Description
Cranberry brie pull-apart bread delivers winter holiday magic on a single plate, blending sweet-tart berries with creamy cheese inside golden, buttery bread layers. Comfort meets elegance in this shareable centerpiece that guarantees smiles and quick disappearance from any festive gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 large round loaf of sourdough bread
- 1 (8 ounces) wheel of brie cheese, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Herbs:
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
Seasoning and Liquid Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Carefully slice the bread into a grid pattern, keeping the base intact, using a sharp serrated knife to create crosshatch cuts approximately one inch apart.
- Gently wedge brie cheese fragments into each slice opening, distributing them evenly throughout the bread’s surface.
- Combine cranberries, fresh rosemary, and thyme with melted butter, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl, stirring until ingredients are thoroughly blended.
- Delicately spoon the aromatic cranberry mixture into the bread’s cuts, nestling the sauce around the cheese pieces to ensure complete coverage.
- Carefully encase the prepared loaf in aluminum foil, creating a sealed packet that will help retain moisture during baking.
- Position the wrapped bread on a baking sheet and slide into a preheated 350°F oven, allowing it to bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Unwrap the foil, exposing the bread’s surface, and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese becomes gloriously melted and the bread edges turn golden and crispy.
- Remove from the oven, let rest for a few minutes, then serve while warm to capture the ultimate sensory experience of gooey cheese and tangy cranberries.
Notes
- Cheese Selection Matters: Choose a soft, creamy brie that melts smoothly and complements the tangy cranberries for optimal flavor integration.
- Precise Cutting Technique: Make grid cuts carefully without slicing through the bread’s base to maintain the loaf’s structural integrity and create perfect pockets for cheese and cranberry mixture.
- Herb Flexibility: Swap rosemary and thyme with other aromatic herbs like sage or oregano to personalize the flavor profile and match different seasonal preferences.
- Dietary Adaptation: Replace butter with olive oil for a lighter version, and use gluten-free bread to make this recipe suitable for those with wheat sensitivities.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg