Baked Brie with Fig Jam is an elegant appetizer with a minimum of effort. Brie topped with fig jam, wrapped in puff pastry, and baked! Deliciously melty.
I am a sucker for any kind of melted cheese. Fondue, raclette, you name it, I’m there. But one of my most favorite versions is this Baked Brie with Fig Jam (Brie en Croûte), because that aforementioned melty cheese is wrapped in a crackly browned puff pastry shell. Total decadence!
And you can trust me when I tell you this recipe is so simple to make! I wrote a whole Puff Pastry Magic eBook dedicated to this topic, with recipes like this one that show you just how easy it is to prepare a stunning appetizer or dessert with a storebought box of puff pastry dough. Plus I’ve got tips and step-by-step photos below to walk you through my favorite method for this dish. So if you’re looking for a stunner for your holiday appetizer spread or your next dinner party, read on!
Jump to:
- Why Make this Brie en Croute Recipe
- What is Brie en Croute?
- Ingredients Needed to Make Baked Brie with Fig Jam
- How to Make Brie en Croute
- How to Serve Baked Brie en Croute
- Recipe FAQs for Baked Brie in Puff Pastry
- 👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Other Delicious Appetizer Recipes
- Cocktail Pairings for Brie with Fig Jam
- 📖 Recipe
- More About Molly
Why Make this Brie en Croute Recipe
- Only 4 Ingredients: So simple! Just puff pastry dough, Brie cheese, fig jam, and an egg.
- Total Crowd Pleaser: What makes people happier than dipping a slice of baguette into melted cheese—or is that just me? This is one of those appetizers that disappears in a flash.
- Make-Ahead: In addition to requiring very little effort to make, this baked Brie and fig jam recipe is perfect for making in advance. See Expert Tips below.
What is Brie en Croute?
Brie en Croute is the French name for this Baked Brie. “En Croute” just means “in crust”, so Brie En Croute refers to a round of Brie cheese wrapped in a pastry crust. There are many different flavors of Brie en Croute, as the Brie can be topped with different types of jam or nuts before being wrapped with puff pastry dough. In all of them, the Brie is then baked until melty within the golden-brown crust.
Ingredients Needed to Make Baked Brie with Fig Jam
- Brie Cheese: The most important ingredient in this recipe is (surprise) the cheese. I find a double-cream version works the best. Triple cream is delightfully creamy and melty, but it can get so melted that it loses its shape entirely. Double-cream will still melt beautifully but holds its shape.
- Puff Pastry Dough: Homemade puff pastry dough is quite delicious. Should you have the time, I highly recommend Cathy Barrow’s quick puff pastry recipe. Bonus—you can roll it directly into a circle rather than having to cut off the edges of your square dough. That said, the puff pastry dough that is sold in sheets makes this recipe super fast. Just a few rolls of the rolling pin, and your dough is ready to wrap.
- Fig Jam: Use any kind of fig jam, jelly, or preserves that you like. If you want extra credit points, start with fresh figs and make my Honey Balsamic Fig Jam. A layer of cranberry sauce would also be delicious as a substitute.
How to Make Brie en Croute
Lightly flour countertop or large cutting board and lay a puff pastry dough sheet on it.
Roll out dough into a 10 by 10-inch square. Cut the corners off the dough so that you have a roughly circular shape. Remove an 8-ounce Brie wheel from its packaging, and cut the rind off the top of the cheese using a sharp knife.
Place the Brie in the center of the sheet of puff pastry.
Spread 2 ounces of sweet fig jam on top, covering the top completely. Now begin to wrap the dough around the Brie, folding it up as you move around the circle.
Make egg wash by using a fork to stir together an egg with 1 tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
When the cheese is almost entirely covered, use a small pastry brush to brush egg wash over the remaining folds and press the puff pastry dough together firmly. Move puff pastry-covered cheese into the freezer and chill for 20 minutes.
While Brie is chilling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
When ready to bake, line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
Move Brie onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and paint the entire top and sides with egg wash.
Bake for 32-35 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and flaky, and the gooey brie cheese peaks through the middle.
Remove from oven, and cool for a few minutes before serving.
If you do have leftover Baked Brie, you can put it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For the crispiest pastry, reheat in the oven or air fryer rather than the microwave.
How to Serve Baked Brie en Croute
To serve Baked Brie, put it on a serving platter with something you can use to dip in the cheese. Crackers, apple slices, and baguette slices are great accompaniments to the creamy Brie cheese. It’s also delicious with glazed spiced nuts and dried fruit on the side. The perfect cheese board for the holiday season.
Fresh fruit like berries and dried figs are also great matches for this delicious recipe. You could also drizzle a little honey on top if you like and add fresh thyme leaves or other fresh herbs.
For more ideas for how to make Baked Brie the centerpiece of your appetizer spread or charcuterie board, check out this post on What to Serve with Baked Brie.
Recipe FAQs for Baked Brie in Puff Pastry
Fig and Brie go together beautifully, which is why I chose fig jam for this recipe. But to be honest, baked brie works with all kinds of jam. Cherry, raspberry, strawberry, apricot, blueberry, the choices are endless. Choose what you like (or have in the house), and go with it!
I like to cut the top white rind off of the cheese wheel because that way there is nothing between the fig jam and the creamy cheese.
But I keep the Brie rind on the bottom and around the sides—you won’t really taste it under the puff pastry, and it helps give your melted Brie some structure within the pastry.
The rind is completely edible, so it’s really up to you whether you want to remove it or not.
I have found that with certain types of firmer Brie cheese, the Brie will just kind of soften into oily clumps rather than melting smoothly. Make sure to choose a good-quality brand, and make sure it says double-cream on it.
Camembert is another option for a cheese to use with this recipe. Most Camembert will melt nicely when heated. In general, Camembert has a stronger flavor than the more mild Brie, but it will still pair well with fig jam.
If you have leftover puff pastry scraps from where you cut off the triangles of your dough, sprinkle them with shredded parmesan, give them a twist and bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degrees Celsius. Voilà cheese straws! Or brush with milk and sprinkle instead with cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat.
No, this Baked Brie appetizer does not store well. Unfortunately, the puff pastry shell will soften in the refrigerator. If you do have leftovers, you can wrap them in foil or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but they will really not be the same the next day. For best results with reheating, put it into an air fryer or 425° oven to try to bring the crispiness of the pastry back to life.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
This baked Brie with fig preserves recipe is easy to execute, but perfection is in the details. Too thick a covering of puff pastry will result in uncooked dough next to the cheese. Too thin, and your jam and cheese may leak out into a runny mess on your pan.
So don’t forget to roll out the dough a little before covering your Brie. If you don’t, the puff pastry dough will be too thick and may also not cover the Brie round entirely. If that happens, the molten Brie and jam will leak out through the top of the pastry.
To make this recipe in advance, wrap the Brie in puff pastry according to the instructions, then wrap it in plastic wrap or foil and put it in the refrigerator until you want to bake it. It will keep for about 24 hours. Then, paint the outside with egg wash and bake.
The key to working with puff pastry is to make sure it is the correct temperature. Thaw it according to package instructions—ideally in the refrigerator, but leaving it out on the counter at room temperature works too. If you do thaw puff pastry dough at room temperature, make sure you turn it over at least once while it is thawing.
And work with it as soon as it is pliable, but still cold. If puff pastry dough gets too warm, it becomes soft and sticky, and the cold butter trapped within its layers will start to melt. (Not ideal because you want that process to happen in the oven.)
You can always put dough back into the refrigerator if you realize it has become too warm to work with. Start again after it is cold.
Other Delicious Appetizer Recipes
This fig jam and Brie appetizer is a holiday favorite, as is my Baked Camembert with Honey. Both pair beautifully with a little bowl of garlicky Marinated Olives.
If you’re looking for other ideas, check out our Holiday recipe archive or our Top French Appetizer Recipes post.
In the meantime, here are some of our other favorite holiday appetizers:
Cocktail Pairings for Brie with Fig Jam
If you're looking for a cocktail to go with your spread, don't miss our Cranberry Mimosa, Hanky Panky Cocktail, or White Wine Sangria with Strawberries.
If you try this Baked Brie recipe, we would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to us. And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter. We'd love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
📖 Recipe
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Brie en Croute Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed (8.8 ounces)
- 1 8-ounce round double-cream Brie cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 ounces fig jam
- Apple slices,baguette slices, spiced nuts, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly flour countertop or large cutting board and lay your puff pastry sheet on it.
- Roll out dough into a 10 by 10-inch square.
- Cut the corners off the dough so that you have a roughly circular shape.
- Remove the Brie from its packaging, and cut the rind off the top of the cheese using a sharp knife.
- Make the egg wash by using a fork to stir together the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
- Place the Brie in the center of the puff pastry dough.
- Spread the fig jam on top, covering the top completely.
- Begin to wrap the dough around the Brie, folding it up as you move around the circle. When the cheese is almost entirely covered, use a small pastry brush to brush egg wash over the remaining folds and press the puff pastry dough together firmly.
- Move puff pastry-covered cheese into the freezer and chill for 20 minutes.
- While Brie is chilling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When ready to bake, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Move Brie onto the baking sheet and paint the entire top and sides with egg wash.
- Bake for 32-35 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and flaky.
- Remove from oven, and cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Too thick a covering of puff pastry will result in uncooked dough next to the cheese. Too thin, and your jam and cheese may leak out into a runny mess on your pan. So don’t forget to roll out the dough a little before covering your Brie. And make sure to cover the cheese entirely so that the molten Brie and jam won't leak out through the top of the pastry. Make-Ahead:
To make this recipe in advance, wrap the Brie in puff pastry according to the instructions, then wrap it in plastic wrap or foil and put it in the refrigerator until you want to bake it. It will keep for about 24 hours. Then, paint the outside with egg wash and bake.
Nutrition
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More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
Kris Dutson says
one time it says to cut off the top rine of the cheese, but then it doesn't mention this. The images don't show the top cut off. Which is it? Thank you!
Molly Pisula says
Hi Kris! Sorry, the prep photo is misleading. I forgot to cut the top rind off before putting it on the puff pastry. Then you can't tell in the next photo that I cut the top rind off before putting on the jam. But that is what you should do. Cut the top rind off, and put the jam directly on the cheese. I will update the photo the next time I make this! Thanks for pointing it out.
Ida says
oh my,oh my,so good a hit
Molly Pisula says
so glad you enjoyed it!