Description
This festive Cranberry Brie Crescent Wreath is a delightful appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings. It features flaky crescent dough triangles arranged in a beautiful wreath shape, filled with creamy brie, tangy cranberry sauce, crunchy pistachios, and aromatic rosemary, all baked to golden perfection and finished with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of fleur de sel.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 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)
- 2 rosemary sprigs
For Assembly and Topping
- 1 egg
- Pinch of fleur de sel
- Honey, drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 °F) to prepare for baking the wreath.
- Prepare the dough: Open the crescent dough cans, roll out the dough and carefully cut out the triangles along the perforated edges without stretching them. Set all dough triangles aside.
- Prepare the filling: Cut the brie into smaller chunks, roughly chop the pistachios, and remove and roughly chop the rosemary leaves from the stems.
- Arrange the dough: 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 facing inward, overlapping each triangle halfway, creating a circular star shape. Tuck the last triangle partly under the first one so all overlap evenly.
- Secure the dough base: Flatten the overlapping parts near the base to make them stick together, ensuring the dough forms a cohesive shape.
- Add cranberry sauce: Spoon the cranberry sauce into the inner circle formed by the dough triangles.
- Add the brie: Scatter the chunks of brie evenly over the cranberry sauce.
- Sprinkle pistachios: Add the majority of the chopped pistachios over the brie and cranberry sauce, reserving some for garnish.
- Sprinkle rosemary: Sprinkle most of the chopped rosemary over the filling, reserving some for decoration.
- Add salt: Sprinkle a pinch of fleur de sel or salt flakes over the filling to enhance flavors.
- Remove the bowl: Carefully remove the bowl from the center and place back any filling that may have fallen into the middle.
- Fold dough tips: Fold the tip of each dough triangle towards the center and tuck the end under the adjacent triangle’s base, continuing around the wreath. Adjust to eliminate gaps and tidy up the shape.
- Apply egg wash: Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the wreath with beaten egg for a golden finish.
- Final garnish before baking: Sprinkle remaining rosemary and a pinch of fleur de sel on top.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes until the wreath is golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer and serve: Carefully transfer the wreath to a serving platter or wooden board.
- Finishing touches: Drizzle a small amount of honey over the wreath and sprinkle the remaining pistachios on top for garnish.
- Optional garnish: Add extra rosemary sprigs and fresh or sugared cranberries for a festive presentation.
Notes
- Be gentle when handling the crescent dough to prevent tearing or stretching, which can affect the wreath’s shape.
- Using a small bowl in the center helps maintain the wreath shape and guides dough placement.
- Adjust the amount of cranberry sauce according to preference for sweetness and tartness balance.
- For a nut-free version, omit pistachios or substitute with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Serve warm for best flavor and texture, as the brie will be soft and melty.
- This recipe can be scaled up or down depending on the occasion size.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 small wedge (approx. 1/12 of the wreath)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
