This is one of my greatest secret weapons for gatherings. It looks fantastic, you don't need to use an expensive brie for this, it's adaptable to your taste, it takes minutes to make, and it's an absolute and total crowd pleaser! The flavour combination is a killer: creamy brie with the warm nuttiness of pecans, sweetness from maple syrup and juicy pops of pomegranate. Normally brie served like this is baked, but you can't tell the difference between baking and microwaving!
Prep Time2 minutesmins
Cook Time1 minutemin
Total Time3 minutesmins
Course: Starter
Calories: 147cal
Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Ingredients
1 (250 g / 8 oz) whole brie(Note 1)
1/4cuproughly chopped pecans, roasted (Note 2)
1/4cuppomegranate seeds
1/4cupmaple syrup
Instructions
Unwrap brie and place on a small microwave-proof plate with a rim (so maple syrup doesn't go everywhere).
Microwave on high for 1 minute 15 seconds, or until the brie is very soft when you prod the centre. Watch the brie as you microwave it - if it starts to puff up too much (i.e. risk of bursting), turn microwave off and leave brie inside - residual heat will continue to melt it.
Top with pecans, pomegranate seeds and maple syrup. Serve immediately with crackers of choice (choose ones suitable for scooping). I serve this with a spoon and/or small pate knife.
Notes
1. I prefer brie over camembert for this because it has a higher fat content (~60% vs ~45%) so it's softer to scoop up. But it does work with camembert as well. I use a standard 250g/8oz size round brie that I get from the supermarket - nothing fancy. Save the expensive brie for eating as is!2. Pecans come in packets already roasted, but if you happen to have raw ones, roast them in the oven for 5 minutes.3. Adapt this to your taste! Adjust the toppings as follows: - Pecans: Use whatever nuts you want. - Pomegranate seeds: Use anything with a bit of sweet juiciness, like blueberries, red currents or even small grapes, chopped. I opt out of using dried fruit because they are very sweet / a bit too chewy (e.g. cranberries). - Maple syrup: Honey, golden syrup, blueberry or other sweet sauce.4. Crackers to serve (I used bagel chips, good size / shape for scooping).5. Nutrition per serving assuming 8 servings.