Description
This Cranberry Brie Crescent Wreath is a beautiful and festive appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings. It features buttery crescent dough triangles arranged into a wreath shape and filled with luscious brie cheese, tangy cranberry sauce, crunchy pistachios, and fragrant rosemary. Finished with a golden egg wash, a sprinkle of fleur de sel, and a drizzle of honey, this impressive yet easy-to-make dish combines savory, sweet, and nutty flavors to delight your guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 2 tubes of premade crescent dough (12 dough triangles)
Filling
- 200 grams brie
- 100-125 grams (3½-½ cup) cranberry sauce
- 30 grams pistachios (handful, roughly chopped)
- 2 rosemary sprigs (roughly chopped)
- Fleur de sel, pinch
For Topping and Assembly
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Honey, drizzle
- Extra pistachios for garnish
- Extra rosemary sprigs and fresh or sugared cranberries (optional for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 °F) to ensure it’s hot and ready for baking the crescent wreath.
- Prepare Dough Triangles: Open the crescent dough tubes and carefully roll out the dough. Cut out the individual triangles along the perforations without stretching the dough to maintain their shape. Set the 12 dough triangles aside.
- Prepare Filling Ingredients: Cut the brie into small chunks, roughly chop the pistachios, and remove rosemary leaves from the stems, then roughly chop them to distribute flavor evenly.
- Arrange Dough on Baking Sheet: Place a small round bowl or ramekin in the center of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange the dough triangles around the bowl with the short side towards the bowl, overlapping each triangle halfway to form a star shape. Tuck the last triangle partly under the first to complete the ring.
- Seal Overlapping Dough: Gently press the overlapping parts near the base of the triangles to flatten and adhere them, ensuring the wreath stays together when baked.
- Add Cranberry Sauce: Spoon the cranberry sauce into the inner circle formed by the dough, creating the first layer of filling.
- Add Brie: Distribute the brie chunks evenly on top of the cranberry sauce for a creamy, melty texture.
- Sprinkle Pistachios: Scatter most of the chopped pistachios over the brie to add crunch, reserving some for garnish.
- Sprinkle Rosemary: Add most of the chopped rosemary evenly over the filling to infuse herbal notes, keeping some back for decoration.
- Add Salt: Sprinkle a pinch of fleur de sel or salt flakes over the filling to enhance all flavors.
- Remove Bowl: Carefully lift out the bowl from the center of the wreath, repositioning any filling that falls into the middle to keep the filling neat.
- Fold Dough Tips: Fold the tip of each dough triangle inward toward the center and tuck the end underneath the adjacent triangle. Repeat around the wreath, ensuring no wide gaps remain and the shape is tidy.
- Apply Egg Wash: Brush the entire top surface of the wreath with beaten egg to promote a golden, glossy finish.
- Final Garnishes: Sprinkle the reserved rosemary and a pinch of fleur de sel on top for aroma and texture.
- Bake: Place the wreath in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the crescent dough is golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer and Serve: Using a spatula or tongs, carefully move the baked wreath onto a serving platter or wooden board.
- Add Honey and Pistachios: Drizzle a small amount of honey on top for sweetness, then scatter the remaining pistachios over the wreath for garnish.
- Optional Decoration: For an extra festive touch, garnish with additional rosemary sprigs and fresh or sugared cranberries around the wreath before serving.
Notes
- Use cold premade crescent dough to make handling easier and keep dough from sticking.
- Adjust cranberry sauce quantity based on preferred tartness and moisture level.
- Pistachios add crunch and color, but you can substitute with walnuts or pecans if preferred.
- Fleur de sel adds a mild crunch and saltiness; regular sea salt flakes can be substituted.
- The wreath can be prepared ahead and baked just before serving to save time.
- Make sure the dough triangles overlap well to prevent filling leakage during baking.
- Serve warm or at room temperature for best flavor.
- Vegans can substitute brie with a plant-based cheese alternative and use a flax egg wash.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 small portion (approximately 1/12th of the wreath)
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
