Baked Brie with Blackcurrant Cider & Middle Eastern Fruit Crumble
I’m having one of those days.
Uninspired and unmotivated.
I need colour,
I need flavour,
I need cheese, and not just any cheese I need this oozing creamy baked brie with cider and middle eastern fruit crumble.
This Baked Brie with Blackcurrant cider recipe came about from a happy accident – a wheel of cheese that needed to be used immediately, a bottle of cider half drunk, and a bunch of middle eastern inspired flavours that were just sitting around in the cupboard. It was all a little haphazard perhaps, but with awesomely gooey results.
I dream of this Brie.
Meltingly smooth, with sweet tones baked right into the cheese, a syrup that has thickened slightly, a crumble that is textural and flavours that were made for each other.
It ticks all the right boxes.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Rich and creamy – The cheese becomes warm, gooey, and irresistibly smooth when baked.
- Sweet–savory perfection – Pairs beautifully with honey, jam, fruit or nuts.
- Perfect for dipping – Great with crackers, or apple wedges.
- Effortless elegance – Looks fancy but takes minimal prep and ingredients.
- Quick to make – Ready in about 15–20 minutes.
- Customizable – Top with nuts, herbs, dried fruit
- Crowd-pleaser – Always a hit at parties or holiday gatherings
- Wine-friendly – Pairs wonderfully with both white and red wines.
What is a Baked Brie?
Baked Brie is a warm, gooey wheel of brie cheese that’s lightly cooked until the inside is soft, oozy. It’s usually topped with sweet, savory, or nutty ingredients like fruit, nuts, honey, or syrups. Baking transforms the cheese’s texture, turning it into an indulgent, creamy treat that pairs perfectly with bread, crackers, or fresh fruit.
Unlike regular brie, which is eaten cold or at room temperature, baked brie becomes Melty, making it a show-stopping addition to any cheese board or dinner party. Variations can be as simple as plain baked brie, or as creative as this recipe with blackcurrant cider and a Middle Eastern fruit crumble, where layers of sweet, tart, and nutty flavours elevate the cheese into something unforgettable.
Equipment you may need
- Foil
- Parchment Paper
- Small oven tray
Ingredients
- Blackcurrant and Apple Cider – adds a sweet, tangy kick
- Pomegranate Molasses – rich, syrupy, and perfectly tart.
- Honey – for that glossy sweetness
- Dates – soft and caramel-like.
- Dried Apricot – chewy and sweet.
- Turkish Figs – hit of jammy texture.
- Pistachio – chopped roughly for crunch and colour.
- Flaked Almonds – lightly toasted for extra nuttiness.
- Fresh Thyme – for an earthy, fragrant finish.
How to Make
First thing you will want to do is Preheat you oven to 180C (375F).
The Pumpkin
Next we will tackle the pumpkin. Peel the pumpkin and discard. We will then dice the pumpkin flesh into 1.5 cm cubes. Place the cubes of pumpkin onto a baking try and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the pumpkin gently to coat thoroughly with oil and place in oven for 25mins or until roasted and softened. Remove from the oven and put to the side until needed.
The Chorizo
Chop your chorizo into 1cm cubes. We will now render the fat out of the chorizo. Place the chorizo cubes into a cold 20cm frying pan. Place the frying pan over a medium heat. Toss the chorizo every minute until the fat has rendered out and the chorizo is browned. We will now drain off the excess fat from the frying pan.
The Zucchini
Take 1/4 of the zucchini and slice as thinly as possible so you create thin circles. Put them to the side for topping the Chorizo Frittata. Dice the remainder of the Zucchini into 1cm cubes. Next we are going to put the diced zucchini in the frying pan with the chorizo after the fat has been drained. We will cook the Zucchini for about 4 minutes tossing frequently or until they have slightly softened and started to brown.
Peas
It’s now time to add the frozen peas to the chorizo and zucchini mix. Toss and cook for roughly 3 minutes.
Roast Pumpkin and Baby Spinach
Egg Mixture
Toppings
To Cook
Oven
If you have an oven proof pan, place it in the oven at 160c (fan forced) and bake for 40mins or until risen and set in the center.
Stove top and Grill
If you don’t have an oven proof pan, leave it on the stove on low heat until the sides of the Frittata have puffed and set and the center is slightly wobbly (about 30mins). Next, place the pan under a grill on medium until the top is browned and set.
Storing and serving suggestions for your Baked Brie.
-
Refrigerate leftovers: Let baked brie cool to room temperature, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge.
-
Reheat gently: Warm in the oven for about 10–15 minutes, until soft and melty again.
-
Serve warm: Brie is best enjoyed right after baking while it’s warm and gooey inside.
-
Pair with:
-
Crackers
-
Apple or pear slices
-
Grapes, figs, or berries
-
Honey, jam, or chutney
-
Toasted nuts (like pecans or walnuts) and flaked almonds
-
-
Presentation tip: Place on a wooden board or platter with accompaniments arranged around it for a beautiful, shareable centerpiece. I love a mix of Fresh fruit and Charcuterie meats.
FAQ
Q. Can I make the Baked Brie ahead of time?
A. Absolutely.
1. Prep the Brie in the Syrup and prepare the middle eastern Crumble topping.
2. Then Just before serving, pop the Brie in the oven.
Q. Can I use another cheese?
A. You sure can.
Camembert or triple cream brie works amazing.
Q. I don’t have any Pomegranate Molasses, Can i use something else?
A. Definitely.
You can use a mix of Balsamic reduction and honey to give a tangy/sweet flavour.
Baked Brie with blackcurrant cider and a middle eastern fruit crumble
Ingredients
- 250 gm Wheel of Brie
- 75 ml Blackcurrant and Apple Cider
- 2 tsp Pomegranate Molasses
- 3 tsp Honey
- 3 Dates pitted and sliced
- 5 Dried Apricot sliced
- 3 Turkish Figs sliced
- 20 gm Pistachio rough chop
- 20 gm Flaked Almonds
- 5 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
Instructions
- Oven preheated to 180C (fan forced)
- Line a piece of foil (big enough to loosely wrap around the brie) with silicone paper.
- Toast the Almond over a medium heat until browned. Set aside to cool and wipe out pan for next stage.
- Combine the pomegranate molasses, honey and cider in the cleaned pan and heat over medium until reduced and slightly thickened. (about 5 minutes)
- Meanwhile chop all your fruit and pistachios and combine with the almonds. Toss until mixed nicely.
- Prepare the brie, make some slices in the top making sure not to score through to the bottom. Take some thyme and press it into the slices. (I made 5 slices in the top and pushed thyme into all of them)
- Place the brie into the middle of the lined foil slices facing up and cup the foil around the brie leaving the top open. Make sure there is no holes around the base of the foil.
- Pour the pomegranate syrup over the brie and put into the oven. (there should be no leaks, don’t let that syrupy goodness get away)
- Bake for 20minutes. Remove from oven unfold the foil. Top with the fruit crumble mix, spoon over some of the syrup from around the cheese, add some fresh thyme leaves and eat immediately.
Notes
- Pomegranate Molasses is a dark plum coloured, sweet/tart syrup made from the reduced pomegranate juice. It can be found in good supermarkets, deli’s and green grocers, and of course online, and from Middle Eastern and Indian grocers. It is one of my favourite pantry items, it’s applications are almost endless from salad dressing to cocktail ingredient.
- If you can’t get hold of some blackcurrant and apple cider, I have also made this with apple and blackcurrant juice or you could just try another cider.
Follow your Baked Brie appetizer
with one of our favourite recipes
Pin to save this Cider Baked Brie recipe for later
