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Brie and cranberry is one of those food pairings that always seems to make the rounds during the holiday season. You’ll find it in puff pastry appetizers (like brie and cranberry cups) and baked brie recipes, and on many a holiday cheese platter.
While the idea of using Brie in a dessert might sound odd at first, the combination actually works surprisingly well. After all, isn’t a cheese course a common way to finish off a meal? And Brie on its own is naturally smooth, creamy, and mild; it’s not unlike the cream cheese used to make cream cheese brownies, cheesecake, and cookies with cream cheese frosting.
What’s Great About These Brie and Cranberry Brownies?
This brie and cranberry brownie recipe features a dark chocolate brownie base, prepared with melted dark chocolate rather than cocoa powder. After adding it to a baking tin, I’ve topped the rich, chocolatey batter with sweet Brie cream and homemade cranberry compote, both accented with a hint of fresh orange. Finally, I’ve used a knife to swirl the components together to create a pretty marble pattern, and dotted a few pecan halves across the top to finish.
The brie and cranberry combo makes this the perfect recipe for the Christmas season. The cranberries even add a lovely ‘pop’ of bright Christmas red!
Brie and Cranberry Brownie Tips and Tricks:
After allowing your compote to cool, you may find that it has settled into a gelatinous mass. To bring it back to life, use a a wire whisk to “knock back” the mixture (the same way you would with pastry cream) by whisking vigorously until smooth.
If you don’t like pecans, walnuts would also work nicely in this recipe. You can also omit the nuts entirely if baking for someone with a nut allergy.
Choose a good-quality chocolate for this recipe. I suggest using something like Lindt, Valrhona, Guittard, or Callebaut, rather than grocery store chocolate chips. You can definitely taste the difference!
Brie Cream Notes:
The first few times I tested this recipe, I whipped the softened brie with a hand mixer before adding the milk, egg, and sugar. While this method will work, I found that using a food processor makes a huge difference in attaining a smooth, creamy brie cream, rather than one which still contains small chunks of cheese.
The brie cream will seem smooth, frothy, and slightly liquid. (It won’t be as thick as the type of mixture used in a cream cheese brownie.) But don’t worry—thanks to the egg and flour, the cream will rise and thicken as it bakes.
Shortcuts and Make-Ahead Suggestions:
The cranberry compote can be prepared up to two days in advance. Simply make the compote according to the recipe instructions, then cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Leftover brownies can be frozen. My preferred method is to slice the brownies then wrap them individually in foil, making it easy to thaw one or two at a time.
Other brownie recipes you might enjoy:
Italian Rainbow Brownies
Salted Chocolate Caramel Brownies
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Brownies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Brie and Cranberry Brownies
- Total Time: 5 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 brownies (1 8x8-inch tin) 1x
Description
Brie and cranberry brownies featuring a homemade cranberry compote, pecan halves, and swirls of creamy brie cheese.
Ingredients
Cranberry Compote:
150 grams fresh or frozen cranberries (1 1/2 cups)
75 grams granulated sugar (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon)
Juice of one large orange
Brie Cream:
125 grams mild French Brie, rind removed and softened (1 cup, diced, or 1 160-gram wedge)
85 grams confectioner’s sugar (2/3 cup)
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 egg yolk
Zest of one large orange (approximately 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Brownies:
113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup / 1 stick)
170 grams chopped dark chocolate (6 ounces, or 1 cup)
2 eggs
105 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
105 grams dark brown sugar (1/2 cup, packed)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
85 grams all-purpose flour (2/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
30 grams pecan halves (1/3 cup), optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F / 180° C. Line an 8 x 8-inch square tin with baking parchment and set aside until ready to use.
Cranberry Compote:
In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, and orange juice.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 6-7 minutes, or until cranberries burst, juices evaporate, and compote thickens.
Transfer compote to a bowl and set aside to cool.
Brie Cream:
In a food processor, mix softened Brie on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioner’s sugar, milk, and egg yolk, and mix until well combined.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl and whisk in the orange zest and flour. Set aside while you prepare the batter.
Brownie Batter:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Stir in the chocolate.
With a whisk, continue stirring gently until chocolate has completely melted. Remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the eggs until frothy.
Add the sugars and vanilla and mix on high speed until well combined.
Sift in the flour and salt and mix until just incorporated. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.
Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix until just combined. With a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom of the bowl, then mix again.
Assembly:
Reserve 3-4 tablespoons of the brownie batter. Pour the rest of the batter into the prepared tin, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl clean.
Spoon the brie cream on top of the brownie batter, distributing the cheese mixture evenly across the entire surface. Some of the brownie batter should still be visible.
With a teaspoon, drop spoonfuls of the cranberry compote on top of the brownie batter, distributing clumps of the compote evenly across the entire surface. Some of the brie cream and the brownie batter should still be visible.
With a teaspoon, drop the reserved brownie batter on top of the cream and compote.
Use a knife to swirl the mixtures together, creating a marble effect.
Press the pecan halves on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out almost clean. You’ll still see some crumbs on the toothpick, and the center of the brownie pan will still jiggle slightly.
Transfer tin to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before serving, at least 4 hours.
Store leftover brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator, layered between sheets of parchment, for up to three days. Leftovers can also be wrapped in foil and frozen.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cooling Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Brownies and Traybakes
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
