Baked Brie with Apricots

Baked Brie with Apricots

Are you having people over for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Do you need a last-minute appetizer or snack? Baked Brie with Apricots is delicious, truly beautiful and so, so very easy.

I used bacon crumbles that are available in the salad dressing aisle, just to speed things up. However, when I am cooking bacon, I cook 2 extra slices. I then wrap those slices tightly in aluminum foil and place them in a Ziploc freezer bag. I use that bacon for recipes as needed.

Servings: 8 ounces of brie 10-12 bites (make two)

Hardware: A cutting board and knives, a small skillet, a microwave safe bowl (I used a glass measuring cup for easy pouring), a silicone spatula, a baking sheet, parchment paper, a serving platter and cheese spreaders or butter knives for serving

Time:  Active time 6 minutes; Cook: 13 minutes, brie in about 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8-ounce wheel of brie
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoon butter
• 2 slices of crumbled bacon
• 2 ounces of dried apricots
• ¼ cup apricot preserves
• Slices of baguette or crackers

1. Measure everything and set aside. Roughly chop the apricots
2. Cut a square of parchment that is 11”x11”. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Place the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Place the brie wheel in the center of the parchment paper. Place in the oven for 8 minutes.
3. While the brie is baking, melt the butter in the skillet over medium. Add the chopped pecans and toast until just golden. This should take about 1-2 minutes. Stir the whole time. Add in the bacon, stir and remove from the heat.
4. After the brie has baked for 8 minutes, sprinkle the chopped bacon, pecans and apricots on the cheese and return it to the oven for another 3 minutes.
5. While the brie is finishing, warm the preserves in the microwave safe dish until easy to pour. I microwaved mine for 1 minute on 50% power. Microwave at 15 second intervals after that until it is the proper consistency.
6. The cheese is very soft now, so be gentle. Carefully, using the parchment paper, slide the brie onto the serving platter. Use the silicone spatula to scoop up any wayward toppings and return them. Pour the warmed preserves over the brie and serve right away. Offer your guests slices of baguette or crackers.