Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites
This is one of my all time favorite dishes to make when entertaining during the holidays. Not only is it a beautiful dish, but it's very tasty, too! I discovered this hors d'oeuvre at a catered holiday event I attended about 5 years ago. I love cranberries (see my other holiday recipes HERE , HERE and HERE). This sparkly treat had me at first sight. During the event, I remained so close to the table where this appetizer was being served so I wouldn't miss a bite!
Ingredients
(2) 12 oz. packages of fresh cranberries
1 cup of white sugar
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of white sugar to garnish cranberries
1 cup of maple syrup
16 baguette crackers (regular crackers work, too)
8 oz. Brie cheese
fresh mint to garnish
Yields
approx 16 bites
Directions
To make the cranberry chutney, combine 1 package of cranberries, sugar and water in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and boil gently for 10 minutes to allow the cranberries to pop, stirring occasionally. Set aside and allow to cool.
Rinse the remaining package of cranberries and place in a medium bowl. Heat the maple syrup in a small sauce pan just until warm. Pour over the rinsed cranberries while the syrup is warm (not hot, or the cranberries may pop). Cool, cover, and let soak in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Drain cranberries in a colander. Place the 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl or baking dish. Add cranberries in small batches and roll around until lightly coated in sugar. Place on a baking sheet for about an hour to dry.
Assemble crackers with one slice of brie, a light layer of cranberry chutney and 3 or 4 sugared cranberries. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and Enjoy! ;-)
I prefer to use baguette style crackers in this recipe because they hold up better under the cranberry chutney.
