Brie with Almonds and Fruit Preserves

This recipe makes for a quick and easy appetizer. I found a wonderful jar of fig (slight obsession) preserves, but I presume any fruit preserve that is not overly sweetened would do well.













Ingredients
one triangle brie- approx 6-10 oz
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup prepared preserves

apple slices and crostinis for dipping

Directions
Cut the brie into slices and place in a slightly oiled baking dish. Top with almonds, salt, pepper and oil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and apply a thin layer of preserves. Place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

Serve warm with toasted bread slices and apples.

I have found that with serving brie the most important thing is to not skimp on quality. Crappy store brand brie will taste like it. Some bries have more of a consistency of rubber than a nice soft cheese. I recommend buying double or triple cream brie from Trader Joe's and make sure that when it is chilled in the refrigerator that it still is soft to the touch.

Here are some more brie facts I found on the web

• The white moldy Brie rind is edible and is usually eaten along with the softer interior.
• Underripe Brie will feel hard when gently pressed with your finger, while overripe Brie will feel too soft and runny to the touch. The exterior should be firm, while the center should be springy but not watery.
• Brie stops aging once it is sliced, so if it is not properly aged when you cut into it, it will not improve.
• Brie should be brought to room temperature or warmed before eating.
• French Brie has a lower fat content (about 40 percent) than American Brie which has up to 60 percent fat content. However, true Brie cheese is unpasteurized and illegal to import to the US.
• Champagne goes particularly well with Brie cheese.