes, and it still gets made more than almost anything else I’ve written. Wrap the brie in puff pastry, cook your pears while it bakes, then warm the whole thing up right at the party. That’s it. Easy for real, not just easy on paper.
🧀 The appetizer that disappears in five minutes flat
Every time someone shows up with this baked brie, the room shifts. People dive in, everyone’s talking about it, and it’s gone before the rest of the spread even gets touched. I make this one for Christmas, for holiday parties, and honestly for any Saturday night with friends. Set it in the middle of the table on a board with baguette and crackers, or slide it onto a buffet with the rest of the appetizers. Both work.
🍁 Beer-caramelized pears, and the maple that ties it together
I used to caramelize almost everything with beer because I love what it does to the flavor. The maple syrup in this one is what pulls it all together, it brings the sweetness without going overboard. Between the melted brie and the crisp pastry, this holiday appetizer hits every note it needs to.
Ads
Ads
🔒 Seal the pastry well, and put the seams on top
The trick to keeping the mess down: seal the pastry all the way around the brie, and place the seams on top instead of underneath. That helps hold the cheese in during baking. That said, a brie that bursts a little is just part of the deal. It still happens to me. If it leaks, you eat it, that’s all there is to it.
🍯 Swap the topping for whatever you’ve got
This one is really easy to change up. Fresh figs, bacon, cranberry jam, bacon jam or blueberry jam all work well instead of or alongside the pears. Walnuts sub in fine for the pecans. One exception: if anyone in the group has a nut allergy, just leave the nuts out.
📅 Make-ahead
I wrap the brie in pastry the morning of, before heading to wherever I’m bringing it. The pears get cooked halfway ahead, then finished right on-site, just a few minutes in the pan while the brie browns in the oven.
🍺 Alcohol-free version
Apple juice and maple syrup instead of the beer, or grab a non-alcoholic one. Works just as well.
🎉 Hosting a bigger crowd? Make two
It’s so easy to put together that I usually just make two when I’m hosting a lot of people. It doesn’t take more time, and you’re not scrambling to bake a second one mid-party while everyone’s standing around with a drink, watching you panic at the oven.
🧀 Tried a smaller brie? Yes.
It works, but it leaves a lot of extra pastry around the edges. I stick with the 1 lb (450 g) size.
✅ What to serve with my baked brie with beer-caramelized pears?
On an appetizer board, this baked brie pairs really well with my brie crostini with caramelized pears and fennel or my grilled-cheese with chicken, brie and apples. For brunch the next day with leftovers, my croque-monsieur with ham, brie cheese and apples or my mini grilled cheese with brie, caramelized onions and maple bacon make a great follow-up.
Ads
Ingredients
- 1 round fresh puff pastry, about 350 g (12 oz), thawed and cold
- 1 double-cream brie, 450 g (1 lb)
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter
- 1 ripe Bartlett pear, still firm, halved lengthwise then sliced 3, 4 mm (⅛ inch) thick
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lightly fruity white wheat beer
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) dried cranberries
Ads
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 410°F (210°C).
- Unroll the puff pastry and place the brie right in the center. Fold the pastry over to cover as much of it as possible, sealing the seams well and placing them on top: that helps hold the cheese in if it leaks a little during baking. Don’t worry if it’s not fully covered!
- Brush the top and sides with egg white, then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Finish under the broiler for a few minutes if needed, rack in the center. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- When the cheese has about 10 minutes left to bake, start the pears. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the pears with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) beer, then stir. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring gently, to reduce the syrup.
- Add the pecans and cranberries with the remaining syrup and beer, then stir gently. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pears are cooked and the syrup has thickened.
- Place the cheese on your favorite serving plate, then pour the mixture over the top. Serve immediately and be careful not to burn yourself!
No, leave it on. I wrap the whole brie, rind and all, right into the puff pastry, and it melts down along with the cheese. It’s the first question everyone asks, and the answer never changes: skip that step entirely.
I wrap the brie in pastry the morning of, before heading out. The pears get cooked halfway ahead too, then finished on-site while the brie bakes. Between the two, you’re never stuck assembling this at the last second.
A lightly fruity wheat beer works best here, it won’t fight with the pears or the cheese. Skip alcohol entirely and it still works: apple juice and maple syrup, or a non-alcoholic beer, both do the job.
Apples work really well, especially a firm, slightly tart variety.
In the oven, the next morning, on low heat until it turns soft again. It’s just as good, maybe better, the second time around.
Ads
Ads
Ads
Ads
Ads