Baked Brie with Cranberry Compote

Make a compote of cranberries with maple syrup and rosemary, then top some brie for a phenomenal snack!

There are so many recipes out there for toppings on brie. Some of them are sweet, some of them are savory. Many of them are best when made while the toppings are in season. This is our favorite to make during the winter season. Although you are not limited to enjoying this just in the winter. Buy some extra cranberries when they are cheap in the stores and store them in your freezer. Then you can top your baked brie with cranberry compote any time of year! Christmas in July anyone?

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Does it have to be made while camping? Definitely not! So many of our “camping” recipes can easily be made over a fire, on the grill, or even in the oven if your plans must change. This means that even if you are camping somewhere in which you can’t have fire, or if it is pouring down rain, as long as you have another heat source, we encourage you to try any of our many tasty camping recipes. This one also makes a gorgeous holiday appetizer.

What we love about Baked Brie with Cranberry Compote:

• Compote can be made ahead of time
• Cook over firepit, on a grill, or in the oven
• Sweet and savory

The Ingredients for Baked Brie with Cranberry Compote:

• Olive Oil
• Brie
• Fresh (or frozen) Cranberries
• Pure Maple Syrup
• Pecans, chopped and toasted
• Butter
• Rosemary (dried or fresh)
• Salt and Pepper
• Fresh Lime Juice
• Baguette

The Process (Part One) for making Baked Brie with Cranberry Compote:

1. Chop and toast your pecans while you are getting your ingredients together.
2. Place cranberries, maple syrup, pecans, butter, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Boil for 10 minutes or until the cranberries have broken down and your mixture is syrupy.
4. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
5. Refrigerate compote up to two weeks.

The Process (Part Two) for making Baked Brie with Cranberry Compote:

1. Start your campfire or heat up your grill so that your heat source is ready. If using wood or charcoal, let the flames die out prior to cooking your food.
2. (Optional) Preheat your cast iron skillet over the fire while getting your supplies ready.
3. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of your cast iron skillet.
4. Place wheel of brie in the middle of the skillet and top it with the cranberry compote, allowing it to spill around the sides as well.
5. Set the cast iron skillet on a grate over the fire and allow it to cook until the brie has puffed up and the compote has warmed thoroughly (roughly 20 minutes).
6. Pull the skillet off the fire and allow to cool slightly.
7. Serve with baguette slices.

FAQ:

Q: What is brie?

A: Brie is a soft cow’s milk cheese from the French region of Brie. It has a pale color with an edible rind of white mold. The taste can be described as being a “fruity hazelnut” and for straight eating it pairs well with Champagne, red Bordeaux, or Burgundy wines.

Q: Are there substitutes for brie?

A: Yes, camembert is probably the easiest choice if you are looking for a substitute. It is also a soft cheese from France, albeit a bit spicier. Another cheese is reblochon although I don’t see it very often. It too comes from France and is made from cow’s milk. Last suggestion, although we have not personally tasted it, would be coulommiers. Some say it is brie’s ancestor.

Q: How should I store brie before using it?

A: Because brie is a soft cheese bacteria can spread rapidly if left out for too long. Refrigerate it immediately after purchase and keep at a temperature of 39 degrees F. or lower. You will also want to keep it tightly sealed. And, if there are any leftovers, make sure to store them properly or toss them if you aren’t sure. No one wants food poisoning on a camping trip!

Q: What is compote?

A: Compote is a fruit sauce which is made from pieces of fresh (or frozen) fruit and some sweetener, cooked briefly on the stove, until it is syrupy. It can be made with sugar, honey, or real maple syrup as we do in this recipe. It is not as thick as jam or jelly and it should not be canned or preserved, but that’s okay. It is so easy and quick to make, as long as you have the ingredients at hand.

Q: Can I use frozen fruit?

A: Yes, yes you can! We often buy fruit in season, prep it for the freezer, and use it for making compote. There is no need to defrost the fruit before adding it to the pot. It will take a few extra minutes to come to a boil, but as it warms up it naturally develops that syrupy texture we are looking for in our compote.

Q: We don’t like cranberries. What other fruits can we use?

A: We recommend any fruit that is in season and looks good to you is worth trying. However, are you sure you don’t like cranberries? Or is it that you don’t like jelled cranberry from a can? If you haven’t tried eating fresh cranberries after cooking, we beg you to give them a try.

Other fruits we have enjoyed are raspberries in the spring, roasted strawberries in the early summer, peaches with blueberries late summer, and apples & pears in the fall. The only one we have tried which we have not used again was pineapple. There was nothing wrong with it, we love pineapple. It just wasn’t our favorite.

Q: Have you ever paired your fruit with nuts? What about a bread bowl or puff pastry version?

A: We have done both. We tend to not do pastry versions while camping because we are trying to keep these recipes simple. But when we are eating at home we love to indulge in more elaborate recipes.

General Tips for Cast Iron Cooking:

• Start your fire early! You want to be cooking on coals as they are a more reliable heat source for controlling your temperatures.
• Use indirect heat when possible. Again, we are looking for even heat, not one which fluctuates wildly.
• Preheat if feasible. Just like preheating an oven, preheating your cast iron will help your food cook evenly.
• Elevate your cookware. Doing this allows for airflow around your dish, just like your oven at home. If your campsite doesn’t have an existing metal grate to use, you can always try rocks that are heat safe. We always carry a grate with us for exactly this purpose.
• Don’t forget to keep it clean! There is nothing worse than pulling out your cast iron cookware at the campsite to find it was put away dirty.

Equipment Needed:

• Cast Iron Skillet: Ours is an 8 inch from Lodge and we love it. It is perfectly sized for a small wheel of brie and assorted toppings.
• Cutting board and knife: We use this to cut up any toppings we want to surround the brie. Then, after a quick clean, it is ready to use as a surface for holding the cooked brie while indulging.
• Heat resistant gloves: If you are going to be working around a fire, at some point you will probably get burned. These gloves can help prevent that.

More Brie Recipes to Enjoy:

• Boozy Campfire Brie
• Caprese Brie
• Sweet Peach Brie with Berries

Using fresh cranberries in season, we make a compote that is a perfect match for brie!

Brie is one of the most versatile cheeses. We eat it as an appetizer, as a (not so healthy) dinner, and even for dessert. This tasty recipe is one of our favorites. What is your favorite way to enjoy a wheel of brie? Tag us on Instagram @campinganswer or send us an email at campinganswer at gmail dot com and let us know. Go on, make us drool…