The first time my brother-in-law offered to cook for us, I pasted a smile on my face and stifled an urge to run for the hills. At the time, he was a bachelor and used to feeding himself basic meals that could go from microwave to plate as quickly as possible (yeah, that meant a lot - I mean A LOT - of frozen burritos). So, when he whipped up an appetizer that involved a wheel of Brie cheese and strawberries cooked inside a crusty, golden brown layer of pastry, I was eating my words...and then several helpings of that gooey, melty dish. Okay, I may have seated myself beside the plate and chowed down until there was not a single morsel to be found.
I blamed it on the kids.
That blissful first meeting with the Brie and strawberries led to a bit of an obsession. My dreams filled with spinning wheels of Brie and dancing strawberries (okay, that's a little weird...true, but weird) that ultimately culminated in one of my favorite desserts, Brie Cheese & Strawberry Puff Pastry "Ravioli" with Chocolate Sauce.
The thing that dreams are made of.
My infatuation hasn't waned and I find myself, yet again, pairing together the sweet, fragrant fruit with slices of warm, melted cheese. This time it's in the form of crostini and topped with a light drizzle of honey and thin slices of fresh basil. The first time i made this, I wasn't sure what to expect. With the first bite, my teeth sunk slowly through the strawberries and soft cheese until they met with the slightly crunchy bread. The flavors are sweet and savory, herbaceous and floral...and utterly delightful.
I'm not sure whether to call this an appetizer or a dessert because, really, it could go either way. Whether you choose to serve it at the beginning or the end of the meal, I guarantee that it will be a hit. And watch out because you, too, may become bitten by the strawberry-Brie bug.
The recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lay the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Top each piece of baguette with a slice of Brie cheese.
Bake in oven until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted, 5 to 6 minutes.
Top each with 2 slices of strawberry, ¼ to ½ teaspoon of honey and a few slices of basil. Serve.
Crostini with Brie Cheese, Strawberries, Honey & Basil Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 thin slices French baguette sliced on diagonal
- 4 ounces Brie cheese cut into 12 slices
- 6 medium strawberries sliced
- 1-2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
- 4 fresh basil leave thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lay the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Top each piece of baguette with a slice of Brie cheese.
- Bake in oven until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Top each with 2 slices of strawberry, ½ to ½ teaspoon of honey and a few slices of basil. Serve.
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Casey
Question! If using pre-made crostini's, how long would you say to bake them? Two minutes or so until the brie is melted? Thank you!
Dara
Hi Casey, I haven't tried this with pre-made crostini, but I'd be worried that they'd be burnt or too crispy by the time the Brie is melted.
Sara
Made these for an "eclectic tea party" a few months ago and everyone raved over how beautiful they looked and how addictive they tasted! Thanks for the recipe!
Dara
I love the idea of an "eclectic tea party"! I'm so glad that everyone enjoyed the crostini.
kim
Are these good eaten cooled, or only good when they are warm? How far in advance can they be made and still be good?
Cheri
These look great! Think I'll try them with a special balsamic (in place of the honey) I brought back from Italy. YUM!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
That sounds great, Cheri!
Kate
I love brie, but I want to make these for a baby shower, and mama-to-be has been advised not to eat any soft cheeses. Is there any other that I could substitute?
Judy
This looks and sounds so delicious, I plan on serving as an appetizer at a dinner party for 12 in two weeks. I think I'll try drizzling a little balsamic syrup over the strawberries instead of the honey, as balsamic goes so well with strawberries. Thanks for the recipe!
DEANNA
Amazing! Amazing ! Recipe
Annabelle
What would you substitute for basil? Or should I just eliminate it completely?
Can't wait to do these. Yumm
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Annabelle, there isn't a great substitute for fresh basil, so I would just leave it out. They'll still be good!
JulieD
Oh man, this looks so good, I love pairing fruit with brie...you just took it to a whole new level!
Carolyn
Mmmmm, I wouldn't be able to eat the bread but I'd happily eat the topping right off of all of those!
Viviane Bauquet Farre
A very playful and elegant implementation of strawberries! The sweetness must go so well with the brie cheese! Very clever and quite delicious.
Jen @ Savory Simple
How delicious!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective
Hey sweet friend, These look like the perfect little bites to go with Prosecco!
Donna
Proving once again that simple is best!
claire @ the realistic nutritionist
This is just gorgeous!!!!! Is there any better combo that strawberry and brie?
A Canadian Foodie
Simple is always best.
🙂
V
RavieNomNoms
Love it! Such a winning combination!
Emily @ Life on Food
This just made my day. They look fantastic. I love brie and I love even more that you can pair it was so many flavors and it only gets better. Your crostini is a new combination for me but I am certainly going to check it out soon.
Minnie(@thelady8home)
Fantastic snack!!!! I can have this anytime. Its looking so YUMMY!!! 😀