Baked Brie with Herbed Pastry and Rum Cranberry Compote

To make the pastry, combine the butter, flour and salt in a food processor with a steel blade and pulse just until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the thyme then slowly pour in the ice water and pulse just until combined and a dough ball forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

While the pastry is chilling, make the compote by placing the cranberries, sugar, water, salt and orange zest in a pot. Simmer on a medium low flame for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries become soft. Remove from the heat, add the rum and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

When the dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and roll it out on a well-floured surface to approximately a 9″ round. Mound the cranberry compote in the center and place the wheel of brie on top.

Fold up the pastry and cut off the excess to use for decoration. Flip the wrapped brie over, seam side down, onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll out the excess dough and cut out leaf (or your preferred) shapes, if desired.

Mix the egg and cream together in a small bowl and brush it onto the pastry. This will help keep any decorative leaves in place and allow the pastry to brown. Gently press the shapes onto the top of the dough. Put a bit of egg wash on top of the shapes.

Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden brown. Serve warm.