Baked Sweet Potato & Brie Casserole with Cranberries & Walnuts

This is *Baked Sweet Potato & Brie Casserole with Cranberries & Walnuts* – sweet, salty, cheesy and perfect for holidays!

 

Ingredients:

– Sweet potatoes – 3 large (about 1 kg), peeled & cut into 2cm cubes

– Brie cheese – 250g, sliced into pieces (remove rind if you want)

– Walnuts – 1 cup, roughly chopped

– Cranberry sauce / dried cranberries – 3/4 cup (or cranberry jam)

– Brown sugar – 3 tbsp

– Butter – 3 tbsp, melted

– Honey or Maple syrup – 3 tbsp

– Cinnamon powder – 1/2 tsp

– Salt – 1/2 tsp

– Black pepper – 1/4 tsp

– Fresh thyme – 2-3 sprigs for garnish

 

Method:

 

*1. Roast Sweet Potatoes:*

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.

In a bowl, toss sweet potato cubes with melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

Spread in a baking dish and roast for 20-25 minutes until they start to get soft and golden.

 

*2. Add Brie & Walnuts:*

Take dish out. Place Brie slices all over the top of the sweet potatoes.

Sprinkle chopped walnuts evenly.

 

*3. Bake Again:*

Put back in oven for 10-12 minutes until Brie is melted, bubbly and slightly golden on top.

 

*4. Finish:*

Take out of oven. Spoon warm cranberry sauce / jam on top while it’s hot.

Drizzle honey or maple syrup over everything.

Garnish with fresh thyme.

 

Serve directly from the dish with a spoon – hot and gooey. That sweet-salty-cheesy bite is amazing!

 

*Tip:* If you use dried cranberries instead of sauce, soak them in 2 tbsp hot water for 5 mins so they become soft and jammy.

Tips for this Sweet Potato & Brie Bake:

 

*1. Don’t overcook sweet potatoes in first bake:*

Roast them 75% only (20-25 mins). They will cook again with Brie. If you fully cook first, they will become mushy like halwa in second bake.

 

*2. Use cold Brie, cut thick:*

If you cut Brie too thin, it disappears. Cut into 1cm thick slices and place them on top, not mixed inside.

*3. Walnuts trick:*

Toast walnuts in a dry pan for 2 minutes before adding. It makes them extra crunchy and they won’t become soft in oven. You can also toss them with a little honey + pinch of salt.

 

*4. Cranberry balance:*

Brie is rich and sweet potato is sweet, so you NEED the sour cranberry to balance. Don’t skip it. If you use very sweet jam, add 1 tsp lemon juice to it.

 

*5. Don’t add honey before baking:*

Honey burns fast. Always drizzle honey / maple syrup AFTER baking, when it’s hot out of the oven.

 

*6. Best to serve hot:*

Brie gets firm when cold. This dish is best served within 15-20 minutes out of oven when cheese is still gooey and stretchy on the spoon.

 

Add a little chili flakes if you want sweet + spicy!