Brie with Caramelized Pecans

Brie with Caramelized Pecans

1 brie cheese, 5-inch wheel
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 baguette, sliced thin

Warm a sharp slicing knife in very hot tap water and carefully cut the top rind off the brie wheel. As a slicing guide, you can insert skewers into the cheese just below the rind. Let the knife blade rest on the skewers as you slice off the rind.

In a sauce pot, combine the sugar and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half and sauce is dark brown. Remove from heat and add the pecans and cream. Stir well. Return mixture to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about another 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and stir in butter.

Place the brie on a large plate. While it is still hot, pour the caramel and pecan mixture evenly over the Brie, letting some of the caramel run over the sides of the cheese.

Surround the finished brie with baguette slices and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 320 calories; 18 g fat (8 g saturated fat; 51 percent calories from fat); 30 g carbohydrates; 42 mg cholesterol; 441 mg sodium; 10 g protein; 2 g fiber.

A friend of mine, a local event planner and featured in InStyle Wedding and more; she has used this recipe at her own parties. I love to find recipes that impress my guests, but are easy to make!

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