Holiday Brie en Croute

By Brie

"This pastry-wrapped soft cheese can be served year 'round. Baked until the cheese melts, this elegant appetizer is topped with dried cranberries, apricot preserves and toasted almonds. Serve with crackers to a grateful crowd."

Ingredients

• 1/2 package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves or raspberry jam or peach
• 1/3 cup dried cranberry, softened*
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds--pan sauteed or roasted
• 1 (13.2 ounce) round Brie cheese
• 1 (26 ounce) package Pepperidge Farm® Entertaining Cracker Quartet Collection
• 1 loaf French bread
• can sub: walnuts, brown sugar,& craisins or some kind of Chutney

Preparation

Step 1

Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix egg and water.

Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14 inch square. Cut off corners to make a circle.

Spread preserves to within 1 inch of pastry edge. Sprinkle cranberries and almonds over preserves.

Top with cheese. Brush edge of circle with egg mixture. Fold two opposite sides over cheese. Trim remaining two sides to 2 inch from edge of cheese.

Fold these two sides onto the round. Press edges to seal. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Decorate top with pastry scraps if desired. Brush with egg mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Let stand 1 hour. Serve with crackers or
toasted french bread slices.


TIP
*To soften cranberries, mix dried cranberries and 1/2 cup hot orange juice in bowl. Let stand 1 minute. Drain and pat dry.

Bake in the dish you will serve in.