Feeling Cheesy, part 2
In the previous installment of “Feeling Cheesy,” I discussed modifications that can be made to Brie. My favorite modification is this. Bring the cheese up to room temperature and then consume. That is what we do with better wheels or wedges of Brie.
The problem
The problem is that it is very difficult to find good, real, full flavored, or edible Brie in the United States. Why, you ask? It’s simple. Our government decided, in 1985, that raw milk cheeses aged less than 60 days could not be made or imported into the land of the (formerly) free and the home of the brave, who are afraid of cheese!
Sadly, we may never be able to taste a raw milk Brie de Meaux or Brie de Melun here in Colorado.
What are we left with?
Much of what we see in our local cheese shops, are cheap imitations. Much of these are made with Ultra High Temperature (UHT) pasteurized milk. This is milk that is heated to a kazillion degrees Fahrenheit, for a few seconds, then flash chilled. This will kill all those bad nasties that we fear the most and many of the goodies that make Brie great.
We pasteurize to kill off any bad nasties that can cause some serious medical issues. They are a major concern but a little perspective is needed. From 1998 to 2010 in Colorado there were 143 cases of illnesses attributed to raw milk. Over the same time period there were over 200 cases attributed to pasteurized milk.
Although there are some bad nasties that can be transferred from “Bossy” to her milk, most bacteria can be reduced or eliminated by safe food handling, clean facilities and better bovine hygiene, which is a major element in processing of pasteurized milk.
Am I advocating a diet that includes raw milk? No. That is for you to research and decide for yourself.
There are a few cheese makers that pasteurize their own milk and make small batch artisan cheeses. (Two I just bought and I am waiting patiently on the brown truck to deliver.) They heat their milk to a lower temperature for a longer time period to kill bad nasties, yet not destroy the natural enzymes, vitamins or change the milks protein structure. This will also keep the food police from arresting them.
Baked Brie
Now that I have finished with my soapbox rant, lets cook! Baked Brie is very simple to make, it has four or five ingredients and is delicious.
1 Wheel of Brie (in the picture I used a 7 ounce wheel)
1 sheet puff pastry (it is in frozen foods usually right next to the frozen phyllo)
2 – 4 Tbsp. raspberry jam (Seedless if you can find it. Get the good stuff. I prefer the stuff made by an old lady wearing a frilly apron, AKA Grandma!)
1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped or chiffonade (optional)
We start by thawing the puff pastry. Thaw it completely, do not use the microwave, do not immerse in water, just take it out of the box and set it on the counter. Wait for it to completely thaw. Do not unwrap, unfold or try to manipulate until it is completely thawed. While we are waiting, preheat your oven to 400°.
Did you get the hint about completely thawing?
Now that it is completely thawed, unwrap and unfold the dough. There may be creases that will need to be sealed. Just pinch them together. Dust the work surface with flour, then use a rolling pin to even out the dough out. We don’t want to overwork the dough. Just smooth out the seams or any bumps.
In my previous blog, Feeling Cheesy part 1, I gave tips on how to split a wheel of Brie. Go back and review the instructions if you need to. I’ll wait. Got it? Good, let continue.
Split the wheel of Brie and place the bottom disk in the center of the puff pastry, gooey side up. Spread about 2 tablespoons of jam on the cheese and top the jam with the basil. Place the other disk, gooey side down on top. Then spread the rest of the jam on top of that layer.
Trim the puff pastry so that you don’t have a huge lump of dough where it is sealed. Fold over the edges of the dough and seal the edges using the egg wash. Flip the disk over and place sealed side down on a parchment lined sheet pan. (I used a silicon-impregnated mat, it worked fine.)
Take the rest of the egg wash and paint it onto the dough. If you have any scrap pieces of dough, feel free to decorate the top of the disk. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. You want this to be golden brown and cooked through.
An alternative to the disk is to fold the edges up into a purse. Then coat the sachet with the egg wash and bake like the disk.
Give this a shot. It makes a nice appetizer served with crackers or crusty bread or just a spoon.
Check back soon for our next blog. If you like what you read feel free to share this blog on your social media sites and/or leave a comment below. If there is a topic you would like us to discuss let us know. Just send us an email.
~T
