Baked Brie with Blackberry Apple Jam + Pecans

Appetizers are an important part of the holiday season. 

When you're sitting around drinking bubbles and singing Christmas carols or opening presents, it's just not the same without something warm and cheesy to nibble on.

Brie is not the most loved cheese (there are people who find it slightly stinky)...

But when you bake it into an ooey-gooey mess, you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who can resist a taste (or two, or three—or eleven).

And it only gets better when you top it with homemade blackberry and apple jam, candied pecans, and pomegranate seeds!

Because although we can all agree that melty cheese is ridiculously good, when you combine it with slightly tart jam and crunchy pecans, you will NEED a second, third—and eleventh!—helping!

And let’s be honest, it’s darn cute.

It’s a present in itself!

Baked Brie with Blackberry Apple Jam

servings: 1 brie wheel with about 1¾ cups jam, serves 8 to 10

Blackberry Apple Jam:

• 2 cups blackberries, halved
• 2 medium green apples, peeled + chopped into ½-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Baked Brie:

• 1 brie cheese wheel (16 ounces), rind on
• 1½ cups Blackberry Apple Jam
• ½ cup whole blackberries
• 1 medium green apple, sliced
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped candied pecans
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Blackberry Apple Jam:

1. In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the blackberries, apples, maple syrup, and vinegar. Bring this mixture to a boil, then a simmer, stirring occasionally, until all of the fruit is purple and has broken down; the liquid should be absorbed and the mixture thick and jam-like—10 to 15 minutes.

Baked Brie:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the top rind off the brie wheel and discard it. Place the brie wheel in a small, round, oven-proof dish, then place the dish on a baking sheet and cook until the cheese is melty—10 to 12 minutes.
2. Remove the baked brie from the oven and top it with the Blackberry Apple Jam, blackberries, apple slices, pecans, pomegranate seeds, and thyme leaves.

Notes:

• As the brie is eaten, there will be less jam at the bottom. Feel free to add the remaining ¼ cup of jam (the amount remaining after putting the 1½ cups of jam on top of the baked brie) to the bottom bit of the brie to increase the jam-to-brie ratio.

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

Find more recipes like this in MORE VEGGIES PLEASE!

You might also like these recipes:

Toddler PB + J with Quick Frozen Fruit Jam

There are a lot of delicious peanut butters out there, but not as many good jams. 

So I'd like you to imagine an incredibly tasty jam—a jam that is made simply of fruit and a touch of sugar.

And now that you're conjuring up this super appetizing vision, this is where I say, “Oh, but you can make a jam like that yourself!”

And then you snap out of your jam-filled fantasy and say, “Um, Nikki? I really don’t have time to be making my own jam.”

But here's the thing—you do!

It's as easy as grabbing a bag of frozen berries, adding a tablespoon of sugar, and cooking for only 15 minutes.

That’s it!

And if you want to combine this amazing new jam (that you made!) with some peanut butter and hemp seeds on your favorite bread, you suddenly have a seriously awesome lunch for yourself!

Oh, and your kids, too, of course. ;)

Toddler PB + J with Quick Frozen Fruit Jam

servings: 1 sandwich with ¾ cup of jam

Quick Frozen Fruit Jam:

• One 10-ounce bag frozen fruit (such as mixed berries)
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Toddler PB + J:

• 2 slices sandwich bread (such as whole wheat)
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon hemp hearts
• 2 tablespoons Quick Frozen Fruit Jam

Quick Frozen Fruit Jam:

1. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the frozen fruit, 2 tablespoons of water, and the sugar. Bring this mixture to a high simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up the fruit with a spoon.
2. Continue cooking the fruit mixture over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick enough to leave trails in the pan when stirred—10 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer the fruit mixture to a small bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the jam to set and chill.

Toddler PB + J:

1. Spread one slice of bread with the peanut butter, then sprinkle it with the hemp hearts.
2. Spread the Quick Frozen Fruit Jam onto the other slice of bread, then sandwich the two slices of bread together.

Notes:

• The ¾ cup of jam yielded by the Quick Frozen Fruit Jam can make 6 sandwiches.
• You can omit the sugar if you prefer; the jam will still be super tasty.
• If you use tarter fruits, such as cranberries, you may need more sugar.

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

Find more recipes like this in Meat on the Side!

You might also like these recipes:

Brie + Jam Crostini

I’m obsessed with appetizers.

I’m the kind of person who would rather pick at a million different things all night than sit down to a full meal (and of course, then I convince myself I didn’t eat nearly as much).

And when I host a party, I like to have as many things as possible in mini-size, like a fun size candy bar, the perfect amount for one person...

Or at least the perfect amount for one person per one minute!!

And though a baked brie can be heaven, it’s big, messy, and once all the good toppings are gone you are just left with melted cheese. 

NOT that melted cheese isn’t arguably my favorite food. Oh! And un-melted cheese my second favorite. Yes, that seems fair.

But back to the point...

So like everything else in my life that I like to make mini-size, I took a classic baked brie and made it mini! These minis have all the flavors of a baked brie in a two bites (or one bite for my husband). Perfection!

Brie + Jam Crostini

servings: 16 crostinis

Ingredients:

• 1 small baguette
• 1 to 1 ½ cups raspberry jam
• 1 wedge brie cheese (about 6 ounces), cut into ¼- ½-inch slices
• 8 sprigs of fresh thyme

Directions:

1. Slice the baguette into sixteen ½-inch thick slices, cutting on an angle. Then toast the baguette until it is just lightly toasted.
2. Top each toasted baguette slice with a heaping tablespoon of jam, then a piece of brie, and finally the leaves from about half a sprig of thyme.
3. Put the slices in a toaster oven or regular oven until cheese is mostly melted. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes:

• Lots of jams work with this recipe--besides raspberry, my favorites are apricot, strawberry and blackberry.
• Be sure to spread on a nice, thick layer of jam; there should be an equal amount of jam to cheese.
• To get the thyme leaves off the stem easily, simply run your fingers against the grain along the stem.
• These are still good even when they become room temperature--the cheese will still be a little melty!

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

You might also like these recipes: