Baked Brie

Many thanks to Jay for this recipe. I love to make this baked brie for crowds of people. I prepare it beforehand and pop it in the oven at 350 degrees when they walk in the door... I buy a large Brie at Price Club, prepare it, have it at room temperature and heat it on an oven ready glass dish so that I don't have to move it when it is ready to serve... I place it on a doily and serve it with plain Carr's Water crackers.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 8" wheel of brie
2 standard boxes of frozen puff pastry dough (I use peppered Farm)
1 egg yolk
1 Tbs. heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

• Thaw pastry dough fully.
• Stack two sheets (one box worth) on top of eachother and roll with rolling pin until about 1/8" thick.
• Place wheel of brie in center of dough and cut a circle around leaving a 2-3" border so that it can fold up to the top (reserve scraps).
• Combine nuts and sugar and place mixture on top of the cheese, leaving 1/2" around the edge.
• Fold dough up around the cheese.
• Place dough and cheese on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Repeat rolling process with remaining box of dough.
• Cut in a circle and use as cover for the top of the cheese, fold under the bottom.
• Roll out remaining dough and cut decorations (cookie cutters are good for this).
• Combine egg yolk and cream to create an egg wash.
• Use a pastry bruch to "glue" the decorative dough cutouts to the top of the cheese.
• Brush the entire cheese liberally with the egg wash.
• Store in refridgerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
• Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.