Maple Crisp Brie Bites – RecipeTin Eats

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Maple Crisp Brie Bites are my new finger meals obsession – cheeseboard meets canapé! Crisp maple-butter crostini topped with brie, prosciutto and pecans, they’re low-effort, low-cost, and ideal for taking locations already assembled.

Maple Crisp Brie Bites

I really like taking extraordinary issues and giving them a bit improve – simply sufficient to make them really feel a bit particular for hungry, drink-sipping associates with comparatively small effort and low value. Like swapping out a plain bowl of nuts for Texan BBQ Candied Nuts with smoky-sweet-savoury crunch.

At this time, we’re dressing up cheese and crackers and making Brie Bites! As a substitute of plonking down a wheel of brie with a pile of stale bread slices on the aspect, we’re brushing the bread with maple butter, toasting it till crispy (now we get to name it Maple Crostini), then topping it with slices of creamy brie, a sprinkle of toasty pecans, contemporary thyme and a shard of prosciutto.

It’s a timeless mixture of cheeseboard favourites, constructed in chunk measurement kind, and it’s so, so, SO good! I’ve eaten far more than acceptable and I ought to be ashamed, however I remorse nothing. Life is brief. Let me eat the brie!😅

Substances in Maple Crisp Brie Bites

You possibly can completely skip the extras and simply pop a slice of brie on every crostini. These are so tasty similar to that. However every little sprinkle provides a bit something-something that makes this further particular!

For the maple crostini

Right here’s what you want for the crostini – a superb baguette (not these flimsy low cost ones!), maple syrup and butter.

Baguette – Use a superb one with a pleasant crunchy crust, and a chewy crumb with large fats irregular holes (left, under). Ciabatta or sourdough in baguette shapes additionally works. You too can use loaves and reduce the bread into crostini-size items (there isn’t any regulation that prohibits this! 😄)

Keep away from the cheaper, lightweight baguettes offered as “French Sticks” right here in Australia (proper, under). The tender crumb of these are so advantageous that when toasted, you’ll be able to actually crush them right into a powder between your fingers. For this reason they’re no good for crostini and bruschetta, they only can’t maintain as much as the toppings, they only soak by way of instantly and switch into mush. Nevertheless, they are perfect for old-school garlic bread!

CAVEAT: Should you discover crostini too crunchy and arduous (and I get it), then use French stick! It’s a “softer” crispiness. Simply you’ll want to bake the bread right through so it’s fully crispy so it’s going to maintain up higher, and assemble near serving time (ie you gained’t have the ability to put the brie on hours forward).

Maple syrup – Actual maple syrup has a stronger flavour, particularly after cooking, as a result of it’s, effectively, actual! Maple flavoured syrup (ie imitation maple syrup) tends to lose its style when heated, I discover. Honey will work on this recipe too.
Butter – I exploit unsalted, should you used salted, simply skip the salt.
Salt – I exploit salt flakes right here as a result of it dissolves extra simply than grains (we aren’t simmering the maple butter for lengthy). If utilizing grains, simply stir very effectively to verify it’s totally dissolved, and in addition halve the quantity (as a result of 1/2 tsp salt flakes = 1/4 tsp salt grains).

FOR THE TOPPINGS

There isn’t a must spend money on an costly brie – although you’ll be able to if you’d like. When you add all of the toppings, it actually elevates no matter brie you utilize!

Triple cream brie – I exploit triple cream as a result of it’s further oozy and wealthy, and bizarrely not any pricier than common brie. However truthfully, any creamy tender cheese which you could slice or smear goes to be nice right here: camembert, goats cheese, Danish feta (ie the tender spreadable variety), tender blue cheeses, cream cheese and sure, even common non-triple-cream brie.

And, as talked about above, I actually don’t suppose it’s value investing in an costly brie right here. My alternative is the Coles model triple cream brie – $5.50 full value (typically on sale), glorious worth for the standard (creamier than pricier manufacturers).

Firmer cheeses (like cheddar) are additionally nice albeit not fairly the identical as a creamy brie. 🙂
Prosciutto – 6 skinny slices barely weighs 60g/2oz however totally different delis/manufacturers reduce to totally different thickness, and the dimensions additionally varies. You need sufficient to place a tiny bit on every (they’re salty, you don’t want a lot!) allowing for they shrink by virtually half when baked. Alternate options – Pancetta or jamon are related (prepare dinner the identical manner) else crispy pan fried salami or bacon would even be fabulous!

Contemporary thyme leaves – To make this further particular, don’t skip this! They add an earthy, herby freshness that makes these really memorable. Dried simply isn’t the identical. And truthfully, thyme is without doubt one of the best herbs to develop in a pot. Pop it on a windowsill and also you’ll save a fortune (and emergency herb runs).
Pecans or different nuts – For nutty goodness. All people is aware of nuts and cheese = win! I selected pecans as a result of it’s an apparent match with maple syrup, however nearly any nut will work – walnuts, almonds and pistachios are entrance of thoughts as alternate options.
Maple syrup – For the tiniest drizzle on the finish, so as to add a little bit of shine and attractive drips. I actually use lower than 1/8 teaspoon per crostini else it will get too messy and drippy while you decide it up.

Learn how to make Maple Crisp Brie Bites

I’ve tried stove-toasting the crostini which works nice – it offers an important candy-like crust, however wants virtually double the quantity of butter to forestall it from burning. Even for a bread-and-butter-monster like me, it was an excessive amount of! Plus, flipping every slice a number of instances to make it prepare dinner evenly is a trouble. Oven is manner simpler.

Crostini and crispy prosciutto

Slice the bread 6mm / 1/4″ thick. That is the proper thickness – not too skinny (bakes up cracker-like) and never too thick (both too toast-like, or if crispy right through, will break your tooth!).
Maple butter – Soften the butter in a saucepan then add the maple syrup and salt. Simmer for simply 20 seconds then take away.

Brush the maple butter onto either side of the bread. I exploit a dab/brush method to make sure full protection. Unfold them out on a foil + paper lined tray.
Lay prosciutto on foil + paper lined tray. Don’t fear in the event that they overlap barely, they shrink a lot!

Bake – Put each trays within the oven. I put the prosciutto on the higher shelf.
Prosciutto quarter-hour – After 12 to fifteen minutes, take away the prosciutto. They may have shrunk by virtually half, be a bit wrinkled and darkish pink however not brown. Take away onto paper towels to empty extra fats and allow them to cool, then they’ll develop into crispy.

Prosciutto shards – Break the prosciutto into shards. I like lengthy skinny items as a result of I really feel like I get visible impression after I stick it upright within the brie, although I additionally just like the twisted items that I can lay flat on the brie which have crevices to carry little swimming pools of maple syrup. However, I additionally like sprinkling crumbled prosciutto on the brie as effectively! Principally, something works. 😆
Crostini 20 minutes – After quarter-hour, flip every crostini and shuffle if wanted in order that they prepare dinner evenly (in case your oven has sizzling spots). Then bake for an extra 5 minutes till they’re crispy on the perimeters and frivolously crispy on the floor, however nonetheless a bit tender inside (take a look at with a finger jab). They may crisp up extra as they cool on the tray.

There may be such a factor as too crisp: Should you bake till they’re totally crispy, they get even more durable as they cool and truthfully, they are often too crispy, as in tooth-chipping arduous!

ASSEMBLING

Tip – If utilizing a creamy, melty brie, slice whereas fridge chilly, earlier than it will get too smeary.

Lower the brie into slices simply shy of 5mm / 0.2″ thick. Make the slices a bit shorter than every crostini. I believe it’s good to see among the bread, plus additionally if there’s full protection that’s a LOT of brie per piece and also you’d want nearer to 2 wheels of brie.
Brie – Prime every crostini with a bit of brie. Patchwork brie offcuts as wanted – as soon as topped with the extras, no person will even comprehend it’s not a single piece of brie.

Toppings – Stick a crispy prosciutto shard within the brie (or place/pile/crumble on prime). Sprinkle every with a pinch of pecans, drizzle with the tiniest quantity of maple (actually, simply 1/8 teaspoon every) then a small pinch of thyme leaves.

Be aware: The order could be very deliberate! Should you do maple first then pecan “mud” will get caught all around the prosciutto which appears untidy. Should you do the maple after the thyme then the tiny leaves get washed away by the maple. These are the small print that irrationally irritate and matter to me as a result of I’m a loopy cooking girl.😁
My favorite half – time to eat! Pour your self a drink (I’m at present obsessive about Soiled Martinis) and luxuriate in.

Issues of practicality

I initially pictured a heat, melty-brie state of affairs, however should you bake it then the brie runs in every single place. As for utilizing residual heat from the crostini, the stress of racing to serve it simply wasn’t value it.

So this recipe is designed to be served at room temperature, and because of the gooey goodness of triple cream brie, there’s no lack of melty goodness. Plus, it holds up superbly for hours with out softening the crostini, so you’ll be able to assemble forward.

Principally, whether or not you’re gunning for Worker of the Month, Favorite Youngster standing, or bribing your hairdresser for a assured hair appointment anytime you want one, you’ll be able to assemble it at dwelling, field it up and it’s nonetheless excellent hours later.

Or, you recognize – simply be an everyday individual and take it to a picnic. 🙂 – Nagi x