Fig Baked Brie Recipe

Some of the best food pairings offer up a juxtaposition of flavors to create a perfectly balanced taste. This fig baked Brie recipe certainly follows this successful formula, and it's guaranteed to satisfy a range of palates. Recipe developer Susan Olayinka from The Flexible Fridge describes her cooking philosophy as focusing on recipes that are "delicious, easy, and busy-life-approved." This one is a winner, and it makes a fool-proof appetizer for dinner parties and entertaining. It can even be prepared in advance so that you can enjoy the time with your guests.

As for the flavor, Olayinka says, "this dish is sweet, savory, and slightly nutty," and goes on to list how each element plays a key role: "The figs add a lovely sweetness to the dish, while the honey and pecans give it a nice depth of flavor. The Brie is rich and creamy, making it the perfect base for this tasty dish." She notes that this recipe is a great starting point for experimentation and encourages home cooks to "get creative and have fun with it!"

Begin by gathering together the ingredients for this sweet and savory dish. You'll need a wheel of mild Brie cheese (about 1 pound), extra-virgin olive oil, honey, 4 small figs, and some pecans. If you'd like, you can also add some fresh thyme at the end as a garnish.

Olayinka highlights the delightful qualities of figs, explaining that "they add a unique sweetness to the dish that really enhances the flavors of the Brie and honey." While she is all for experimentation, this particular recipe is all about making the figs the star ingredient. However, she suggests testing out different styles of cheese, such as tangy goat or pungent blue. Or, she points out that trying various types of honey, syrup, or jam can dramatically transform the dish. Finally, adding some sweet, warming spices is another surefire way to switch up the flavor profile.

Set your oven to 350 F to preheat and transfer the Brie to a baking tray lined with paper. Next, take a sharp knife and carefully cut shallow slits into the surface of the cheese to form a grid pattern. These cuts will allow for easy serving while also ensuring the cheese gets flavored with all the special ingredients we're going to add.

Speaking of which, let's get started on that. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of honey.

Drizzle the olive oil and honey mixture over the top of the cheese. Olayinka uses a pastry brush here to spread it out evenly. Try to avoid spilling the sauce on the paper or it will quickly burn in the oven.

Set out a cutting board and roughly chop up the pecans — there's no need to be precise, but avoid leaving large pieces. Set the nuts aside and slice each fig into quarters. Olayinka warns that "the skin of the fig can be quite tough," so be sure to use a sharp knife to pierce through. Once everything's chopped up, carefully place the sliced figs over the surface of the Brie.

Once the oven is preheated, pop the cheese (now topped with the fruit) in and bake it for 15 minutes until the center is decadently gooey. Remove the baking dish from the oven and drizzle the remaining tablespoon of honey over the surface. Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top for some textural contrast and, if desired, add some fresh thyme.

Olayinka suggests serving this rich preparation with crackers or bread as an appetizer, or else as a main along with salad or soup. If you have any leftovers (though, really how could you?), cover the cheese with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate it for up to 3 days, and be sure to heat it for a few minutes before serving so that the cheese gets melty again.