Baked Brie with Berries and Walnuts

Bake a round of Brie with a variety of fresh fruits; you can switch it up depending on what is available at your local market. For Spring I love fresh berries so today it’s a combination of blackberries and raspberries. Their tartness is a nice match with the sweetness of the brown sugar sauce and a nice Brie.

I love this dish so much I could eat it every day…and I proved it too! I made this Baked Brie with Berries and Walnuts for a meeting at my home last week. As I was working on putting it together, a neighbor showed up unexpectedly and I chatted with her a bit.  As a result, it meant the other committee members were arriving as she left and I was not done…uh oh.

To be honest, if it had been my neighbors coming here casually, they know the drill and would have waited if necessary. This was not that. This meeting was the new Events Committee for my neighborhood and I felt compelled to keep it on time so I served the Pineapple Margaritas I had made and set aside the Brie. I had a bit after they left and called it dinner but the only photos I got were the next morning when it just wasn’t the same as it would have been fresh from the oven.

No worries, I’ve taken next day photos a lot, maybe not with some of the dish gone but I pushed forward and got photos and that was that. But it wasn’t.

I tried to resolve with myself the fact that I didn’t love the photos and finally…redid the whole kit and kaboodle! My neighbors were onboard to come help me devour the second effort too. As much as I loved this appetizer, I just couldn’t do it for another week!

Our theme for this month’s Progressive Eats are dishes that highlight the flavors of Spring and for me, I am so ready for really good, really fresh fruit like these raspberries and blackberries. I combined them with a brown sugar sauce, some toasted walnuts and a round of Brie. While I did simmer the blackberries in the brown sugar sauce a bit to soften then, I simply scattered the raspberries on top once everything else was combined. They are so delicate that cooking them would have seen them falling into a million little bits!

Aren’t they beautiful? I’ve been making do with a lot of frozen fruit the last couple of months and I’m in heaven when I walk into the market and see all the gorgeous fruits on display. I’m still wary of watermelon and peaches this early but all the berries? They are so good…they might not be local yet but they are coming from California and are juicy and ripe and delicious.

One thing to really love? This is SO easy. A round of Brie is warmed and topped with berries, toasted walnuts and a brown sugar sauce. Fresh raspberries are scattered on top and you’re done. Warm, soft, crispy, sweet, tart…such a great combination of textures and tastes! It’s a great appetizer but timing was off for Sherry and Sam and their kids as they were eating an early dinner. They came here to eat this Brie for dessert and it was oh so Francais…it really worked!

If you decide you have to have this appetizer too; don’t be afraid to mix and match the fruits. I think peaches and blueberries might be next on my agenda; um, doesn’t THAT sound good?!!

PIN ‘Baked Brie with Berries and Walnuts’

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month’s theme is Spring Has Sprung- Dishes that highlight ingredients and flavors associated with spring, and our host is Laura who blogs at Mother Would Know

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. A theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the delicious spring inspired dishes!

Yield: 8 Servings

Baked Brie with Berries and Walnuts

Print

Baked Brie with Berries and Walnuts is not only pretty but it's delicious too. Easy too...the best type of appetizer!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 oz wheel of Brie
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp apple or pineapple Juice
• 6 oz blackberries
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 3 oz raspberries
• Toasted french baguette slices or crackers
• Grapes and/or apple slices

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Put brie in an oven proof pan and bake for 10 minutes until just starting to melt.
3. While brie is warming, melt butter and brown sugar in pan and stir until melted.
4. Add juice and stir until incorporated.
5. Add in blackberries, stir until berries are warm; mash a couple to add some color to the sauce. Add the chopped nuts to the mixture and remove from stove-top.
6. Remove brie from oven and top with fruit and nut mixture; scatter raspberries over the top.
7. Serve with baguette slices and grapes or apple slices.

Notes

Toasted Walnuts

• Place walnuts on an oven proof plate in a single layer and toast in toaster oven or regular oven for 4-6 minutes, stirring halfway. Watch carefully!
• Cool, then rough chop.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 546Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 14gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 641mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 5gSugar: 24gProtein: 19g