Baked Brie en Croûte

Ainekset

1(9 by 9½ -inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1large egg, lightly beaten

1(8-ounce) wheel firm Brie cheese

¼cup apricot preserves or hot pepper jelly

Ohjeet

1. Roll puff pastry into 12-inch square on lightly floured counter. Using pie plate or other round guide, trim pastry to 9-inch circle with paring knife. Brush edges lightly with beaten egg. Place Brie in center of pastry circle and, following photos, wrap it in pastry. Brush exterior of pastry with beaten egg and transfer it to parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 20 minutes.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake cheese until exterior is deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Transfer to wire rack. Spoon preserves into exposed center of Brie. Cool for about 30 minutes. Serve with crackers or bread.

Muistiinpanot

To thaw frozen puff pastry, let it stand either in the refrigerator for 24 hours or on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The Brie can be prepared through step 1 (but do not freeze) and refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 24 hours. Freeze for 20 minutes before continuing with step 2. Serve with sliced baguette or crackers.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: The combination of warm, creamy Brie encased in a flaky puff pastry crust with sweet fruit topping sets a rich, refined tone for this appetizer. And while this cheese plate centerpiece is impressive, it could hardly be easier to prepare. Working with a firm wheel of cheese promised gooey cheese that still held its shape. Freezing the pastry-wrapped Brie for 20 minutes kept it from melting too much during baking. Adding the preserves after baking kept the flavor bright.