Nutty Cheese Brulee

This is the appetizer for when guests are 10 minutes away and your pantry is the only thing you have to work with. A wheel of Brie gets drizzled with fruit or chocolate ice cream topping, scattered with pecans or walnuts, and warmed in the microwave until soft and runny.

The ice cream topping trick is genuinely clever. Strawberry, pineapple, or chocolate fudge sauce all play beautifully against Brie’s buttery, slightly funky rind-removed core. The fruit versions echo the traditional cheese-and-fruit pairing, and chocolate turns it into a dessert course.

Removing the rind before warming is the key detail. Keep the rind on and the cheese stays firm and doesn’t ooze properly. Trim just the top off to expose the creamy centre, and serve straight from the plate while it’s still warm enough to spread.

Thirty seconds in the microwave is usually right. Go longer and the Brie becomes a liquid pool instead of scoopable, spreadable cheese. Watch it and pull as soon as it “loses its shape," as the original directions put it.

Chef Tips

• Use a ripe, soft Brie, firm supermarket Brie takes longer to warm and never gets truly gooey.
• Toast the pecans or walnuts in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes before using, it deepens the flavor dramatically.
• Serve immediately, warmed Brie firms back up as it cools and loses its spread-ability.
• Provide a small knife or spoon, guests appreciate the tool for the warm cheese.

Variations

• Swap ice cream topping for a drizzle of hot honey and cracked black pepper for a more adult flavour.
• Use fig preserves or apricot jam instead of ice cream topping for a classic French cheese course presentation.
• Warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes if you don’t have a microwave, wrap in puff pastry first for a show-stopping baked Brie.
• Add dried cranberries or chopped dates with the nuts for more texture and sweetness.