Ingredients
- One 6-ounce wedge of Brie cheese
- 1 apple or firm pear, peeled, cored and diced into ½ inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/3 cup beer
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 ½ cups dried fruit such as cranberries, cherries or diced apricots
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- a pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
Suggested beers – Ahnapee Brewery Long Goodbye, Titletown Brewery “400” Honey Ale or Door County Brewery Pastoral Farmhouse Ale
Heat the butter in a skillet on medium high heat. Add the apple or pear pieces. Sauté on medium heat until the apples begin to brown. Stir a few times but do not stir constantly.
Sprinkle the 2 teaspoons of sugar over the fruit. Stir on medium heat for 2 minutes while fruit caramelizes. Set aside while preparing the dried fruit mixture.
Pour the beer and orange juice in a sauté pot. Add the dried fruit, the brown sugar and the spices. Heat on medium heat and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Combine the cornstarch with the water. With the mixture still simmering, drizzle in the cornstarch, stirring constantly until the fruit juices thicken.
Add the reserved apple or pear pieces. Can be prepared ahead and reheated. If reheating, add a little orange juice or beer if mixture has become too thick.
Warm the brie in a 250-degree oven or briefl y in a microwave oven. Spoon the warm fruit mixture over the heated brie cheese wedge. Serve with fresh fruit and crackers
