The Perfect Pairings For Brie On A Charcuterie Board

A charcuterie board is a great way to impress guests at a dinner party or to elevate a casual night with friends. The star of the show, a wheel of brie, is accompanied by an array of delectable snacks, creating an irresistible combination of tastes and textures. The perfect charcuterie board has a balance of sweet, salty, tangy, and savory elements, as well as soft and crunchy textures. To make a brie charcuterie board, you can include items like crackers or sliced baguette, dried fruits such as apricots, persimmons, and pomegranate seeds, fresh fruits like apples, pears, or grapes, and nuts such as pistachios, walnuts, or almonds. For an extra touch of elegance, you can bake the brie and drizzle it with honey, or serve it with jams or jellies on the side.

Brie with honey, walnuts, and apples

Baked brie with honey, walnuts, and apples is a delicious and simple appetizer that can be served warm and gooey. Here are some tips and ideas to create a delightful charcuterie board with these ingredients:

Selecting the Right Brie

Choose a good-quality triple cream brie for your charcuterie board. It will be creamier and more delicious, and it's usually not much pricier than double cream brie. If you can't find brie, you can substitute it with camembert or a wheel of goat cheese—just ensure it's soft and creamy.

Preparing the Brie

You can bake the brie in the oven until it's warm and gooey. Place the brie on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until melted. You can also wrap it in puff pastry or phyllo dough before baking for a delicious crust. Don't remove the rind, as it helps keep the cheese together, and it's edible!

Honey, Walnuts, and Apples

Drizzle honey on the baked brie for a touch of sweetness. You can also add maple syrup or agave, or even balsamic glaze. Pair the honeyed brie with crisp apples, such as Granny Smith, Fuji, or Honeycrisp. If you don't have apples, pears work just as well. Finally, sprinkle some walnuts on top for crunch. You can also use other nuts like pistachios, pecans, or almonds.

Additional Ingredients

To complete your charcuterie board, add some crackers or a sliced and toasted baguette. You can also include fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, and some dried fruits like cranberries or apricots. For a more substantial board, add some dried meats like prosciutto or salami.

Serving Tips

Allow the baked brie to rest for a few minutes before transferring it to the charcuterie board to prevent messiness. You can store leftover brie in the fridge and gently reheat it in the oven when needed.

With these tips, you'll be able to create a delightful charcuterie board featuring brie with honey, walnuts, and apples. Enjoy the combination of sweet, crunchy, and creamy flavours and textures!

Baked brie with puff pastry

Baked brie is a popular and simple appetiser to serve and goes well with honey and herbs, fruit, nuts, and crackers. It can be made even more delicious by wrapping the cheese wheel in puff pastry and baking it until the pastry is golden brown. This adds a crispy texture to the gooey, melted cheese.

To make this appetiser, start by preheating your oven to between 350°F and 425°F. Dust a work surface with a small amount of flour and roll out your puff pastry into a rough 11-inch square. Place a wheel of brie in the middle of the pastry and top with extras like cranberry sauce, roasted nuts, honey, or even jalapeño jelly. You can also spread raspberry jam, apricot jam, or preserves on top of the cheese before baking.

Next, fold the corners of the pastry over the brie, forming a neat package. Gently press the edges against the brie and neaten up the sides. You can also wrap the brie in the pastry and keep it refrigerated for up to a day before baking and serving. Brush the pastry with a beaten egg, making sure to cover the sides and around the folds.

Place the wrapped brie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or in a pie plate. Bake for 25 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Allow the baked brie to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This will give the melted cheese time to firm up slightly and make it easier to handle.

Serve the baked brie with crackers, sliced baguette, apples, grapes, and walnuts. Enjoy!

Brie with dried fruits

Dried fruits are a great addition to a charcuterie board with brie. They add a chewy texture and a burst of sweetness to the board. Here are some tips and ideas for including dried fruits on your charcuterie board:

Types of Dried Fruits

The most commonly suggested dried fruits to include are cranberries, apricots, raisins, and prunes. However, you can also use dried figs, which have a unique chewy texture that makes them perfect for a charcuterie board. If you want to get creative, you can also use dried strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or even more exotic options like dragon fruit, passion fruit, star fruit, and persimmons.

Quantity

When creating your charcuterie board, it's important to consider the quantity of each item. For dried fruits, a small dish or a few scattered pieces across the board should be sufficient. You don't want to overwhelm the board with too much of one ingredient.

Pairings

Dried fruits pair well with a variety of other items on your charcuterie board. You can place them near the cheeses, especially brie, to provide a sweet contrast to the creamy and salty flavours. They also go well with nuts and seeds, creating a mix of textures and flavours. Try pairing dried cranberries with pistachios or almonds, or dried apricots with walnuts.

Presentation

To make your charcuterie board visually appealing, consider the placement and arrangement of the dried fruits. Place the dried fruits in small bowls or ramekins, or scatter them across the board to fill in any empty spaces. You can also use dried fruits to add colour and variety to your board, especially if you're using colourful dried fruits like cranberries or apricots.

Customization

Feel free to get creative and customize your charcuterie board to your taste preferences. You can experiment with different combinations of dried fruits, cheeses, and other accompaniments. If you're serving a large group, consider making individual charcuterie cones, which are perfect for mingling while eating.

Brie with rosemary and thyme

The Main Event

The star of the show is, of course, the brie. For the best results, opt for a triple cream brie – it has a smoother texture and isn't much pricier than double cream. If you can't get your hands on triple cream, double cream brie will do, or you could even swap it for Camembert or a wheel of goat cheese.

The Base

A charcuterie board needs a solid base to build on. For this, you'll want a sliced baguette, preferably toasted. If you don't have a baguette, any crusty bread will do, or you could use Melba toast, pita chips, or gluten-free bread.

The Sweet

To complement the creamy, salty cheese, add some sweetness to your board with honey. Drizzle it over the brie, or serve it on the side for dipping. If you don't have honey, maple syrup or agave will also work, or you could skip the sweetener altogether and go for a balsamic glaze.

The Fresh

Add some fresh herbs to your board with the rosemary and thyme. If you don't have either of these, you could use sage, or another herb of your choice.

The Crunch

For some added texture, include some nuts on your board. Pistachios, walnuts, and almonds are great options, but any nut will work, or you could use seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

The Fruit

Include some fresh fruit to complement the cheese. Apples and grapes are classic choices, but you could also use pears, cranberries, apricots, or even more exotic choices like dragon fruit or passion fruit.

The Extras

To fill out your board, add some crackers – water crackers, whole grain, or pretzel chips are all good options. You could also include some meat, like prosciutto or salami, and some extra dips or spreads, such as fig jam or pepper jelly.

Presentation

When it comes to presenting your board, keep things simple. A crowded board can look messy, so select just a few ingredients and arrange them neatly. Use small bowls or ramekins for dips and spreads, and add some small plates and tongs to help your guests serve themselves.

Brie with crackers and bread

A charcuterie board is a fun and festive way to serve snacks or appetisers. The most important elements of a charcuterie board are meats, cheeses, savoury accompaniments, sweet accompaniments, and crackers.

When it comes to crackers and bread, variety is key. Here are some options to include on your charcuterie board:

• Water crackers
• Whole grain crackers
• Pretzel chips
• Gluten-free crackers
• Baguette
• Melba toast
• Homemade pita chips
• Any crusty bread
• GF bread

Tips for Serving Brie with Crackers and Bread

• Toasted baguette slices are perfect for scooping up melted brie.
• Crackers give you a little extra crunch on the board.
• If you're serving a large group, consider using multiple boards or laying out a large piece of butcher paper and putting piles of food directly on it.
• Start with the cheese, as it anchors the board.
• Brie can be served warmed and melty, drizzled with honey, and served with crackers or thinly sliced baguette.
• If you want to bake the brie, place it on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes.
• When arranging the board, fill in the extra space with crackers and then any remaining gaps with nuts or fruit.

Frequently asked questions