Baked Brie with Roasted Cherries

My friend has a fruit orchard. In spite of a late freeze, the cherry trees were prolific this year, and at the beginning of June I went over to relieve her of some cherries!

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Although there’s nothing much better than just popping a fresh cherry in your mouth, I decided to do something with these fresh cherries, but without baking the obvious pie.

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I thought about ice cream, but then I settled on an idea I’d spotted in a cookbook a while back – roasting the cherries.

My friend told me to refrigerate them, as they’re easier to pit when they’re cold, so that’s where they went for a few hours.

I sorted the cherries, throwing away any questionable ones, rinsed them and let them drip dry.

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My friend gave me another tip – how to pit the cherries without using the olive/cherry pitter. A paper clip!

You insert one rounded end of a paper clip into the dent where the stem was, and simply “scoop” out the pit. This works especially well when the cherries are ripe.

I love brie in general, but if you’ve never had a goat brie, you’re mising out! However, regular brie will substitute in this recipe.

So here’s what I did.

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Baked Goat Brie topped with Roasted Cherries

Fresh pitted cherries, approximately 8 ounces
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon cherry or pomegranate syrup
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 small goat Brie

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add the cherries and sugar, stir gently and remove from the heat. Place the mixture in an oven-proof baking dish.

Roast the cherries, watching them carefully. It should only take about 15-20 minutes. You’re not drying them, just caramelizing them.

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Remove the baking dish from the oven. Because these cherries were so juicy, I gently removed to cherries using a small, slotted spoon, and poured the remaining liquid in a small saucepan.
I gently reduced the cherry juice until a syrup, then added the cherry syrup. I reduced a few minutes longer, then added the balsamic vinegar.

Meanwhile heat the goat Brie ever so gently in the oven or microwave. You don’t want to cook the cheese, just begin the melting process.

To serve, place the Brie on a serving plate and cover with the roasted cherries.

After the reduction has cooled slightly, carefully spoon it over the brie and cherries.

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I also added a few sprigs of thyme, and served the brie with toasts.

If the brie is nicely warmed, it should pour out of its casing when cut into.

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The cherry juice, reduction and molten cheese made a beautiful design that wasn’t anticipated!

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This hors d’oeuvre turned out to be one of the tastiest I’ve ever created, in my humble opinion. And, it’s beautiful.

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The ratio of ingredients will definitely depend on the sweetness and juiciness of the fresh cherries!

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

81 Comments

  1. Darya June 17, 2016 at 7:15 AM - Reply

    Wow, Mimi, this looks great. I love fruit and cheese together, though it isn’t a very French thing to do, except perhaps in the Basque area, where Ewe’s milk cheeses are often paired with black cherry jam. And oozing baked cheese like your beautiful brie is just the best; I recently had camembert on the barbecue, we gobbled it up in minutes. I can imagine the smell and the texture of this combo, it must be delicious, and it certainly is beautiful.

    • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 7:25 AM - Reply

      Thanks you so much Darya!! I don’t know where you are in France, but my friend Stéphane has served me cheese with jam, and I think it was blackberry or some dark berry. Personally, that’s where I draw the line. I can’t use honey on soft or baked cheeses – it’s much too sweet for me! But it’s common at restaurants in the U.S.

    • Nadia June 17, 2016 at 7:28 AM - Reply

      Just had some Ossau-Iraty pur brebis with black cherry jam for lunch. Delicious!

  2. Nadia June 17, 2016 at 7:26 AM - Reply

    That looks ever so decadent and delicious. I just wanted to lick the screen.

  3. cookingwithshy June 17, 2016 at 7:47 AM - Reply

    This looks gorgeous!!!

    • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 4:44 PM - Reply

      Thank you! It’s just as good as it is pretty!

  4. Travel Gourmet June 17, 2016 at 8:08 AM - Reply

    That looks amazing, Mimi! What a wonderful combination – and thanks for the paperclip tip!

  5. Gerlinde de Broekert June 17, 2016 at 8:36 AM - Reply

    This dish looks divine and the photos are great. Did you use sour cherries or regular cherries? Thanks for the tip with the paper clip.

    • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 10:35 AM - Reply

      They were somewhere in the middle. But I also don’t like my baked Brie toppings or cheese condiments too sweet.

  6. sallybr June 17, 2016 at 9:44 AM - Reply

    That lava flow of brie is making it impossible to think about anything else at the moment…. I would love to run a nice piece of toasted sourdough bread over that and clean the whole surface, until more flows in… repeat ad infinitum! ;-)

    • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 10:34 AM - Reply

      Hahahaha! We obviously agree on the deliciousness that is a baked Brie.

  7. Linda Duffin June 17, 2016 at 9:58 AM - Reply

    Love the sound of the sour-sweet cherries with the molten brie … and the headline picture especially is a knock-out. I can almost taste it …

  8. Kiki June 17, 2016 at 10:39 AM - Reply

    Right up my alley, both the goat brie (I don’t think I’ve tried that yet, will have to look for it) and the roasted cherries.
    Love your pictures, too, they really make me want to grab a fork and dig in!

    • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 4:45 PM - Reply

      Thank you Kiki. I sometimes substitute a goat Brie for the regular – especially if I only am making a small baked Brie. This goat cheese only comes in this small size, at least as far as what’s available to me locally.

  9. Tasty Eats Ronit Penso June 17, 2016 at 10:47 AM - Reply

    I agree about the need of some acidity. Too many times the toppings are too sweet. Looks wonderful! :)

    • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 4:43 PM - Reply

      That’s why I even prefer chutneys on Brie more than jams. But it also depends on the cheese, of course.

      • Tasty Eats Ronit Penso June 17, 2016 at 6:24 PM

        Yes, chutney is also wonderful with certain cheeses. Of course it also depends on the type of chutney. Some are on the sweeter side, others more spicy… so many options! :)

  10. Anna June 17, 2016 at 10:57 AM - Reply

    Beautiful and looks so delicous!

    • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 4:45 PM - Reply

      Thank you so much!

      • Anna June 17, 2016 at 5:40 PM

        My pleasure! :)

  11. anotherfoodieblogger June 17, 2016 at 12:03 PM - Reply

    Wow Mimi, this brie and cherry appetizer is just over the top!! Gorgeous photography too. Did you get the idea of roasting cherries from Richard? I immediately thought of him when I saw this. :)

    • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 4:42 PM - Reply

      No, did he roast fruit? I think I just saw it in some cookbook.

      • anotherfoodieblogger June 17, 2016 at 4:48 PM

        I just looked, he pickled cherries, not roasted!

      • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 5:04 PM

        well that sounds good, too!

  12. cookinginsens June 17, 2016 at 12:50 PM - Reply

    Good recipe and delicious pictures.

  13. Elaine @ foodbod June 17, 2016 at 1:57 PM - Reply

    OMG! All that melted Brie, like lakes of amazingness!!! Wow wow wow!!

    • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 2:33 PM - Reply

      I Love what the syrup did design-wise with the cheese!

      • Elaine @ foodbod June 17, 2016 at 2:36 PM

        Me too! It looks gorgeous!
        Does the goats milk make much difference to the flavour?

      • chef mimi June 17, 2016 at 4:41 PM

        yes. like any goat cheese compared to cow’s milk cheese.

      • Elaine @ foodbod June 19, 2016 at 1:34 AM

        Nice :)

  14. love in the kitchen June 17, 2016 at 3:50 PM - Reply

    Oh my gosh Mimi. GORGEOUS!!!

  15. Lisa @ cheergerm June 17, 2016 at 5:00 PM - Reply

    Those cherries! The photos! Looks delightfully unctuous Mimi, I like the idea of a bit of acidity with the cheese. Tops.

  16. Food from Michelle's kitchen June 17, 2016 at 9:44 PM - Reply

    Such a great way to serve a Brie or a Camembert, and those beautiful cherries would add just that right amount of sweetness that cheese so loves. That I so love! Glorious!

  17. Laura @ Feast Wisely June 17, 2016 at 10:25 PM - Reply

    Wow I love the idea of roasting cherries – now I just need to wait until later in the year for Australia’s cherry season!

    • chef mimi June 20, 2016 at 12:50 PM - Reply

      oh, of course! Cherry season is quite a few months away!

  18. Chica Andaluza June 18, 2016 at 11:53 AM - Reply

    So beautiful… that looks and sounds amazing! We’re off to Spain in a few weeks and a nearby village is famous for its cherries so I’ll definitely be making this 😀

    • chef mimi June 20, 2016 at 12:51 PM - Reply

      Oh, how exciting! Do these cherries have a name?

      • Chica Andaluza June 20, 2016 at 1:04 PM

        No special name, but the village is called Alfarnate in Malaga province. You can Google it and I think it will tell you about the cherry fiesta which was last weekend!

  19. Lana-Once Upon a Spice June 18, 2016 at 12:35 PM - Reply

    Mimi this post is stunning in every way! Just lovely!

  20. David Scott Allen June 18, 2016 at 6:19 PM - Reply

    This looks just amazing, Mimi! I bet it tasted incredible!

  21. camparigirl June 18, 2016 at 6:47 PM - Reply

    What a wonderful use of cherries, one of my favorite fruits. I always get stuck baking Brie with apricots instead but cherries look infinitely prettier.

    • chef mimi June 18, 2016 at 8:01 PM - Reply

      Oh, apricots of fabulous too, but I guess cherries are “prettier.”

  22. leathertownbbq June 18, 2016 at 9:07 PM - Reply

    Great pictures! Cherries aren’t in season here yet. Will have to wait a couple more weeks but I’m going to give this a go! Thanks!

  23. Debra June 18, 2016 at 11:12 PM - Reply

    I have houseguests at the end of the month and cherries are still plentiful! I absolutely MUST make this. I haven’t tried goat brie, and I’m not sure I’ve seen it in the stores, but I’ll search it out. This will be a treat!

    • chef mimi June 19, 2016 at 6:31 AM - Reply

      It would be fantastic with regular Brie!

  24. chefceaser June 19, 2016 at 1:25 AM - Reply

    Reblogged this on Chef Ceaser.

  25. gypsygurl64 June 19, 2016 at 9:09 AM - Reply

    Lovely photos! I LOVE brie!

    • chef mimi June 20, 2016 at 12:52 PM - Reply

      Isn’t it just fabulous?!! I have to online order unpasteurized Brie – all I can get locally is pasteurized and it lacks flavor.

      • gypsygurl64 July 4, 2016 at 9:10 AM

        I grew up on a farm and there’s nothing like the taste of anything fresh!

      • chef mimi July 4, 2016 at 9:48 AM

        You’re exactly right! Although I didn’t grow up on a farm, my mother never cooked from cans or packages. I learned early about real food.

  26. chezlerevefrancais June 19, 2016 at 9:32 AM - Reply

    Oh… my… Mimi….These pictures are beautiful!!!

  27. Westcoast Foodie Blogger June 20, 2016 at 1:06 AM - Reply

    Fantastic – yum and yes please

  28. Karen June 20, 2016 at 7:53 AM - Reply

    Your wonderful photos say it all…delicious! We had cherry trees in our orchard but the birds usually got half the crop of ripe cherries. :)

    • chef mimi June 20, 2016 at 12:54 PM - Reply

      Oh, I understand. The neighborhood raccoons get all of our peaches.

  29. Our Growing Paynes June 20, 2016 at 2:46 PM - Reply

    This is so pretty. I love the tip about the paperclip. Good to know!

  30. karalynholland June 20, 2016 at 2:53 PM - Reply

    This is sooooo gorgeous!!! Lucky you to have a friend who has a cherry tree! I bet cherries straight off the tree are amazing. Love any kind of brie with pretty much any kind of fruit so trying this recipe soon. Plus cherries are $1.99/lb right now at the store but still wish I had a friend with a tree ;)

    • chef mimi June 20, 2016 at 3:59 PM - Reply

      Oh they can be so expensive at the grocery store. And I think for me Western Colorado is the closest that cherry trees are – and Michigan. So yes, I’m always happy to help my friend out! We have a few fruit trees but the raccoons get everything!

  31. eliotthecat June 21, 2016 at 7:20 AM - Reply

    It is beautiful. Those pictures of the creamy cheese with the red swirls are delicious looking. I wish I were close to your friend’s orchard!

  32. emmabarrett1508 June 22, 2016 at 11:43 AM - Reply

    OMG Mimi! This looks mouthwatering!

  33. elliebleu July 2, 2016 at 2:21 PM - Reply

    This looks like a fun recipe for a party. Beautiful photos! I love the paper clip trick. :)

    • chef mimi July 4, 2016 at 7:49 AM - Reply

      Yes, the paper clip works wonders! Especially if the cherries are on the soft side.

  34. Welcome to LittleSugarSnaps July 7, 2016 at 10:09 AM - Reply

    I’m more than a little obsessed by cherries. They are my favourite fruit. I know they go very nicely with goats cheese, but Brie is a new one on me. We love to share a baked camembert as a treat in our house, so i think I’m going to give your Brie with cherries a whirl…. preparing to fall head over heals….

  35. Christina December 4, 2017 at 6:07 PM - Reply

    WOW! I love cherries so I’m DEFINITELY going to try this! Sometimes I’m not a fan of goat cheese, but I would give it another chance with those cherries perched on top! YUM YUM YUM!!!

    • chef mimi December 4, 2017 at 6:23 PM - Reply

      Oh good, this was excellent! But I did use brie, although personally I would love the cherries on warmed goat cheese!

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