Berries, Bacon and Brie

 

My love of berries continues with strawberries this time, but actually any berry would work. I had strawberries so that’s what I used. Next I decided to use another couple of my favorite ingredients, phyllo, Brie and of course “bacon”. I simply don’t know how you could make anything using bacon and Brie and have it turn out badly. But I digress!     

Strawberries, bacon and brie all wrapped up in a flaky phyllo crust. How could breakfast get any better? How about a sweet maple glaze with the fresh taste of lemon? But wait! Add a few toasted pecans and now I’m ready for breakfast or dessert. Enjoy! 

 

 

 

 

Strawberry-Bacon-Brie Strudel

 2-9x14 inch sheets phyllo dough, thawed

½ cup butter, melted

2 cups strawberries, chopped

½ cup sugar

1 large basil leaf

2 tablespoons corn starch

8 slices bacon

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4oz Brie, cut into dime size pieces

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Place strawberries, sugar and basil leaf in a saucepan and cook over low heat 3-5 minutes or until strawberries are starting to break down and sugar is melted. Remove basil leaf. Set aside ¼ cup of strawberry mixture. Combine corn starch with 1 tablespoon of water to form paste removing any lumps. Pour cornstarch into remaining strawberries in saucepan and cook until sauce begins to thicken. (This should only take a minute or 2) Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

With remaining ¼ cup strawberries, add ¼ cup brown sugar. Brush bacon with mixture and place bacon on top of cooling rack that has been placed on parchment lined baking sheet. Cook bacon at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until crisp. Crumble bacon.      

Place a single sheet of phyllo on counter or flat surface. Brush with melted butter and repeat until you have six layers. In the center 4 inches of the phyllo, place ½ of the brie, topped by ½ of the crumbled bacon and ½ of the strawberries. (Phyllo is 9x14 so place ingredients in the center of the narrow section.) Fold outside section of phyllo over top of strawberries and then fold top and bottom edges of phyllo over 1 inch, then fold remaining side of phyllo over top. You will be folding the phyllo like a tamale. Brush generously with butter. Cut 3 slits in top of strudel. Repeat with remaining ingredients. You will have 2 strudels. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Maple-Brown Sugar Glaze. Each strudel serves 2-3       

Maple-Brown Sugar Glaze

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Chopped toasted pecans, if desired

 

Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, lemon juice and zest in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat 2 to 3 minutes. Cool slightly and serve over strudels.   

 

Yummy!