SPICED CRANBERRY-GINGER STUFFED BRIE

A festive appetizer especially during the holidays or any time of year if you substitute apricot preserves during the spring and summer months.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup canned whole cranberry sauce or ½ cup apricot preserves
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
• 8 ounce wheel of brie or camembert* (placed in freezer 10 minutes for ease in slicing)
• 1 sheet (from 17.3 oz. pkg.) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
• Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon half and half

In a small bowl, combine the cranberry sauce or apricot preserves, pumpkin pie spice, nuts, and grated ginger. Cut the wheel of brie or camembert in half horizontally and place on work surface cut sides up. Spread the cranberry mixture over one half of the cheese. Top with remaining half; cut side down, sandwich-style. Place thawed sheet of puff pastry on work surface. Place the filled brie in center of sheet, fold up the side over the cheese, securing the pastry to ensure there are no exposed pieces of cheese. Turn the cheese filled pastry over (so that the smooth surface is on top), and place on parchment paper or Silpat lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash. Bake on middle shelf of preheated 425o oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with grapes, apple slices, pear slices, dried apricots, dried dates, or thinly sliced French bread. Serves 4-6.

*Note for larger wheel of brie: You can use a 15 ounce wheel of brie for larger parties, just double the filling for the brie, and use two sheets of puff pastry, one for top, and one for bottom. Fold the bottom piece of pastry up the sides of the stuffed brie, and then top with second sheet of pastry, cutting away excess pastry. Use the egg wash to “glue” the two sheets of pastry along the sides of the brie. Use excess pastry to make cut outs for top of brie in shapes of stars, trees, leaves, or just ropes of twisted pastry to make “roses”, then brush entire brie with egg wash, and bake as directed above. Serves 8-10