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.
Printable Recipe
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.
carrian
I was sold just when you said strawberries, but it got even better! Love it!
Aubrey @ Homegrown & Healthy
Brie and strawberries + walnuts is my favorite, sometimes I even drizzle a tiny bit of maple syrup on top. I've never added basil before but can't wait to try this!
Cakewhiz
Anything with strawberries literally calls my name! Lol. Not only do these crostinis look beautiful, i bet they taste awesome!!!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
I love this, strawberries are perfect with brie! Beautiful photos!
marla
I love strawberries with brie ~ a lovely appetizer that is simple + yet so elegant. Glad to hear your brother in law was such a success!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
This is such a perfect appetizer! I make a similar thing with goats cheese, but I really need to try brie next time!
Nancy@acommunaltable
I could honestly make a meal of this... and I can completely relate to your obsession!! Definitely the perfect "snack" for summer because you could eat this at ANY time of day!!!
Barbara | Creative Culinary
Brie was born to be paired with fruit...add the crunch of pastry or in this case some bruschetta...ahh, umm, good!
Don't let their cousins raspberries go unused though...equally as fabulous in similar applications. Doggone it Dara...now seriously craving an appetizer for lunch!
Cathy @ Noble Pig
Wow, I love and funny story. But what is that cool cutting ool you are using? Is it for ravioli? I want it!
Kari@Loaves and Dishes
Your absolutely right, I could have this for and appetizer or dessert, or paired with a salad for lunch.