Baked Brie with Cranberry Chutney
Warm, melty brie topped with spiced cranberry chutney and toasted pecans. A crowd-pleasing centerpiece.
- 8 ozbrie wheel
- 1 cupfresh cranberries
- 1/4 cupbrown sugar(packed)
- 2 tbsporange juice
- 1 tsporange zest
- 1/4 tspground cinnamon
- 1/3 cuppecans(toasted, chopped)
- for servingcrackers or sliced baguette
Cranberry chutney can be made up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before spooning over freshly baked brie.
- 1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 2Make chutney: Combine cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice, zest, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook until cranberries burst, about 8-10 minutes.
- 3Place brie in a small baking dish.
- 4Bake for 12-15 minutes until soft and slightly bulging but not melting.
- 5Top with warm cranberry chutney and toasted pecans.
- 6Garnish with fresh rosemary and serve immediately with crackers.
Use a sharp knife to score the rind crosswise before baking — this lets heat penetrate and prevents cracking. Serve within 10 minutes of pulling from the oven; it firms up quickly. Place the brie on a parchment-lined baking sheet so the melted cheese stays contained.
Brie cheese has been produced in the Île-de-France region east of Paris since at least the 8th century, when Frankish Emperor Charlemagne reportedly tasted it at a monastery near Meaux in 774 and requested regular deliveries to his court. At the 1815 Congress of Vienna, the French diplomat Talleyrand entered Brie into a cheese competition against more than sixty European varieties, and it was declared the King of Cheeses by the assembled diplomats. The practice of baking brie is a more modern contribution to entertaining culture, using the cheese's remarkable melting properties to create a warm, communal appetizer. Pairing baked brie with cranberry chutney became popular in North American holiday entertaining during the late 20th century, combining the French cheese's buttery richness with the tartness of local cranberries.