I made these baked brie crostinis for John’s housewarming party and they were one of the party favourites.  They are very quick and easy to make, especially considering I was making enough to serve a large crowd.

Maple Drizzled Baked Brie Crostini with Craisins and Pecans Recipe

makes approximately 20 crostini; this recipe doubles well

1 large round (550 grams) of brie cheese  (Note:  Try to use a high quality cheese.  Since it is the main ingredient of this crostini, people will notice if you use the good stuff.  I used the brand Agropur Brie Normandie from Costco and people loved it.)

1 freshly baked baguette

craisins or dried cranberries  (Note:  I used 3 or 4 craisins per crostini.)

1 cup whole pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped  (Note:  To toast pecans, spread them out on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for about 7 minutes.)

maple syrup

Use a sharp bread knife to cut the baguette into 1/3 inch thick slices on the diagonal.  Place them, in a single layer, on a parchment or silpat mat lined baking sheet.  Then use a wire cheese cutter or large sharp knife to cut the round of brie into wedges that are between 1/4 inch and 1/3 inch thick at the thickest part.  Place one wedge of brie, cut side down, onto each baguette slice.  If you are making these ahead of time, cover with syran wrap and set aside for up to a few hours at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack set in the middle.  Bake the brie and baguette slices until the cheese melts, about 7 minutes.  Then top with craisins and scatter over some pecan pieces.  Drizzle some maple syrup over the crostinis and serve immediately.