The Recipe: Truffle Honey Baked Brie Pumpkin
Serves 2 as dinner, or 4 as an appetizer · 20 minutes hands-on, about 1 hour total
Why this pairing: Nothing makes a weeknight better than puff pastry, melted brie, truffle honey, and Champagne. The pumpkin shape is perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any day of the year. The Champagne’s fruity freshness balances the savory melted cheese, while its light toast and pastry notes complement the earthy truffle and puff pastry.
You’ll need:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half a 17.3-ounce package), thawed
1 (8-ounce) wheel brie
2 tablespoons black truffle honey
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Kitchen twine, cut into 4 pieces
Do this:
Heat the oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Unfold or unroll the pastry on a lightly floured board. Stand the brie on its side and slice it in half horizontally into two thinner rounds.
Spread the truffle honey over the cut side of the bottom half, then set the top half back on.
Set the brie in the center of the pastry. Fold each corner in over the cheese, then fold in the sides so the pastry wraps it into a ball, and pinch the seams to seal.
Lay 2 pieces of twine in a cross on the board and set the pastry ball in the center, seam side up. Tie the east-to-west string snugly over the top, then the north-to-south string, dividing the ball into 4 sections.
Lay the other 2 pieces of twine in a cross, set the ball on top turned 45 degrees, and tie them the same way to make 8 sections, like the ribs of a pumpkin.
Flip the ball seam side down onto the sheet pan. Beat the egg with the water and brush it all over the pastry.
Watch the pastry in the oven, and pull it out when it’s golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes (mine was ready at about 28 minutes). Let it rest for 10 minutes so the cheese sets a little before you cut in.
Snip and pull out the twine, then press the rosemary sprig into the top as the pumpkin stem.
Serve with a sliced baguette, your favorite crackers, or sliced green apples if you want something to cut through the fat.
Want more? Toss a few handfuls of arugula with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil, and serve it alongside.
Plate it, pour the wine!
Printable recipe card below.
The Pour
Heidsieck & Co Monopole, Champagne Blue Top Brut, NV
A round, fruit-forward nonvintage brut, with ripe apple, pear, and citrus over a little toast. The bubbles and acidity cut through the butter in the pastry and the melted brie, and the fruit picks up the honey. Serve it well chilled. About $45 to $55. Any Crémant de Bourgogne or Crémant d’Alsace, around $20 to $25, will work in its place.
The One Thing to Know
This makes a light dinner for two, but the baked brie also stands on its own as a great appetizer.
Tuesday, but nicer.