Wintertime Brie

By ngaldi

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup pitted dates, chopped
• 1 small apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 small firm ripe pear, peeled, cored and diced
• 1/2 cup currants or dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/3 cup rosé wine, apple juice or applejack
• 1 (2-pound) wheel ripe Brie, well-chilled
• Baguette, thinly sliced and toasted if desired

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, combine dates, apple, pear, currants, pecans and wine, apple juice or applejack. Set mixture aside to allow fruit to marinate and soften for 2 hours.

Cut Brie wheel in half horizontally to make two layers. Place one layer, rind side down, in a serving dish. Spread with 2 1/4 cups of the fruit mixture. Place remaining half of Brie on top of fruit with rind-side facing up to enclose the fruit. Spoon remaining fruit mixture onto center top of Brie wheel. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days. Bake Brie, uncovered in 350° oven until it melts at the edges and the center is warm, approximately 25-30 minutes. Do not overcook as it will be runny and difficult to spread.

To serve, spread melted Brie onto sliced baguette