Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Step 2
Unwrap and place brie into an ovenproof shallow dish slightly bigger than the cheese (see Chef’s Tips). With a sharp paring knife, score the top of the brie, making shallow cuts between ⅛ to ¼ inch deep, being careful to leave about ⅛ inch uncut around the edge.
Step 3
Place pecan halves onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes or until lightly toasted. Stir halfway through the baking time. Remove from oven.
Step 4
Increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
Step 5
Carefully transfer nuts to a cutting board to cool. Divide pecan halves into two equal piles. With a chef’s knife, roughly chop one pile of pecans. Set pecans aside.
Step 6
In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar, water, salt, ground cinnamon, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Place over medium heat, stirring to melt the sugar. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat slightly and simmer gently until slightly reduced and syrupy; 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the chopped rosemary and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and cover to allow flavours to infuse; 5 minutes.
Step 7
Place the brie into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes until the middle is warm and gives slightly when pressed. Remove from oven.
Step 8
Stir the pecans into the brown sugar mixture until pecans are evenly coated. Top the warmed brie with the brown sugar pecan mixture and place back into the oven to warm through and melt the cheese; about 7 minutes.
Step 9
Remove from oven and, if desired, finely grate and/or sprinkle orange zest over the hot brie and garnish with fresh rosemary. Allow brie to cool slightly before serving.
*A small cast-iron skillet or pie dish works well, but any shallow, ovenproof bakeware can be used to hold the wheel of brie.
*An inexpensive wheel of brie is a good choice when making baked brie with toppings.
*A wheel of Camembert can also be used.
*Orange juice, bourbon, or whisky can be used in place of the water, if desired, for different flavour profiles.
*Zest citrus fruits before juicing. Any zest that does not get used can be placed into a small freezer-safe bag or airtight container and kept in the freezer for future use.
*Walnuts or hazelnuts would be great substitutions for the pecans in this recipe.
*Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar or Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar can be used instead of the Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar. Note that using the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar will yield a lighter butterscotch syrup with more subtle caramel flavour. Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar will result in a slightly darker, earthier, and more complex butterscotch syrup than the original recipe.
