Apple-Cranberry Brie
We just had our Holiday Bunco Party with lots of laughter, great food and a homemade gift exchange. I made a “Cathy’s Herb Basket”, with Lemon-Mint Vinegar, a Dry Herb blend and a Lavender Sachet. Of course all from the garden, the ladies loved it and it was stolen a few times. There were lots of creative ideas from peppermint bath salts, hand knitted dishcloths (the best dishcloths ever), jewelry, cards, a c.d. mix of Christmas music and homemade Kahlua! We have some very talented and creative Bunco Babes!
My Dad brought me over some brie so I ran with that as my dish to bring to bunco. I combined apples with cranberries to make it a beautiful red color and sprinkled it with pomegranate seeds for a festive touch. Everyone really liked it and commented on how pretty it looked for the holiday. My husband liked the crunch of the pomegranate seeds as well. This is easy to make and very festive for the holiday table.
Apple-Cranberry Brie
2/3 cup fresh/frozen cranberries
¾ cup chopped apple
½ cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 small round of brie
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Sliced almonds or pecans-optional
Pomegranate seeds-optional
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine cranberries, apples, orange juice and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer until cranberries pop and the apples are soft; stirring occasionally. Remove from heat to cool slightly.
Place brie on a foil lined baking sheet, top with apple mixture, and sprinkle with brown sugar and finally sprinkle the nuts on top. I like to finish with a bit of brown sugar to get a caramelized finish to the topping.
O.K look at my melted mess!! I was so glad I used quick release foil and as you can see I used a wedge of brie. I would suggest using a small round of brie or if using a wedge put in a festive heat proof dish. I cooked it at 350° for only a few minutes and it was melted. I then put it under the broiler to melt the brown sugar and crisp up the nuts. Then I let it cool on the granite counter for the cheese to set a bit and then slide it off onto a plate.
So my suggestion on cooking, I would put it in a 400° preheated oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is softened and if the top needs more cooking finish it on broil until nuts are toasted brown.
Place on a pretty plate and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Serve with your favorite crackers or slices of bread. Enjoy the holiday season.
