Cranberry Toasted Almond Brie En Croute Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
• Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square. Spread the preserves on the pastry to within 2 inches of the edge. Sprinkle with the cranberries and almonds. Place the cheese in the center of the pastry. Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover. Trim the excess pastry and press to seal. Brush the seam with the egg mixture. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Decorate with the pastry scraps, if desired. Brush with the egg mixture.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes. Serve with the crackers.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Spread almonds in one layer on ungreased shallow baking pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Set aside.
• Reheat oven to 400°F.
• In small bowl whisk egg and water; set aside. Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface into a 12-inch square. Cut off corners to make a circle.
• Spread cranberry sauce in center of circle the same size as Brie round. Top with 2 tablespoons each of cranberries and toasted almonds.
• Place Brie over mixture. Repeat layering with remaining cranberry sauce, cranberries and 2 tablespoons almonds.
• Brush edge of the circle with egg mixture. Fold pastry up over cheese to cover. Trim any excess pastry; press to seal. Brush seam with egg mixture. Place seam side up onto baking sheet.
• Brush with egg mixture; sprinkle with ¼ cup almonds that have been coarsely chopped.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is soft and just begins to melt. Allow pastry to cool 30 minutes before serving. Serve with assorted crackers.

Steps:

• Score the side of a wheel of brie all the way around with a sharp paring knife. Cut directly on the "equator" through the rind. Using a long piece of string or dental floss, wrap the string around the brie on the newly made cut. Loop one end of the string over the other (a half knot). Then pulling the ends of the string in opposite directions, cut the brie in half.
• Press the dried cranberries on one cut side of the brie, and the walnuts on the other. Quickly put the 2 sides back together with the cranberries on top of the walnuts. Press together and stuff back in any cranberries or walnuts that fell out.
• Roll out a thawed sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Place brie in center of pastry. Gently pull up edges to ensure you have enough dough to entirely wrap the brie. You can trim off the corners if there is too much dough. Brush the dough with the egg wash. Fold one edge of the dough over the brie and then the opposite side. Fold over the remaining edges and complexly encase the brie. You can trim off excess pieces of dough, if necessary. Flip the brie over so the seam is at the bottom; gently press in the sides to snug the dough against the brie. Brush the top and sides of the wrapped brie with egg wash.
• If you choose to decorate the brie with cut-out shapes of additional puff pastry, use very cold (almost still frozen) dough to ensure sharp lines. Lightly brush the decorative pieces with egg wash. Place the brie in the freezer for one hour (this is a crucial step; see note below).
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the brie on the prepared baking sheet. Bake on the center rack in preheated oven until it is browned and leaking cheese, about 20 minutes. (Only rarely does the brie not leak through, but 20 to 25 minutes is about how long it takes to melt the cheese and brown the pastry.)