Caramelized Cranberry & Brie Pull-Apart Bread

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A savory pull-apart bread stuffed with caramelized cranberry and brie perfect for your next holiday gathering!

Caramelized Cranberry & Brie Pull-Apart Bread

 

Are you guys ready to talk about Thanksgiving? Excellent because it’s been on my mind a whole bunch lately and I am wearing my excitement on my sleeve. Holidays weren’t something I truly appreciated until I moved away and spent months upon months away from my family (it also helps that, in the more recent years, I’ve become obsessed with food as well). These days, it seems like I get more and more excited about the holidays sooner and sooner. Hell, I was ready to start talking about stuffing at the end of September!

 

Caramelized Cranberry & Brie Pull-Apart Bread

Although the ‘traditional’ Thanksgiving congers up images of turkey and sausage gravy for most, this has never been the case for me. For me, it’s all about stuffing my face with as many vegetables sides as possible and perfecting my sage gravy recipe.

And can we chat about these caramelized cranberries? Oh man! The brown sugar engulfs the tart berries so nothing is left but little bursts of sweetness with tiny speckles of vanilla. Need I say more? Well, if I must, we can combine the berries with gooey brie for the perfect mix of sweet & salty. Have you ever had baked brie where the puff pastry is stuffed with gooey cheese and fig jam? Well, think of this as a fresh and oh so delicious twist on that!

 

Caramelized Cranberry & Brie Pull-Apart Bread

 

What I love about pull-apart bread is that it looks like it’s super complicated to make but has a playful nature to it with it’s imperfect size pieces. This makes it elegant enough for the big meal or playful enough to enjoy as an appetizer. Plus, it’s easy to pass around the table since the pieces are already sliced or wonderful to stick on an appetizer place for people to pull off a piece as they walk by.

 

Caramelized Cranberry & Brie Pull-Apart Bread

So, in case you got lost somewhere up there in the unnecessary amount of pictures and lengthy rambling: This bread is like eating a big chunk of baked brie and a soft buttery roll AT THE SAME TIME. Who needs dinner rolls when you can stuff your face with gooey brie, sweetly caramelized cranberries, and buttery amazingness?

Caramelized Cranberry & Brie Pull-Apart Bread:

Caramelized Cranberry & Brie Pull-Apart Bread

Caramelized Cranberry & Brie Pull-Apart Bread
Adapted from Hungry Girl Por Vida / A savory pull-apart bread stuffed with caramelized cranberry and brie perfect for your next holiday gathering!
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Author: Shelly Westerhausen
Ingredients
For the filling:
  • 1 lb fresh cranberries
  • juice from one lemon
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 vanilla bean , seeds only (optional)
  • 4 oz . Brie , diced small
For the dough:
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs , lightly beaten
  • + more butter for topping
Instructions
  1. For the dough: heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the water & sugar. Let cool slightly (should be at about 120 degrees) and stir in the yeast. Set aside for about five minutes or until the yeast is foamy.
  2. Combine flours and salt in a stand mixer with the dough attachment. Add the vanilla and beaten egg to the yeast mixture and turn the mixer on low. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined. Turn the mixer up to medium and let knead until a sticky dough has formed. Grease a large bowl, place dough inside, and cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for an hour.
  3. For the filling: Heat the butter and sugar in a large skillet over medium. Once melted, add in the cranberries, lemon juice, and water. Stir frequently and let cook until a thick and chunky mixture has formed. Remove from heat and fold in the vanilla bean seeds (if using).
  4. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Deflate the dough and knead it a few times. On a floured surface, roll out a 12x20 rectangle with the dough (this doesn't need to be exact). Pour the caramelized cranberries over the dough and spread as evenly as possible. Top with the brie chunks. Use a knife (or I used a pizza cutter) to cut the bread into thirds from one end of the long side to the other (about 20x4 pieces). Next, slice the bread into fifths on the short side until the whole thing is cut like a pizza you were slicing into squares. Stack the slices on top of each other and transfer sideways to your prepared loaf pan (the same way sliced bread lays in a pan) and repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap or your tea towel and let rise for another 45 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Top the loaf with a little butter and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. Check often and remove from oven once the top is crispy and the inside is cooked all the way through (to check if insides are done, the inside temperature should be around 180 degrees).

 

Caramelized Cranberry & Brie Pull-Apart Bread

 

Comment

30 Comments

  • Sandra
    November 12, 2013

    Perfection! I can’t even begin to explain how wonderful this looks. NOW, I am ready for Thanksgiving 🙂

  • Katie @ Produce on Parade
    November 12, 2013

    You take the most beautiful images! I have photo-envy! 🙂 Also, this bread looks ridiculously fantastic and tasty.

  • gina
    November 12, 2013

    wowser!! looks so yummy. those pictures are beautiful too!

  • Harriet
    November 12, 2013

    What delicious photos!

    (p.s. I’m glad I’m not the only one that’s starting to obsess over holidays. Christmas spices come at me!)

  • Sarah | The Sugar Hit
    November 12, 2013

    This is really superb. Absolutely, completely gorgeous. Your photos are blowing my mind at the moment.

  • Bibs @ Tasteometer
    November 13, 2013

    OMG I so want some of this right now.

  • Mallory @ Because I Like Chocolate
    November 13, 2013

    Where has this been all of my life? Holy crap, looks amazing!

  • Em
    November 13, 2013

    This looks ruddy epic and I’m not even a fan of cranberry!

  • Jackie
    November 13, 2013

    OMG I want this now! Tahnk you for sharing! Question–can you use premade dough (making dough scares me)

    • Shellywest
      Jackie
      November 13, 2013

      Yes yes, of course! It’ll be much quicker if you use pre-made dough since you’ll be able to skip the rising process. I’d get a buttery dough (like crescent or super flaky biscuit dough. My favorite pre-made dough brand is http://www.immaculatebaking.com/). Hope that helps!

  • Marta @ What Should I eat for breakfast today
    November 13, 2013

    I am definitely going to make it. I like each ingredient 🙂

  • Ala
    November 13, 2013

    Oh, I’m absolutely obsessed with pull-apart bread as well, and I’ve been looking for a good combo sweet/savory bread to serve up at the next gettogether. Cranberry and cheese is one of my favorite combos–bookmarked! 🙂

  • Sarah
    November 14, 2013

    Oh my goodness, that looks delicious! I will be traveling and will miss the traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year so I’ve been looking for things to make before and after the holiday to experience the essence of the day. Your bread will taste just as good in December!

  • Katie
    November 14, 2013

    Is there a way to prep this the day before and bake it on Thanksgiving day? I’d love to make this and bring it to my parents’ house!

    • Shellywest
      Katie
      November 14, 2013

      Yup – great question! You could either stop (and stick in the fridge overnight) after the first time the dough rises or the second rise. I would suggest going up until the second rise (so then the bread is pretty much done besides baking), cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap, sticking it in the fridge overnight, and then let it come back to room temperature before baking. Easy! Hope your family loves it!

  • Kris
    November 14, 2013

    Girl, are you kidding me?! This looks unbelievable.

  • maria | pink patisserie
    November 16, 2013

    Shelly, this is such a gorgeous, gorgeous loaf. I’m dying.. I’ve yet to make a pull apart loaf, have always been a bit intimidated by them, but you’ve inspired me! Love it..

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  • Gabby @ the veggie nook
    November 16, 2013

    This is far to epic to even be allowed 😉

  • Leslie
    November 19, 2013

    Hi, this looks super yummy! Do you know if I could sub the flour for gulten-free flour?

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  • Alanna {The Bojon Gourmet}
    November 25, 2013

    Those chunks of oozing brie are taunting me. This looks too, too delicious!!

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    […] most creative recipe of the week.  – But speaking of brie and cranberries, I can’t forget this bread. I think I am going to bake some sort of pull-apart bread this weekend! Happy weekend […]

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  • Eileen
    November 25, 2014

    In worried about the cranberry mixture all running to the bottom?

  • Aidan
    December 8, 2014

    Looks delicious! Do you think this would hold up well if I fully baked it the day before and then just (shamefully) microwave it on Christmas day? Or re-heat it in the oven even?

  • Anna M.
    December 24, 2014

    I think that would work, Aidan. This recipe has become a staple on holidays in my house, I absolutely love it! And it holds up pretty well for reheating (if it survives long enough).

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