Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme

Brie en Croûte is a festive French appetizer that is simply perfect for entertaining. Made with store-bought puff pastry, it encases a warm and melty whole wheel of brie, that’s then topped with honey, cranberries, nuts and thyme. Serve it on a platter with fruits and crackers, and be sure to impress your guests!  

The Recipe

This baked brie en Croûte is a great communal appetizer, especially over Winter, when we yearn for warm, comforting bites. I love how this recipe is quick and straightforward to make, yet turns into such a rich, decadent appetizer. The flakiness of puff pastry pairs perfectly with the gooey, melty cheese inside. Sweet honey and cranberries, crunchy nuts and floral thyme all add another level of deliciousness, while balancing out the richness of the pastry and cheese. 

This recipe can be prepared the day of or up to 24 hours ahead (before baking), which I think makes it a great appetizer if you plan on hosting guests and need to manage your time in the kitchen. 

That being said, before diving into it, I wanted to give you some answers to some of the most common questions you may ask about this recipe. Read below to see what brie to choose, how to serve or reheat this brie en croûte, along with a few more tips. And if you have any other question, feel free to leave a comment!

Common Questions about Brie en Croûte 

What brie should I choose for this recipe?

Brie is a soft-ripened, cow-milk cheese that originated in France. It has a creamy interior with a bloomy rind of white mold that is perfectly edible. 

Authentic French brie wheels, found in France, are made with raw milk and taste rich and earthy. These unfortunately don’t qualify for US importation as they’re made with raw, unpasteurized milk. French Brie wheels found in the US are a stabilized version of brie made with pasteurized milk. In my experience, these are generally quite similar in taste and texture to French bries, although milder in taste and with a longer shelf life. They come at an affordable price in North America and can be found in virtually every grocery store. 

For making a Brie en Croûte, I recommend you look for a wheel of brie labeled « triple-crème » (triple-cream). A triple-crème contains a minimum of 75% of butterfat and generally around 40% saturated fat, which is similar to the percentage of fat in heavy cream. This means the brie will turn utterly melty and creamy once baked. This is especially important as, as mentioned above, brie found in the US contains stabilizers, which prevent them from softening. So when using a triple crème (vs. a double cream with a minimum of 60% of butterfat content), you know the inside of your Brie en Croûte will turn just perfectly gooey. 

A Note about Brie vs. Camembert 

Brie and Camembert are both soft-ripened cheeses made from cow’s milk. Their flavors and looks are a bit similar– although camembert wheels are typically smaller than brie and taste deeper in flavor. 

That said, although Camembert and brie may appear very similar, I don’t recommend using a camembert wheel for this recipe. Brie has a higher fat content than camembert, as more cream is added to it during its confection. When baked, brie will turn very smooth and creamy while camembert may turn less creamy.

Can I use a store-bought puff pastry crust?

Yes, absolutely. For convenience and to save time, I honestly often rely on store-bought puff pastry. When shopping for the puff pastry, make sure to reach for one of high quality – the splurge will be worth it. If frozen, thaw according to package instructions and keep the packet in the fridge until ready to cook. 

If you’re up for making a from-scratch puff pastry, I recommend the rough puff pastry recipe from Clotilde Dusoulier. It is easy to make, uses lots of butter (in true French fashion) and turns out great. 

How to prevent the Brie en croûte from browning too quickly?

After 20-30 minutes of baking, if you think the top of the puff pastry is browning too quickly, place a sheet of foil loosely over the top. The crust will continue to bake and puff, but this will prevent the top from over-browning. 

Can you prepare it ahead of time ?

Yes, you can prepare this Brie en Croûte ahead of time, up until the baking step. Store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours until ready to cook. 

How do you keep and reheat Brie encroûte ? 

Any leftovers? Although a Brie en croûte is best enjoyed when freshly baked, you can store leftover in the fridge and reheat later.  

Let the Brie en Croûte cool completely before placing it in an airtight container or covering it tightly with foil. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Reheat the pastry low and slow in the oven, at 190°F (88°C), placed on parchment paper or in an oven-safe dish. Reheating it slowly ensures the pastry will crisp back up while the cheese reheats through and melts without burning. I don’t recommend re-heating it in the microwave. 

How to serve Brie en Croûte? 

Brie en Croûte is the perfect party appetizer. Serve it on a larger platter with a knife, surrounded by toasted bread slices, crackers, grapes and fruit slices for guests to assemble bite-size toasts. I especially love pear and apple slices as they pair perfectly with the cheese and cut through the richness of the melted brie. You can also add extra dried cranberries, nuts and/or preserves such as apple jelly for topping the toasts. 

Cooking notes and substitutions : 

• Once taken out of the fridge, puff pastry warms up quickly and can get sticky. Keep the sheet rolled in the fridge up until you need it and/or act fast when rolling it out and transferring it onto the prepared baking sheet. 
• I love to use hazelnuts for this recipe, but chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans work perfectly here too. 
• It is very important to not overbake the Brie en croûte. During the last five minutes of baking, keep a close eye on the pastry and stop baking when it looks just puffed and brown enough. If overbaked, the brie inside may re-harden – which you definitely don’t want !

I hope you enjoy this Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More appetizer recipes you may like: 

• Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil 
• Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence (Poivronade)
• Swiss Chard Pancakes (Farçous)
• Ham Cheese Olive Bread 
• Sardine and Cream Cheese Rillettes
• Eggplant Caviar Dip
• Black Olive Tapenade
• Gruyere Cheese Twists (Torsades au fromage)

Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme

Print Recipe

Serves: 8-10 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 20-25M 20-25M

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.8/5

( 5 voted )

Ingredients

1 (13-oz [370-g]) ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed
1 (453 grams) Brie cheese round (at least 6-inches in diameter)
2 tbsp (40g) honey
1/3 cup (about 50g) dried cranberries
¼ cup (about 35g) chopped nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and/or pecans)
4 sprigs thyme, stemmed
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Egg Wash:
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp (15ml) milk

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 1 - Unwrap your puff pastry and (if needed) roll it out and cut it into a large circle of 12-inch in diameter. Transfer the pastry onto the prepared baking sheet.

Step 2 - Place the brie in the center of the pastry. Drizzle the top of the cheese with honey and spread it with the back of a spoon. Top with the dried cranberries, chopped nuts and thyme. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Step 3 - Fold the edges of the dough towards the center, up over the brie, pleating the dough around as you go. Make sure the top center (where the pastry ends meet) is well sealed. I like to pull the final pleat a little more, so it goes over the brie, to make sure it is well sealed (see photo below). 

Step 4 - Whisk together the milk and the egg yolk. Brush the top and sides of the pastry with the egg wash. Transfer the pastry in the oven (middle rack). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is just golden brown. Do not bake the pastry any longer, or the brie may re-harden.

Let stand for 10-15 minutes, transfer onto a serving platter and serve immediately, with toasts and/or apple wedges.