RASPBERRY BAKED BRIE #ItsBakingSeason

This recipe for Raspberry Baked Brie has been sponsored by Pillsbury – but all thoughts, photos and opinions are mine alone 🙂 #ItsBakingSeason

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…and one of the busiest! I love the fall and winter holidays because of decor, music, food and constant merriment with friends. My family LOVES to see people during the holiday season, and since we just moved last week – we are expecting a lot of visitors to our new home over the next few months…which will make this busy season – even busier!

Having a warm home filled with delicious yummy smells is one of the ways I like to great my guests. A nice bread baking in the oven, or a seasonal pie – just makes a house really feel like a home, doesn’t it?

But when life gets crazy, like a recent move (or just having a busy holiday season in general), I can’t always find the time to gather a ton of ingredients, mix, measure and wash dishes. So that is why, my dear readers, I am going to share with you my favorite holiday entertaining hack. It’s comprised of only three ingredients, all which are delicious even alone – but together they create a brilliant medley that will not only have your house smelling downright delightful, but will also be sure to get any guest’s mouth watering.

I introduce you to Raspberry Baked Brie.

I’ve now served this bread for fancy events as well as just having friends over to watch a movie in our pajamas. It’s versatile, delicious and easy, which is why this recipe is the perfect for the holiday season.

As a busy mom with two kids, when I actually have free time – I’d prefer to spend it with my friends, not stuck over my stove, slaving over some kind of crazy concoction! Instead, I can whip up something like this baked brie – and bada bing bada boom – I’m the hostess with the mostest!

There are just three ingredients to this deliciously sweet and savory appetizer:

Brie
Raspberry preserves
and Pillsbury Crescent Rolls…which I always stock up on during the holidays!

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls are one of my staples during the holiday season, whether eaten as rolls, or as another creation. So I’ve started buying the 2 pack – I found them at my local Walmart. If you’re a big crescent roll fan, save yourself another trip to the store and just buy the 2 pack!

Raspberry Baked Brie Directions: (followed by my commentary)

Preheat oven to 375 *
Unroll one tube of the crescent roll dough, and separate the pieces so you are working with one side comprised of four triangles. Use your fingers to pinch the dough together so that it is one big rectangle. You could be fancy, and get out a rolling pin to do this step. Then your dough would look flat as a board….but I was too busy chasing my two toddler away from the pre-heating oven to get out my rolling pin. I used my fingers. You can too – it tastes the same, I promise! Do this to the other half of the dough as well, and set aside.
Place the brie in the center of the dough. Marvel at the glorious mass of dough and cheese. mmmmmm…looks yummy already, right?

Spread about 1/4 cup of preserves onto the top of the cheese. Or more. Or less. I actually didn’t measure this at all, so the 1/4 cup doesn’t really have to happen. Just put as much preserves on the cheese as you’d like. One time, because I love the taste of raspberry so much, I even put preserves under the cheese, and on top. That’s right. It was pretty much a raspberry lover’s dream come true. None-the-less, spread preserves on top of the cheese, and carry on to the next step.

Fold over the corners of the dough, and press the rest of the dough over the cheese so that it is completely covered and sealed. Tuck that sweet raspberry covered cheese up like it’s a swaddled baby.

Remember how we set aside half of the crescent roll dough earlier? Well now it’s time to bring it on out! Add a second layer of dough, making sure to fold over the corners as well. This second layer just adds a bit more thickness and crispness to the baked brie. Plus, I find that if I am without crackers or bread, the extra dough gets the job done all by itself!

Flip the now dough covered-brie over. You can either bake it straight on an un-greased cookie sheet, or you can put it in a piece of bakeware. I sometimes like to have it in a piece of bake wear because it helps contain the cheese once you cut into the crescent roll pastry dough. It’s all about personal taste!

TIP – I like to brush a bit of an egg wash over the top of the pastry before putting it into the oven

After it is a nice golden shade, and your house has begun to smell like raspberry pastry goodness (about 20-25 minutes), take the baked brie out of your oven and let it sit for a few moments. Try not to drool.