Description
Classic baked brie and bread wreath combines French culinary elegance with rustic charm. Warm, herbed pastry encircles melted cheese, creating a shareable centerpiece that delights guests with its rich, comforting flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 wheel brie (8–10 oz / 225–300 g)
- 1 pound (450 g) pizza dough or crescent roll dough
- 2 tbsps melted butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 2 tbsps cranberry sauce or apricot jam
- Additional cranberry sauce (for dipping)
- Additional jam (for dipping)
- Honey (for dipping)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, creating a smooth cooking surface.
- Dough Crafting: Roll out dough into 20-24 uniform spheres, ensuring consistent size for even baking and aesthetic appeal.
- Cheese Placement: Center the brie wheel on the baking sheet, optionally coating with cranberry sauce or jam to amplify flavor complexity.
- Architectural Assembly: Arrange dough balls in a circular formation around the brie, leaving slight gaps to accommodate expansion during cooking.
- Surface Enhancement: Generously brush dough spheres with egg wash, creating a lustrous, golden protective coating that promises visual and textural allure.
- Transformative Baking: Slide the wreath into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until bread achieves a rich amber hue and brie melts into a luxurious, creamy consistency.
- Final Flourish: Drizzle warm garlic-infused butter over the baked wreath and sprinkle chopped parsley, adding an aromatic and visual dimension to the dish.
- Serving Suggestion: Present immediately, encouraging guests to tear apart the golden bread segments and savor the molten cheese center in a communal, interactive dining experience.
Notes
- Precise Dough Sizing: Create uniform, golf ball-sized dough balls to ensure even baking and consistent texture throughout the wreath.
- Cheese Selection Strategy: Choose a soft, high-quality brie that melts smoothly and complements the bread’s golden exterior for maximum flavor impact.
- Prevent Cheese Leakage: Leave slight gaps between dough balls to allow steam escape and minimize potential cheese overflow during baking.
- Temperature Timing Trick: Let the wreath rest for 5-10 minutes after baking to allow cheese to set slightly, preventing immediate runny spillage when serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg