Brie en Croûte with Roasted Garlic & Rosemary

A luxurious, vegetarian-friendly appetizer or centerpiece.

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Timings

• Prep time: 20 minutes

• Garlic roasting time: 30 minutes (can be done ahead)

• Assembly time: 10 minutes

• Bake time: 25–30 minutes

• Total: ~1 hour (or 30 minutes if garlic pre-roasted)

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Equipment Needed

• Baking sheet

• Parchment paper

• Small baking dish or foil (for roasting garlic)

• Sharp knife

• Pastry brush

• Rolling pin (optional—if pastry needs widening)

• Small bowl (for egg wash or milk wash)

Vegetarian note: Use vegetarian-friendly brie (made with microbial/vegetarian rennet) and pastry without animal rennet (all-butter is fine).

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Ingredients (Serves 4)

Main

• 1 whole round of Brie (250–300 g / 8–10 oz; vegetarian rennet)

• 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, thawed but still cold. You can of course prepare this from scratch but it does take time and effort. You could also make a cheesy puff pastry too which

• 4–6 roasted garlic cloves (instructions below)

• 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary (remove leaves from 1 sprig; keep 1–2 small sprigs for garnish)

• 1–2 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional, for a sweet finish)

Finish

• 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water or milk for a vegetarian-friendly wash

• Pinch flaky salt (optional)

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How to Roast the Garlic (Can be made ahead)

1. Preheat oven to 190°C / 375°F.

2. Slice the top off a whole garlic bulb to expose cloves.

3. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast 30–35 minutes until soft and caramelized.

4. Cool, then gently squeeze out 4–6 soft cloves for the recipe.

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Preparation

1. Prepare the Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Lay out the puff pastry sheet; if needed, use a rolling pin to widen slightly.

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2. Assemble the Brie en Croûte

1. Place the Brie wheel in the center of the pastry.

2. Gently press roasted garlic cloves onto the top of the Brie.

3. Scatter rosemary leaves on top of the garlic.

4. (Optional) Drizzle lightly with honey or maple syrup.

5. Fold the puff pastry up and over the Brie, trimming excess pastry and bringing all edges to the center.

6. Press to seal, then flip seam-side down onto the parchment-lined tray.

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3. Decorate & Finish

1. Brush the pastry with egg wash or milk wash.

2. Use any pastry scraps to cut decorative leaves or shapes and apply them on top.

3. Top with 1–2 small rosemary sprigs, pressing lightly into the pastry surface.

4. Sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt if desired.

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4. Bake

• Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until:

  • The pastry is deep golden brown

  • The Brie feels soft but not collapsing

Let rest 5 minutes before serving—this keeps the melted cheese from rushing out.

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Serving Suggestions

Serve warm with:

• Toasted baguette slices

• Apple or pear wedges

• Cranberry chutney, fig jam, or honey

• Crackers or crostini

• A simple herb salad (arugula + lemon + olive oil)