'Brie en Croûte #2' an Hot Appetizer

SERVES 8

Ingredients:
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (package comes with 2 sheets)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 small wheel of Brie (8 ounces)
• ½ cup raspberry jam
• 2 eggs, beaten

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Defrost one sheet of puff pastry for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and unfold (place remaining sheet in freezer for later use). Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté nuts in butter until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Place nuts on top of Brie and spread jam on top of nuts. Gently roll pastry with a rolling pin to increase the size of the sheet 1 to 2 inches in each direction. Brush both sides of the sheet with beaten egg. Center the wheel of Brie on top of the pastry sheet. Bring all four corners of the sheet together above Brie and twist slightly to form a “bundle.” Tie gathered pastry with kitchen/cooking string (tie string in the form of a bow). Work with pastry until you are satisfied with the “bundle” shape. Place “bundle” on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Serve with top-quality crackers.

This appetizer recipe was published in 'Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!'