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It’s New Year’s Eve, and one of the things I like to have on hand for any drop-in visitors or as a pre-meal appetizer is some tasty nibbles. In particular, this brie recipe. Make sure you grab one quick. They won’t be around long!! Baked Brie Tarts with Jam are the perfect combination of sweet and savory in a single bite. Buttery whole wheat pastry, creamy brie, and strawberry jam are all baked together to create the perfect appetizer for any party or gathering. Finish them off with fresh thyme, crunchy pecans, and a drizzle of spicy honey if you’re feeling extravagant.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
In addition to being delicious, these Baked Brie Tarts with Jam are made entirely from scratch and with real food ingredients. They’re loaded with whole grains, healthy fats, and protein. And that’s always a goal I’m aiming for with any recipe I create.
For the Pastry
- Whole Wheat Flour – Whole wheat flour is a minimally processed flour that still contains most of its valuable nutrients compared to white flour. That means more fiber.
- Pecans – I love pecan nuts. They are one of my favorite nuts, with their almost caramel flavor.
- Paprika – Paprika adds a gentle heat to the pastry. Like magic, spice balances the jam’s sweetness and the brie’s creaminess.
- Butter – Butter and healthy are not considered a match in a world where we have been duped into fearing fats. Yes, butter contains saturated fats, which are best enjoyed in moderation. However, butter is a natural fat that has some great benefits. Just one example is the butyric acid in butter is brilliant for gut health1.
- Eggs – Some people like water to bind their pastry dough, but I like to use an egg for extra richness.
For the Tart Filling
- Extra Creamy Brie Cheese – Brie is a mild, soft, creamy cheese that works perfectly with sweet jams.
- Strawberry Jam – Naturally sweet and sticky jam perfectly compliments creamy brie. They’re a match made in heaven. I use St. Dalfour Strawberry Jam No Added Sugar.
- Fresh Thyme – I love fresh thyme. It grows in abundance in my garden. Not because I am particularly green-fingered. It’s just so easy to grow. Plant it, water it occasionally, and it will reward you with tons of edible leaves.
- Honey (optional) – I love how honey adds a glossy party-time twinkle to these Baked Brie Tarts with Jam. I use Spicy Honey as a nod to the paprika in the pastry.
How to Make Baked Brie Tarts With Jam ~ Step-By-Step
Let’s get started! Like any tart recipe, it has two parts – the tart case or crust and the filling.
- TART PASTRY OR PIE CRUST
BlitzBlitz the pecans in afood processor until they are finely ground.
- Add
Add the flour, butter, and paprika and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Beat
Whisk the egg and lemon juice together in a small bowl.
- Liquid
Add the egg and lemon juice to the blender and pulse once again until the dough comes together. Once the liquid is added, take care not to overwork the dough.
- Chill
Turn out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a round disc. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 20 minutes.
- Roll
Once the pastry has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface until it is roughly 3mm thick.
- Pastry Cutter
Using a 7 cm cutter, cut out 24 discs and press each disc into each cavity of the prepared mini muffin tin. Put the tarts into the fridge to chill once again for 20 minutes.
- Blind Bake
Put the tarts into the oven to blind bake for 10 minutes.
- FILLING
FryWhile the tarts are baking, put the oil in a medium frying pan and heat over medium heat. Add the shallots and thyme leaves and fry for 6-8 minutes until the shallots have softened.
- Meanwhile
Add the egg and milk into a jug or bowl with a pouring spout and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and tip in the shallots and thyme when ready. Stir, and leave to one side.
- Assemble
When the tart cases have finished blind baking, pour the egg mixture into each tart case until about half full.
- Add Brie
Place a piece of brie into each pastry case.
- Add Jam
Then top with a 1/4 teaspoon of strawberry jam.
- Bake
Bake in a hot oven for around 10-15 minutes or until the pastry is cooked, the eggs have set, and the brie is deliciously oozy. Leave to cool slightly in the tin, and then carefully remove using a knife.
- To Serve
Sprinkle with chopped pecans (or my delicious candied walnuts), fresh thyme, and a drizzle of spicy honey.
Full recipe and ingredients list in the recipe card below.
Why You’ll Love Baked Brie Tarts with Jam
Perfect for Entertaining
Whether hosting a dinner party or having friends over for drinks, these delicious appetizers will always be a hit.
They’re Versatile
You can use any flavor of jam or preserves you like, so feel free to experiment.
They’re Totally Delicious!
Of course, the most important thing about any recipe is how it tastes, and this one definitely delivers. The rich, creamy brie pairs perfectly with the sweet jam, and the whole thing is baked to perfection.
Recipe Variations
- Pastry: You may opt for a ready-made, ready-rolled short-crust pastry, a sheet of puff pastry, or even phyllo dough instead of making your own dough. I’ve even seen tart recipes that use crescent roll dough as an alternative. That’s fair. These options would taste great and help this recipe come together much more quickly. My preference is whole wheat pastry. And as I can’t find ready-made whole wheat pastry where I live, it’s easier to make my own. I promise that it’s much easier than you think. Most of the time is hands-off while the pastry is chilling in the fridge. You could be getting on with something else during this time. Better still, you can make this pastry two days in advance, so the tarts are super quick to whip up on the day you plan to make them.
- Jam: This recipe uses a no added sugar strawberry jam, but you can use your favorite jam. Apricot jam, raspberry preserves, sweet fig jam, or orange marmalade are all great options. The sweetness of the jam pairs perfectly with the warm brie. For a more natural jam, simply stew your fruit on the hob with a little coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup until it is thick and jammy. If you have any cranberry sauce left over from Christmas, that would also be a great festive alternative.
- Herbs: Fresh rosemary is an excellent flavor alternative to fresh thyme.
- Sub Honey for Olive Oil: If the overall vibe of this brie appetizer is too sweet for your palate, try swapping the honey with an olive oil drizzle. It will create a more savory yet still delicious appetizer.
- Other Ideas: Not a fan of jam. What about apples? If you’re a bit of a whizz in the kitchen, a natural apple sauce with a pinch of cinnamon, topped with apple slices and crunchy almonds, is fantastic. I must get that recipe on the blog soon!!
Tips For Making Baked Brie Tarts with Jam
1Use Cold Butter When Making Pastry
Make sure your butter is cold before you start making the pastry. This will give you a tender tart or crust.
2Refrigerate Pastry Dough
Putting pastry in the fridge before rolling it out allows the dough to relax and chill the butter. This will ensure the pastry is easy to roll and that the final outcome is a crumbly texture.
3Rolling the Pastry Dough
It’s probably too cold if the pastry starts cracking too much when you roll it. Leave to rest at room temperature for a few minutes and then roll again.
4Chill & Chill Again
After you have put the pastry into the tin, chill it again to prevent the pastry from shrinking when it hits the oven.
5How to Prevent Pastry Burning
If the edges of the tarts brown too quickly and the base is still not cooked, cover with foil and continue to bake.
6Avoid Overfilling
Don’t overfill the tarts with egg mixture, as the filling will spill over.
More Appetizer Recipes
If you like the look of these Baked Brie Tarts with Jam, check out more of my appetizer recipes.
How to Make Baked Brie Tarts with Jam ~ Full Recipe
Print
Baked Brie Tarts with Jam
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 24
Description
Baked Brie Tarts with Jam are the perfect combination of sweet and savory in a single bite. Buttery whole wheat pastry, creamy brie, and strawberry jam are all baked together to create the perfect appetizer for any party or gathering. Finish them off with fresh thyme, crunchy pecans, and a drizzle of spicy honey if you’re feeling extravagant.
Ingredients
Pecan Pastry
- 2/3 cup (90 g) pecans
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and diced
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 egg, cold
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Filling
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 1 banana shallot, finely diced
- 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed, sprigs discarded
- 1 egg, beaten in a jug
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2/3 cup (100 g) extra creamy brie (I like Castello), cut into 24 pieces with a sharp knife. Rind left on.
- 6 tbsp strawberry jam (I use St. Dalfour Strawberry Jam No Added Sugar)
To Serve (optional & not included in nutritional info)
- Chopped pecans (or my delicious candied walnuts!)
- Fresh thyme
- Honey
Instructions
Prep: Gather and prepare your ingredients. Grease a 24-hole mini muffin tin with olive oil. Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC/gas mark 4.
Pastry
Food processor: Blitz the pecans in a food processor until they are finely ground. Then add the flour, butter, and paprika, and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg and lemon juice together in a small bowl and then pour it into the blender. Pulse again until the dough comes together. Once the liquid is added, take care not to overwork the dough. Turn out the pastry dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a round disc. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 20 minutes.
Pastry: Once the pastry has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface until it is roughly 3mm thick. Using a 7 cm cutter, cut out 24 discs and press each disc into each cavity of the prepared muffin tin. If it cracks, simply use your fingers to press it back together. Put the tarts into the fridge to chill once again for 20 minutes. Then, put the tarts into the oven to blind-bake for 10 minutes.
Filling
Fry: While the tarts are blind baking, put the oil in a medium frying pan and heat over medium heat. Add the shallots and thyme leaves and fry for 6-8 minutes until the shallots have softened.
Meanwhile: Add the egg, milk, salt, and pepper into a jug or bowl with a pouring spout and whisk to combine. Pour the shallots and thyme into a jug, stir, and leave to one side.
Assemble: When the tart cases have finished blind baking, pour the egg mixture into each tart case until about half full. Place a piece of brie into each pastry case. Then top with a 1/4 teaspoon of strawberry jam.
Bake: Bake in a hot oven for around 10-15 minutes or until the pastry is cooked, the eggs have set, and the brie is deliciously oozy. Leave to cool slightly in the tin, and then carefully remove using a knife.
To Serve: Sprinkle with chopped pecans (or my delicious candied walnuts), fresh thyme, and a drizzle of honey.
Notes
Special Equipment: You will need a 24-hole mini muffin tin for this recipe.
Food Safety: According to the FDA, you can safely leave appetizers out at room temperature for up to two hours. Reduce this time to one hour on a hot day (above 90°F).
Storage Instructions: These brie appetizers are best eaten warm. Simply because the brie is all melty and gooey, but, you, of course, serve them cold. Just store them in an airtight container. They will last for about 2-3 days. I like to reheat them in the oven in a small oven-safe dish at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: party food, finger food, canapés, party appetizers, easy party appetizers, Christmas eve party food
Thinking of making these Baked Brie with Jam Tarts? I’d love to know how they turn out. Leave a star rating and get in touch via the comments section!
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