Melt 50g butter in hot water and leave to one side to cool until it is slightly warm.
Brie, honey & pecan doughball tree
Ingredients
6
servings
-
- 50 g butter
- 30 g butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 7 g dried yeast sachet
- 1 tsp salt
- 300 g flour for bread
- 150 g brie cut into small pieces
- 3 sprigs rosemary leaves picked and chopped, reserving the tops (you can also use 1 tsp dried rosemary)
- 20 g pecan nuts chopped
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 75 g cranberry sauce
- 175 ml water hot
Preparation
Mix the yeast, sugar, salt and flour in a bowl then pour in the butter and water and mix until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until it is smooth and springy. Lightly oil a clean bowl then add the dough and cover loosely with a tea towel. Leave to prove in a warm place for around 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
Knead the dough again briefly then tear off 25g pieces and flatten into a circle. Fill the centre with brie for richness and wrap the dough around it to form a tight ball.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper and arrange the doughballs in a Christmas tree shape leaving a small space between each one. Cover again with a tea towel and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6.
Melt the 30g butter and mix with the chopped rosemary and some seasoning.
Brush over the doughballs and poke in the rosemary tops, brushing with butter. Scatter over the pecans to add crunch and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Brush with any remaining butter and drizzle over the honey for sweetness as soon as they come out of the oven and serve with the cranberry sauce for dipping, for a lovely fruitiness.