Recipe Review

The Super-Simple Upgrade That Makes Baked Brie Even Better

published Dec 9, 2022
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baked brie on plate with bread and crackers
Credit: Photo: Chris Simpson; Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

When most people, including myself, think of baked Brie, they picture a jam-topped wheel of cheese wrapped in puff pastry. So when I saw Tasty’s popular recipe, which encases the Brie and jam in phyllo dough instead, I knew I had to try it. 

I liked that Tasty’s version relied on one smart upgrade rather than several fancy tricks to set it apart. Plus, using phyllo dough always makes an appetizer seem more impressive (I mean, have you seen this phyllo tart?). Here’s what happened when I gave the recipe a try. 

How to Make Tasty’s Gooey Baked Brie

You’ll begin by thawing the phyllo dough according to package directions. I used Fillo Factory dough, which requires an overnight thaw in the fridge. You’ll only need 10 sheets total, so I recommend unrolling and stacking the thawed sheets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, covering them with a damp kitchen towel, then rerolling the remaining sheets and re-freezing for a later use. 

Heat the oven to 400°F. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough horizontally on a dry surface. Brush with melted butter. Place another sheet on top, brush with more butter, and repeat until you’ve layered four sheets. Layer the remaining six sheets vertically, buttering each one as you go. 

Place a wheel of Brie in the center of the phyllo. Top with raspberry preserves, then fold the corners of the phyllo dough over the top of the Brie and preserves. Brush the whole thing with more butter, then transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden, then serve warm with bread or crackers. 

Credit: Photo: Chris Simpson; Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

My Honest Review of Tasty’s Gooey Baked Brie

This baked Brie was everything I hoped it would be and more. It had the nostalgic taste of classic baked Brie, but the phyllo dough — which baked up lighter and flakier than puff pastry — definitely made it more special. Despite its simplicity, the dish is full of exciting contrasts: the crunch of the phyllo gives way to the gooey melted cheese, and the acidity in the jam helps offset the Brie’s buttery richness. I really didn’t miss the addition of nuts or other fillings.

Phyllo dough is also more forgiving than puff pastry. Layering so many sheets on top of one another means that if one tears or isn’t perfectly in place, it really doesn’t matter — your baked Brie will look great regardless. For a festive final touch, you could top the whole thing with fresh raspberries like Tasty does in their video. 

My one qualm with this recipe is that it doesn’t provide ingredient amounts, leaving the amount of jam, butter, and Brie up to the cook’s discretion. I ended up using a standard 8-ounce wheel of Brie, 1/2 cup preserves, and 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter for buttering the phyllo dough, all of which worked great.

If You’re Making Baked Brie, a Few Tips  

  1. Use your favorite type of jam or preserves. Don’t feel limited to raspberry. Strawberry, sour cherry, apricot, fig, or red currant would all be delicious. Plus, changing up the flavor will let you control the overall sweetness of the dish. 
  2. Keep your phyllo dough covered. Because you’re working with the phyllo sheets one at a time, it’s important to keep the rest of the stack covered to prevent them from drying out. I use a damp kitchen towel, but plastic wrap or wax paper are fine alternatives. You’ll also want to work quickly once you start buttering, so that the buttered sheets don’t become too brittle to fold over the Brie. 

Overall rating: 9/10