Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid
This Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older. #Chardonnation #NotableHoliday #CollectiveBias
Fall brings a few of my favorite things ~ crisp, cool sweater weather, an explosion of fall colored leaves, the return of my favorite TV shows without reruns, cute leather boots and scarves. Plus holiday entertaining which I actually do enjoy! Entertaining used to be stressful back in the day and not as much fun, but I’ve learned a few tricks along the way that I’m sharing today.
One tip is not to get too fancy which makes a Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid perfect ~ warm brie cheese melted with tangy cranberry sauce, finely chopped pistachios and a burst citrus flavor, all beautifully braided inside golden, warm, flaky crescent dough. A glass of Chardonnay makes it even better and with a few other tips below, entertaining couldn’t be any simpler.
The first holiday dinner I hosted could have been an episode on a sitcom. It wasn’t funny at the time, but I can laugh about it now. I had no idea what I was doing, was a nervous wreck and made so many mistakes, starting with preparing the entire meal myself after refusing offers to help (oops!).
I had so much food that it looked like a restaurant buffet and because I didn’t know a thing about choosing wine, I goofed in that department, too.
Don’t let my story scare you off because though it took me a few years, I discovered the key to stress free, fun entertaining ~ yes, even for the host!
A few tips (along with a tasty appetizer recipe and wine recommendation) will make it easy for you, too whether you’re hosting a big holiday dinner for the extended family or an intimate, elegant wine tasting for a few close friends. Either way, it’s a great chance to reconnect with the people we care about most.
Tips for easy entertaining:
- Music. A playlist of easy listening music makes guests feel welcome, especially if they’re the first to arrive and it sets the tone for the party.
- Wine. Chill the wine ahead of time and make sure you have enough glasses for everyone.
- Food. Keep it simple. You’ll have more fun if you’re not in the kitchen the whole time!
- Prep. Do as much ahead of time as possible.
- Help. Can’t stress this enough Accepting help was the hardest part for me and sometimes still is.
- Relax. If you’re stressed your guests will be too.
In my house, it’s not a party without cheese which can mean anything from a cheese and charcuterie board to this equally simple to make Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid.
Of course, taste is most important and this appetizer has that too ~ warm, melted brie cheese flavored with cranberry sauce, a little burst of citrus from orange zest and some texture from finely chopped pistachios baked inside a crescent sheet. I gave it a light egg wash on the top to add a little shine and a pretty golden color.
Once you decide on the food part of the menu, you can figure out the type of wine to serve with it. Choosing the right wine can be challenging. I’ve spent a lot of time in the wine aisle trying to decide which wine to buy, sometimes choosing by the label (you too?) only to be disappointed by what’s actually inside the bottle.
Notable Wines is the first to highlight the wine’s flavor profiles right on the front of the bottle. So you know what flavors to expect even before your first sip. The guesswork is taken out of choosing the right wine just by following the flavor notes.
Notable has two distinctive Chardonnay options ~ a buttery variety with flavors of oak, butter and vanilla and a fruity crisp variety with flavors of citrus, melon and peach and both are delicious with this Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid.
Click to find out where to buy Notable Wines then try both and see which your guests like best.
Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid Ingredients:
- parchment paper
- 8 ounce crescent dough sheet
- 6 ounces brie cheese
- 1/3 cup (whole berry) cranberry sauce
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 teaspoon orange juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachio nuts
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary (optional: more for garnish)
- 1 egg
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees then line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
In a small bowl, combine the cranberry sauce, orange zest and juice, finely minced rosemary and chopped pistachios.
Unroll the crescent sheet and place it on the baking sheet, then spread the cranberry mixture down the center of the crescent dough, leaving about 3 inches of the sides bare.
Tip: if your grocery store doesn’t carry the sheets, crescent rolls work, just pinch the perforations to seal them.
Make diagonal slits about 1 1/2″ wide, slicing almost to the filling.
Remove the rind from the brie using a paring knife or potato peeler, cut it into small cubes and add it to the top of the cranberry sauce.
Starting at one end, pull one strip over the other (braiding) down the length of the crescent dough. When you reach the end tuck the dough in to seal the filling.
In a small bowl whisk the egg and about 2 tablespoons of water together. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of the Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid with the egg wash and bake 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.
Slice diagonally and serve warm. Enjoy!
I have your back with a couple of other appetizers for the holiday season: Mini Crab Cakes and Garlic Butter Scallops are both delicious, stay with the simple, yet elevated theme and enhance the flavors of Notable Wines.
If you tried this recipe or any other on the blog, don’t forget to leave a comment or star rating ~ I love hearing from you!
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Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid
Ingredients
- parchment paper
- 8 ounce crescent dough sheet
- 6 ounces brie cheese
- 1/3 cup cranberry sauce whole berry type
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 teaspoon orange juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachio nuts
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped rosemary
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the cranberry sauce, orange zest and juice, rosemary and pistachios.
- Unroll the crescent sheet and place it on the baking sheet OR if your grocery store doesn’t carry crescent sheets, rolls work, just pinch the perforations to seal them.
- Spread the cranberry blend down the center of the crescent dough, leaving about 3" bare on each side.
- Make diagonal slices about 1 1/2″ wide, cutting almost to the filling.
- Remove the rind from the brie, cut into small cubes then dot the top of the cranberry sauce.
- Start at one end pulling one strip over the other (braiding) down the length of the dough. When you reach the end tuck the dough in to seal the filling.
- In a small bowl whisk the egg and about 2 tablespoons of water. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of the Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid with the egg wash.
- Bake 10-13 minutes or until golden brown. Slice diagonally and serve right away.
Comments
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Dwan
November 13, 2017
I love how the crescent braid turned out. I love cranberries. ~client
Bernie
November 14, 2017
Thanks so much Dwan! It’ll be on the menu at our house! 🙂