Baked Brie in Cranberry Orange Bread

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This is one appetizer that is sure to impress! And... we have an amazing hack for you if you're short on time

Today we are sharing with you our mouthwatering Baked Brie in Cranberry Orange Bread, a delicious blend of gooey Brie and sweet-tart, with notes of cranberry and orange.

WOT is the best part of this recipe? While it’s hard to pick just one thing about this delicious bread we love the most, we are sharing our recipe for Cranberry Orange Bread — But if you don’t have the time to make your own, you can opt for a store-bought loaf instead – Lots of stores carry specialty bread this time of year.

Seriously, you can swap in store-bought bread and whip this recipe up in no time. Whether you opt for a homemade loaf or buy a specialty loaf at the store, this appetizer will surely be a crowd-pleaser.

The amazing flavors or savory bread and cheese combined with cranberry and orange make for the perfect holiday appetizer.

Baked Brie in Cranberry Orange Bread

Ingredients

1 Round Cranberry Orange Bread (recipe below)
10-16 oz brie wheel
½ cup cranberry sauce or chutney

Garnish

fresh sprigs of thyme

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the brie wheel on top of the round loaf of bread. Cut around the brie wheel using a serrated knife, using the brie as the template. Set the Brie wheel aside, and using the knife, cut the top off the bread and dig out the inside to create a space large enough to hold the brie wheel. Save all the yummy pieces of bread, slice them into small chunks for dipping, and set aside.
Unwrap the plastic on the Brie, wiggle it, and fit it into the hole of the Cranberry Orange Bread.
Spread the cranberry sauce or chutney on top of the Brie and bake on a baking sheet or a cast iron skillet for 35-40 minutes or until the Brie is soft.
Note that if serving in the cast iron skillet, the skillet retains heat, so be cautious as the skillet will remain hot for a while.

To serve

Have a large cheese knife for the center and a small serrated knife to cut into the crunchy sides of the bread.
Serve with the extra pieces of bread that were set aside

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Cranberry Orange Bread

Ingredients

3 cups bread flour
1½ tsp instant yeast
1½ tsp kosher salt
¾ cup dried cranberries
zest from one orange
1½ cups warm water, not to exceed 110 degrees
2 tbsp coarse baker's sugar (optional)

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, yeast and orange zest.
Add dried cranberries and stir. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, leaving the dough in the bowl, use the stretch and fold method, which is placing your hand in the bowl on one edge, pulling it, and laying it over the top of the dough; turn the bowl one-quarter turn and repeat.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour.
After the second hour of resting, use the stretch and fold method again and repeat the above. Stretch and fold helps to build gluten and gives the bread a great texture.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside overnight (8-10 hours).
In the morning, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, do a stretch and fold, and make a nice ball with the dough. In a parchment-lined bowl, place the dough in the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and then a kitchen towel.
(Dough will continue to rise for approximately another 1.5 hours as you continue to the next step)
After 1 hour, the dough will continue to rise while you move on to the preheating step. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees; place a covered cast iron pot with a lid, and heat the empty pot until the oven reaches 450 degrees. This should take at least 30 minutes.
Carefully remove the hot-covered cast iron pot from the oven and drop the dough-filled parchment paper in the center.
Using scissors, make three or more cuts on the top of the dough and if using, sprinkle the baker’s sugar over the top.
Fold any excess parchment to the outside of the pot and cover the cast iron pot with the cast iron lid.
Bake for 35 minutes, remove the lid, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Bread should sound hallow when you tap the top or when the internal temperature of the bread reached 190 degrees.
Once bread is finished, using the parchment paper, you should be easily able to remove the bread from the cast iron pot.
Place on a cooling rack and let cool for at least one hour before cutting.