Garlic Herb Brie En Croute with Asian Pear

Some friends say I’m obsessed with Brie; I say I have a longstanding love affair with any cheese that is soft and creamy. While I do love the traditional pairing of baked cheeses with grapes or figs, I came up with pairing Brie en Croute with Asian Pear because I wanted the pear’s sweetness, juiciness and crunchy texture to offset the softness of baked cheese. By adding the savory garlic and herbs to the brie here, we’ve got an easy appetizer that you and your guests are going to desperately wish there was more of. You can substitute the brie with camembert or any soft, mild cheese that is encased in edible rind.

Makes 1 Pastry Crusted Brie Wheel

Ingredients

1 Asian pear (substitute Korean pear) cut into wedges

1 Brie or Camembert wheel- cheese should be cold (~4 inch diameter)

1 sheet puff pastry (should be at least 8″ wide)

1 tablespoon olive oil + for brushing on pastry puff

12 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Heat a small pan on medium heat. Drizzle in the olive oil. Sauté the sliced garlic, herbs and salt for about 2 minutes until the garlic is just golden brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Set aside to cool briefly.

Roll out the puff pastry on a clean, lightly floured surface. Place the Brie wheel right in the center. Spoon the garlic and herb mixture on top of the Brie wheel. Fold each side of the puff pastry over the Brie wheel until the Brie and garlic mixture are completely covered.

Place the puff pastry with Brie on a baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. This is to ensure that it comes out a perfect golden brown. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Allow the Brie en Croute to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Slice the Asian pear into wedges and serve alongside the Brie en Croute.