Baked Stuffed Brie

Make sure to carefully seal the brie in the pastry so the cheese doesn’t ooze out when baking. Bake straight from the refrigerator; do not let the pastry sit out before baking. Apples can be substituted for pears.

Ingredients

1- 16 ounce wheel of brie, or 2 8-ounce wedges

1 pie crust

2 Tbl butter

1 /4 cup shallot, minced

1 1 /2 cups fresh pears, small dice

1 /4 cup Calvados or Brandy

1 tsp pepper, freshly ground

2 tsp thyme, freshly chopped

1 /2 cup almond slivers, toasted and chopped

Egg wash

1 egg

2 Tbsp water

Instructions

Beat together well

Preheat oven to 350

In a medium-sized skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook shallots for two minutes. Add diced pears. Cook pears for five minutes. Add Calvados and simmer until almost dry. Stir in pepper, thyme, and chopped almonds. Remove mixture from the heat, and cool completely before stuffing brie.

To prepare the brie, use a spoon to scrape the rind off of the cheese. Dip a sharp knife into hot water, and slice the cheese round across the center, cutting in half horizontally so that you have two thin discs or wedges. Place the pear mixture on top of one of the half-wheels of cheese (spreading on exposed-cheese side), and top with the remaining half-wheel of cheese.

Roll the pie crust to 1 /8-inch thickness, and wrap brie in pastry. Make sure cheese is entirely enclosed in pastry. Place— seam side down— on a baking sheet, and brush with egg wash.

Refrigerate 30 minutes before cooking.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow pastry to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recent Recipes

Robert’s Christmas Turkey 2025

There's nothing like a well-roasted turkey to anchor a holiday table, and no one made it quite like my grandmother. She didn't wait until Thanksgiving to serve it. She'd roast a turkey once a month throughout the year, never mind the occasion. It was a staple at her table. My mother, on the other hand, always made a formal Christmas Eve dinner, complete with turkey, dressing, and gravy. As kids, the excitement of Christmas Eve was almost too much to bear. Those big dinners felt like the beginning of Christmas itself. It’s a memory that comes to mind every time I cook a turkey or make gravy. And a good gravy can make or break the meal. Making sure the roux browns just right and finishing the gravy with a touch of lemon juice or fresh herbs are tricks worth remembering. A little extra attention to the gravy goes a long way.

Bayou Bacon & Cheddar Spread

I can lay waste to a block of cream cheese with pepper jelly and crackers in a matter of minutes. It’s a weakness. No matter how hard I try to exercise self-control, I always find myself standing over the plate at a cocktail party, making it disappear without even thinking. This spread hits the same notes, but with a smoky, savory punch that’s hard to beat. It’s become a go-to for Christmas parties, and if you’re smart, you’ll double the recipe because it’ll be gone before you know it. It’s best when made a day in advance—giving all the flavors time to mingle.

Orange and Bourbon Glazed Duck for Drew

My brother Drew and I were always wound up on Christmas Eve. He was four years older, but you’d never know it by how excited we both were. He’d be bouncing off the walls, too keyed up to sleep, while I’d follow his lead like I always did. When we finally did drift off, it wouldn’t be long before he’d shake me awake before dawn, eyes shining like he hadn’t slept a wink. Those early mornings felt like magic. Now, Christmas means he’s usually out duck hunting in the Delta, his favorite place on earth. He loves the hunt and the calm that comes with being out in the field before the sun rises. I thought of him when I put together this recipe. It’s a little bit of Drew—those wild December mornings in the Delta and the quiet way he’s always looked out for me.

RobertStJohn.com