This one feels a little bit like cheating. Sometimes I get myself all worked up over coming up with complex, 100% from scratch recipes because I want to punish myself impress you. I can’t tell you how often I have slaved, I tell you, slaved for hours over a  recipe that turned out to be very What? This Simple Thing That I Could Have Easily Bought At The Store In Less Time And For Less Money And That Would Have Probably Been Just As Good? Those days aren’t behind me, but I thought I’d turn the table a bit with a recipe that is much more What? This Complicated Seeming Thing? I Whipped This Up With My Eyes Closed.

Sometimes, you need a quick appetizer that’s sure to impress, or, as was the case for me last weekend, you feel like a little bit lot of butter and creamy cheese might just do you good. And, when either of these situations apply, what better than triple crème brie melting out of a flaky, buttery pastry shell? Especially when such a treat can be whipped up in, oh, absolutely no time at all?

I discovered ready-to-bake pie crusts and puff pastry while I was in France, of all places. (Allow me to break a myth: Even French cooks are pressed for time and, yes, occasionally cheat.) They’re an absolute cinch and have even rescued a few recipes when my own crusts have gone awry. (I recommend keeping one in the freezer for just such an occasion!)

You could experiment with different types of fruit preserves or compotes to use for the filling. I think apricot would be delicious but a really fruity, fresh-tasting homemade orange marmalade was what I had on hand (I canned several jars in the fall), and it worked pretty well, though maybe bitter for some people’s taste. I liked the almonds for texture but you could omit them if you like, or use sliced almonds rather than chopped if you’re really concerned with aesthetics.

Lastly, a note on cheese: Good cheese is expensive, but worth it. Buy a smaller piece of quality brie rather than a whole wheel of something mediocre if, like me, you’re on a budget. I used about an 8-ounce wedge of brie and it baked just fine, and was much, much more decadent and delicious than the store brand camembert. Splurge! This recipe is clearly not about restraint.

Baked Brie with Preserves and Almonds

• 6-12 ounces of quality brie (whole wheel or just a wedge)
• puff pastry
• 2 tablespoons chopped or sliced raw almonds
• 2 tablespoons jam, preserves or marmalade to compliment the cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. If your puff pastry is frozen, follow directions on the package to thaw it properly. When it is thawed, lay it flat on a baking sheet. Place the brie in the center without removing rind. Spoon jam on top of cheese and sprinkle with half of the almonds.

Carefully fold the dough over the cheese, making sure to pinch closed any openings where melted cheese might escape. Creating bulky folds of dough will leave it raw and should be avoided. Once the cheese is wrapped, sprinkle the package with remaining almonds.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until crust is flaky and golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with crackers or slices of fruit, such as pear or apple.