Caramelized Apple Brie en Croute

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, diced
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 (8- oz. ) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (2.2 lb ) wheel of Brie
• 1 (17.3 oz. ) package puff pastry dough, room temperature
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and sauté, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, about 5 - 8 minutes. Add brown sugar and cook for 5 minutes more until sugar caramelizes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
• Place cream cheese in a large bowl. Add apple mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Remove plastic wrapping and labels from Brie. Spread apple cheese mixture on top of one side of the Brie, directly on to thick white skin. Form cheese mixture into flattened dome shape.
• Lay a sheet of puff pastry on prepared baking sheet. Place Brie in center of pastry. Wrap pastry up along sides of Brie. Center another sheet of puff pastry over cream cheese dome. Fold pastry down along the sides and under the Brie. Brie must be completely enveloped in pastry or cheese may leak. Seal any open edges. Brush entire surface of pastry with beaten egg to give pastry golden brown color. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
• Remove Brie from oven and place baking sheet on a flat surface. If the pastry breaks and cheese is melting out, a piece of bread on the leak should stop it.
• Cut a 5-inch diameter circle in top center of pastry. Remove the pastry circle and gently mix cream cheese with Brie. Be sure to run spoon deep down to completely combine Brie and cream cheese, but be careful not to break the pastry shell. If the cheese is not thoroughly melted, place Brie back in oven for 5 minutes with a watchful eye until cheese is melted.
• Carefully remove Brie to a silver metal tray using two spatulas. Or support Brie with the foil and lift Brie off baking sheet and on to your serving tray. Tear away foil from side of Brie for a cleaner presentation. Place metal tray with Brie on top of a round chafing dish. If chafing dish isn’t available, place Brie on a large round platter. Place a spoon in Brie opening and serve immediately with thin slices of a French baguette or crackers.