Freezer-to-Oven Baked Brie en Croute
A whole wheel of brie wrapped in puff pastrywith fig preserves and toasted pecans, sealed with egg wash and baked untilgolden. Assemble it completely ahead, freeze it unbaked, and bake it straightfrom the freezer with no thawing required.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge overnight
- 1 wheel brie, 8 oz, cold
- 3 tbsp fig preserves (or raspberry or apricot jam)
- 2 tbsp chopped pecans, toasted
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Roll the thawed puff pastry large enough to fully wrap the wheel of brie with a few inches to spare.
- Set the brie in the center, spread the jam over the top, and scatter the toasted pecans over the jam.
- Bring the pastry up and over the cheese, pinching the top seam tightly, then trim off any bulky excess.
- Flip seam-side down onto a piece of parchment paper.
- Brush the entire surface with egg wash, including all folds and seams.
- Dock the top with a fork in 6 to 8 spots to let steam vent.
- For fresh baking, bake immediately at 400°F for 22 to 25 minutes until deep golden. For freezer baking, freeze uncovered on the tray for 1 hour, then wrap tightly in plastic and foil and freeze up to 1 month. Bake straight from frozen, unwrapped, at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting loosely with foil after 25 minutes if it browns too fast.
- Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before cutting in.
Notes
Bake on a parchment-lined sheet whether fresh or frozen, it keeps the bottom from going soft. A small amount of cheese seeping at the seams near the end of baking means it's fully melted inside, not a sign of failure.