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One thing I remember so vividly about my brief foray into law school is how loud people typed during exams, like they were purposefully trying to throw the others off. And, if you know anything about the weirdness that is law school, that’s not too far fetched an idea. And, if you know anything about the longness that is law school exams, you’ll understand just how annoying that keyboard bashing can be around hour 3.
So I made you some baked brie bites! Or.. well.. let me segue.
I’ve been trying to transition Master Leo into his crib for a little while now. Except that totally failed and he–no matter what magic I work–will not sleep through one sleep cycle in the crib, and since we’re getting (relatively) decent sleep at night these days, I’m not too keen on working through night after night of 45-minute sleep bursts. Anyway, so we’re trying the pack ‘n play instead, in our bedroom where he sleeps normally in his rock ‘n play (so much ‘n play in our lives these days). Except that didn’t work either, until one morning I let him nap right next to me in bed while I basically Facebooked for an hour and a half, confused as to how this was even happening.. Leo.. sleeping unswaddled.. on a flat surface.. for more than 45 minutes?! Witchcraft! And then I realized it might have something to do with me being there, so I started sneaking into the bedroom to work sitting on the bed around minute 35 of his nap, hoping my sheer presence would guide the little cub through a sleep cycle. And it worked! Sort of.
Well, it worked.. twice. If my timing is off at all it’s disastrous, so what am I doing this morn? I’ve committed fully and have spent his entire nap typing silently on my laptop next to him. Every time he flinches I feel a surge of adrenaline course through my veins, akin–I can only imagine–to being chased by a masked murderer equipped with a chainsaw, trying to pant silently whilst hiding behind a tree as he looks around for you, his murder victim. I’m pretty sure I feel the exact same.
Except, the problem is that none of this has anything at all to do with baked brie bites with apricot jam, not one little bit. Other than the fact that I’m trying to finalize video edits with zero volume and I have two sources of white noise blasting my zen and I’m trying to whine every so silently about being trapped on the bed because I really a) need more coffee and b) really have to pee. So I made you baked brie bites with apricot jam!
Baked brie en croute is pretty much my absolute go-to when it comes to simple entertaining that’s elegant, indulgent, and so, so easy. Baked brie bites, in particular, I fell in love with years ago when I saw them on the Joy the Baker blog, and I even wrote them up myself! This was, of course, during the period in my life where I was not completely and totally clueless about photography but mostly clueless. Like 90% clueless. So, for a laugh, go visit the old post, but don’t judge me. It’s the journey, amiright?
Anyway, these bites are absolutely perfect for holiday entertaining! The puff pastry is so crispy and flaky, the brie so rich and melty, the apricot jam so perfectly sweet without being overly fruity. They’re the perfect little size, so much easier than cutting into an oozy brie volcano, and you can eat like twelve without anyone really noticing. I put these on the menu for a little family brunch we’re throwing to celebrate Leo’s 100th day of living, which just so happens to be on New Year’s Eve! Fancy, non? So I of course had to throw baked brie on the menu, but I loved the idea of making bites instead of a whole wheel en croute. Oh, that.. and I can make these in advance and freeze them! One less thing to do that day, which I’m all about.
You can make them as larger pops on popsicle sticks or go with smaller bites–all depends on your crowd, really. I’ve made both and love them equally! Well.. gotta go. Little man’s awake.. my silent typing all for naught! I won’t waste words to express my feelings right now, when an emoji does the job perfectly:
?
Make these! They are so good.
Baked Brie Bites with Apricot Jam
Ingredients
- 2 sheets sheets puff pastry , thawed but chilled
- ½ wheel wheel of brie (around 4 ounces), cold
- ⅓ cup about 1/3 cup apricot jam (Bonne Maman is the absolute best!)
- 1 large egg
- 1 splash splash of whole milk
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- You've got two options here: 12 larger baked brie "pops" which I like to serve on popsicle sticks or 24 smaller baked brie bites. Pick yo' poison.
- Preheat oven to 375º F.
- Prepare the brie: cut your wheel of brie in half then into 24 small, equal wedges. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and stick in the freezer for about 30 minutes. This will help firm up the brie and prevent too much early melting during the baking process.
- If making 12 larger baked brie "pops"..
- Unfold a sheet of puff pastry and use a pizza wheel, pastry wheel, or sharp knife to cut along the two folds width-wise, then cut down the center. Then, cut down the center of both halves you just made--this will give you 12 rectangles of puff pastry.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and add a splash of whole milk then stir. Brush a coat of egg mixture on one puff pastry rectangle. Place a popsicle stick about halfway up the puff pastry rectangle and press into the pastry gently. Then place two slices of brie in the center of the rectangle, with rind edges either touching or opposite one another. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of apricot jam on the top of the brie.
- Pick up another puff pastry rectangle and gently press it between your fingers to widen it a bit. Place over the brie rectangle and seal edges with the tines of a fork. Repeat until all rectangles have been stuffed. Place all pops on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with egg mixture and lightly pierce with tines of a fork. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt.
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving.
- If making 24 smaller baked brie bites:
- Unfold a sheet of puff pastry and use a pizza wheel, pastry wheel, or sharp knife to cut along the two folds width-wise, then cut down the center. Then, cut down the center of both halves you just made--this will give you 12 rectangles of puff pastry. Then, cut each rectangle in half once again to make 24 rectangles
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and add a splash of whole milk then stir. Brush a coat of egg mixture on one puff pastry rectangle. Place one slice of brie in the center if making and cover with a scoop of about 1/2 teaspoon of apricot jam. Pick up another puff pastry rectangle and gently press it between your fingers to widen it a bit. Place over the brie rectangle and seal edges with the tines of a fork. Repeat until all rectangles have been stuffed. Place all bites on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with egg mixture and lightly pierce with tines of a fork. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt.
- Bake in oven about 12-16 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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