Baked Brie with Chardonnay Raisins |Cooking With Amanda

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I'm that girl at the party hanging out by the cheese tray. I've always been an equal opportunity cheese aficionado. I may swoon over a log of ash covered goat cheese. My knees may get weak if I happen upon a wedge of Cambazola. Just the thought of smoked Gouda can make my cheeks tingle in anticipation. But at the same time, I'd happily grab a cube of Colby with a toothpick. My secret agent name should be Brie.

Speaking of which, there's not much I like more than scooping up some warm, melty brie and shmearing it onto a piece of good rustic bread. Unless, of course, it has an awesome accompaniment to go with it. My hands-down favorite way to eat melty brie is to top it with as many roasted garlic cloves as I can. Another way is to scoop a thick layer of really good jam or preserves on top before roasting it. Both are simple enough for a snack at home with family, but also jazzy enough to serve if you have friends stop by.

Baked Brie with Chardonnay Raisins Picture

If you want to go one step further, you could whip this baked brie with pistachios and dried fruit. It's actually just as simple, but the combination of fruit, nuts, and Cointreau makes it really festive. The same goes for the baked Brie recipe I'm sharing with you today. It's funny how you can take a few very simple ingredients, let them mix and mingle for a bit, and come away with something so irresistible you'll have to hide your spoons in order to stop yourself from eating it directly from them.

Okay, that won't really work. Anything can be used to sneak a little slurp if you really want to.

Golden raisins are plumped in a mixture of Chardonnay, water, sugar, and... vanilla. Between you and me—don't skimp out on that vanilla bean. The liquid drained from the raisins is reduced until it is slightly syrupy, and that is the truly magical part. You know, aside from the melty cheese that you're about to serve it with.

Baked Brie with Chardonnay Raisins Photo

It's not unheard of that you might have everything to make this already in your pantry. You'll want to make this a last-minute addition to your New Year's celebration. But if that time has already passed, don't worry, it's great any time of the year. Why not try scooping it atop a round of grilled brie next time you fire up the barbie?

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Baked Brie with Chardonnay Raisins Recipe

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup chardonnay wine
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
pinch of sea salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half vertically
1 cup golden raisins
4 wheels brie cheese, 8 ounces, or (2) 16 ounce wheels

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, wine, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Scrape the insides of the vanilla bean into the liquid and add the remaining bean. Add the raisins.
Let steep uncovered for at least 1 hour at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Drain the raisins (saving the liquid) and put them into a jar with a lid. Put the liquid back in the saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce to about 1/3 cup, or until the syrup turns a deep golden color, 15 minutes or so, watching it carefully so it doesn't burn. If it starts to foam, remove from heat immediately; remove vanilla bean pod and discard.
Pour the liquid over the plumped raisins; set aside.
Place the cheese rounds on the baking sheet and prick the top with the fork about a dozen times.
Scoop a heaping 1/4 cup of the raisins and syrup over each smaller round (or double it for one large round).
Slide into preheated oven and bake for ~15 minutes or until cheese is warm and soft.
Use a wide spatula to lift the cheese to a serving tray.
Serve with slices of toasted baguette, crackers, or crusty bread for scooping and shmearing.

Notes

Raisins in syrup can be made in advance. Simply cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
You could also heat up the sauce and raisins and spoon them over cheese that you've baked or grilled separately (as opposed to heating it together in the oven).