Baked brie with Caramelised pear and figs

Well - It was Ozfiredancers hens party last weekend, and I thought I would spoil the girls with something a bit spesh...

Ive been sitting on the base of this recipe for over 3 years now waiting for an excuse to make it.

Its not healthy - it is definitely not healthy. Its not cheap either - but what it is ( I hope...) is delicious, divine and well worth a special occasion.

All in all, this "entree" will cost around $40 to make - you can make it smaller to suit the occasion. I made a big one to make sure everyone got a bit! (as it turns out - even the boys got a bit when they came home in the morning. Between 9 girls, several more dishes and 2 cocktail slushie machines, we just could not finish it off!!)


Baked Brie with Caramelised Pears and Figs

1kg wheel of brie or camembert
3 packham pears - sliced fine
2 figs - sliced
2tbs butter
2tsp honey
1tbs brown sugar
3 cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a small sprig of rosemary

2 baguettes to serve.

Slice the pears (not too thickly). Melt 2tbs butter in a frypan. Add 2tsp honey and 1tbs brown sugar. Mix well. Add cinnamon and cloves. When bubbling, add the pears and mix thoroughly so that all the pear is covered with caramel.
Let it get all lovely and bubbly and jubbly till the pears have started to go a bit transparent and are soft - like the photo below.

While the pears are caramelising - Cut the top off your brie. Try to get most of the mould off - this allows the caramel to cook into the cheese when it is baked.


Once your pears have cooked, layer them over the brie, allowing for a little overlapping. Try keep as much of the caramel sauce in the pan as possible. Arrange sliced figs on top and drizzle the whole thing with the caramel sauce. Sprinkle the rosemary on top.

Bake in a 180 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the figs are soft. Serve with crusty baguettes and dont be scared to get your hands dirty - because you will be licking delicious goopy cheese off your fingers - there is no other way to eat it!


The luscious picnic spread we devoured in Ozfiredancer's living room:


Ozfiredancer being cheeky and taking a photo of the photographer with her fancy picture machine, and Chelsaur enjoying what was possibly the strongest fruit tingle cocktail on the planet.


Lots of love to all my girls - I know you will have a fantastic weddening and rest-of-your-life Ozfiredancer :D