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Cat Santamauro loves cheese, apples, and all of you. To celebrate, she shares her recipe for homemade Baked Brie and Apple Crisps. Yumminess ensues after the jump.

Baked Brie With Apple Crisps

Baked Brie is a universally popular dish. It is also easy to make with ingredients that are probably in your pantry already. It is perfect for unexpected guests or a particularly indulgent snack. If you don’t have the time or inclination to make the apple crisps you can always either buy store bought crisps, or use crackers or toast points. There is really no wrong way to enjoy it.

Apple Crisps

Ingredients:

• 2 granny smith apples
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water

Directions:

1. Slice apples into 1/16 in slices parallel to the core. It is really helpful to use a mandolin, otherwise have a lot of patience and a very sharp knife.
2. In a medium sauce pan heat water and brown sugar till simmering.
3. Add apple slices a few at a time for 15-20 seconds and transfer them to a wire rack to drain. Continue with all slices.
4. Place slices on an oiled (or cooking spray) baking sheet.
5. Bake at 200 for 2-2 ½ hours, or until crisp.
6. Store air tight for up to two days

Baked Brie

Ingredients

• 1 small wheel of Brie (it has to be a wheel not a slice or it won’t hold its shape)
• 1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
• ¼ cup Apricot Preserves
• 3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Amaretto

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Toast almonds for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together the apricot preserves with the brown sugar.
3. Microwave for about 30 seconds to melt some of the sugar.
4. Add Amaretto.
5. Spread mix over the top of the cheese wheel.
6. Place Brie wheel on an oven safe place that you will serve it on. (You can try to move it from a baking sheet to a serving plate, but it isn’t easy and it very well might rip) and bake for 15-20 min.
7. Let stand 5 min before serving. Serve with Apple Crisps.

– Cat Santamauro

catFood is one girl’s mission to teach people the art of simple food with big flavor. She loves cheese, crafts, and her Kitchen-Aid mixer. She can often be found around fresh produce and curing the common cold with Matzo Ball Soup.