November 9, 2016

Baked Brie & Bacon Jam Phyllo Cups (+ Video!)

This right here? It’s an amuse bouche of happiness.

Sweet lacquered bacon, creamy brie cheese, crispy phyllo crust, and a touch of thyme on top.

I mean, is that poetry or what?!

Baked Brie & Bacon Jam Phyllo Cups (+ Video!)

These phyllo cups are one of my all-time favorite recipes, and they’re also one of my most popular, too. The original post {cringe} was a hot mess of florescent-lit photos and cheap shortcuts like microwaved bacon and pre-packaged, spreadable brie. But thankfully my cooking has evolved since those dark, tacky days, so this incarnation adapts my current cooking ethos — local, organic, natural– while staying true to the original recipe. Which means we’re cooking with farm fresh bacon, a wedge of high-quality, triple creme brie, and still accidentally eating 15 of these, because frankly they’re as dangerous as ever.

What I love about this recipe is how simple the cooking is, even when foregoing the original shortcuts. The bacon jam — a luscious combination of applewood smoked bacon, apricot jam, and apple cider vinegar — comes together in just 20 minutes, the wedge of brie is frozen (which makes for easy cubing), and the phyllo cups come pre-packaged, because let’s be reasonable. In the end these mere 5 ingredients — yes, FIVE! — create one seriously stellar sweet & savory app that your guests will be drooling over.

Trust me — these cups will go fast!! But luckily for you they’re tremendously easy to prep for large (and ravenous!) crowds. Simply assemble the cups beforehand, then bake when the party arrives!

They’re fast, flexible, and offensively tasty, just like all good things should be.

Baked Brie & Bacon Jam Phyllo Cups (+ Video!)

Unlike my usual posts this one does not include any prep/cooking photos, and that’s for one big reason.

I SHOT A VIDEO.

If I’m completely honest I’ll admit that even as I’m posting this, I’m still not thrilled with the end result. As a perfectionist with roughly 11 voices murmuring in my head this is far from what I deem “perfect”, but oh well. For a video novice it’s pretty good, and I promise I’ll only keep getting better. But for the time being this is a fun recipe to watch — the music! — and an easy, great app for the holidays, so spread the word!

Your Thanksgiving + Christmas fêtes are counting on you.

Baked Brie & Bacon Jam Phyllo Cups

Yield: 15 phyllo cups

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 40 minutes

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

10 oz applewood smoked bacon, chopped (about 8 slices)
1/3 cup apricot jam
2 tbsps apple cider vinegar
6 oz wedge of double or triple creme brie cheese, frozen for 1 hour
15 phyllo cups (I used Athens)
fresh thyme to garnish
Crisco to grease

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with Crisco.
In a large skillet cook the chopped bacon over a medium flame until crispy, 15 – 20 minutes. Be sure to drain any rendered fat from the skillet once the bacon is fully cooked. Next, reduce flame to low before stirring in the apricot jam and apple cider vinegar, incorporating well. Allow this mixture to simmer for 5 – 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, on a cutting board cube the frozen wedge of brie into chunks, first by removing the rind from all edges, then cubing the cheesy insides. When ready, line up the phyllo cups on the greased baking sheet. Fill each cup with a cube of brie, then top with a spoonful of bacon jam — Repeat until all cups are filled. Bake for 10 minutes on oven middle rack until the cheese is just beginning to bubble, then immediately serve, garnishing with fresh thyme if desired.