It is quite different -- and used differently. When I do brie in puff pastry, I put it on a plate with crackers near and a knife so that people can cut whatever they want of pastry and cheese. They can put it on the cracker or not.\
You can also put little pieces of brie in little pieces of puff pastry and cook that -- then everyone has their own bite . . . but I think that that is a bit fussy and time consuming.
Looked at the video. When you cut the brie, the cheese spreads out of the crust. Are you just putting the melted cheese on a cracker??? Does it scoop ok with just a knife?
Posts: 4234 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: Dec 01, 2003
It's a delicious mess to serve from a buffet line or hors d'oeuvres table. The cheese is heavy and the cracker breaks. The crust is difficult to cut with those cute little spreaders. There's always someone pushing you from behind to keep moving, so you end up with a melted mess of spread out cheese at the end of the event. Most folks pass it up because it's too difficult to serve themselves one-handed while they hold their plate with the other hand.
Posts: 2133 | Location: Midwest | Registered: Nov 29, 2007
Yes, it oozes out when it's warm but when it cools off a bit it doesn't as much. We've always used a knife or a small wedge shaped server for it. Usually most guests put a bit of the pastry and the cheese on a cracker. And some, of course, eat it as is with a fork (if one is provided).
We did a big one -- 24 or 30 inches for our DD as one of her wedding appetizers. As I recall, there wasn't much of it left but then we had 350 guests . . . (and it wasn't the only appetizer).
Baked brie is great spread on apple or pear slices, which can stand up to the gooey goodness. Or, just scoop it out on a plate and eat with a fork; there is pastry already on it, so crackers are redundant.
ETA: I have worked many times with puff pastry, but not phyllo, which requires a lot more work to prepare. However, if you ever eaten freshly prepared homemade baklava, you'll taste why it pays to spend all that time carefully buttering each paper-thin leaf of dough.This message has been edited. Last edited by: aychihuahua,
I'm wonder if these would be a better choice to make. Brie, Apricot, and Pistachio Mini-Phyllo Cups I just have to find who sells these lil cups or the phyllo dough.
Posts: 4234 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: Dec 01, 2003
Any time you can do individuals, I think it is a better choice for the plate/tray always looks nice -- if it's one big thing -- a couple of servings in, it looks like a dog's breakfast! (But I feel the same way about casseroles on a buffet)
I have seen those -- perhaps in our town -- which if that is where, I would assume you could find them anywhere. If I were you, if you have a Byerly's close by, they should have them.
