Cranberry-brie puff pastry ring

A festive appetizer or brunch dish!

I love seasonal dishes that look really fancy but are actually quite easy to prepare as well as being delicious, and this one ticks all the boxes. As a bonus, it can be assembled up to 6 hours before baking. I prefer to serve this just-warm or even at room temperature rather than hot so the cheese is not so runny. Once baked, it can sit out at room temperature for up to 3 hours; if you wish to bake it ahead and still serve it warm, reheat for 8-10 minutes in a preheated 325F oven.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet (225 g approx) puff pastry, thawed but still cold
• 1/4 cup (75 g) cranberry sauce
• 5-7 oz (150-200 g) Brie cheese, sliced
• 1 egg, at room temperature

Method

• Roll out the puff pastry between two sheets of parchment paper to a square about 11×11 inches (27.5×27.5 cm) and about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
• Referring to the first set of images below, use a big bowl (mine was 10 inches / 25 cm in diameter) to cut a large circle out of the puff pastry.
• Place a smaller bowl (mine was 5.5 inches / 1.25 cm) in the centre of the circle and very gently press down on it to create the indent of a ring.
• With a sharp knife, cut a star shape in the smaller circle (like cutting a pie into eighths). Pick up the bottom sheet of parchment and transfer the parchment and pastry to a baking tray (I use a pizza pan).

• If the cranberry sauce has a lot of whole berries, smash them to break them up or cut with a knife. Referring to the next set of images, spread the cranberries on the large ring, taking care to leave a space between the outer edge and the centre star.
• Lay the brie slices, overlapping, over the cranberries. You may not need the whole 200g to cover the berries.
• Bring the first of the eight points of the centre star over the filling, tucking under the outer edge of the circle and pinching together. Repeat with remaining points of the star, rolling up the outer edge of the puff pastry circle and pinching together as you go.

• At this point, the assembled ring should be covered and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400F. Beat the egg and brush over the pastry. Bake 15-18 minutes, until pastry is golden brown all over.
• Remove from the oven; let sit at least 5 minutes then slice and serve.

Makes 1 ring.