Camembert in Puff Pastry – Perfect Shareable Appetizer

• puff pastry sheet↗375 г g

  (with pure butter – tastiest)

• all‑purpose flour↗

  for dusting

• quince jelly tbsp

  or cranberry sauce, or jelly

• whole round camembert↗250 г g

  Brie or similar whole cheese

• egg↗1

  beaten

• sesame seeds↗

  (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C for convection) or set the gas to 7. Cut the puff pastry in half, then roll each half on a floured surface to a thickness roughly equal to a 1‑pound coin. In the center of one pastry piece, spread 5 tbsp quince jelly, forming a circle the same size as the cheese. Place the cheese on top.

2. 2

   Brush the beaten egg around the cheese, spreading it over the pastry edges. Cover with the second pastry piece, gently pressing to expel air. Seal the edges tightly, pressing away excess dough with your fingers. Using scissors, trim the excess, leaving a strip about 4 cm wide around the cheese. Crimp the edges with a fork – this creates a decorative pattern and further seals the pastry. Transfer the assembled pie to a parchment‑lined baking sheet. Brush the top again with beaten egg and, if desired, decorate with a sesame seed star.

3. 3

   Bake for 20–25 minutes until the puff pastry turns golden‑brown, becomes crisp and rises at the edges. If the star begins to darken, cover it with a sheet of foil after 20 minutes. Let the pie rest for 5 minutes before slicing so the cheesy centre stays intact.