Gooey, cheesy, and loaded with sweet, caramelized onions, pears, and fresh thyme, this easy pull apart bread is the perfect holiday appetizer!
There’s something slightly outrageous about a cheesy pull-apart bread. Gooey molten cheese inside warm, crusty bread is beyond decadent! The great thing about a pull-apart bread is that it’s super simple to put together and endlessly customizable. In this variation sweet caramelized onions and juicy pears are a perfect match for the rich cheese. Give in to your indulgent cravings with this decadent appetizer!
Ingredient Notes
Bread: A round loaf of sourdough is my bread of choice for this recipe. The sourdough adds a subtle flavour and the bread itself is sturdy enough to hold up to all the toppings.
Brie cheese: Ultra creamy Brie is the perfect cheese for this gooey pull apart bread. The type of brie cheese doesn’t really matter; you could use either a double or triple cream. Camembert would make a great a substitution. Cut the brie into slices and then into 2 or 3 pieces about an inch wide. It will be easier to slice the cheese if it is well chilled.
Pear: Pears and brie cheese are a classic pairing. I love the sweetness and acid of the pear that balances out the richness of the cheese. You will need 1 pear, thinly sliced. A light sauté will soften the pears before stuffing the bread. If you were to use raw slices the pears would not have enough time to cook through completely.
Onions: Golden caramelized onions add a delicious savoury sweetness to this dish. You will need 3 large onions thinly sliced but don’t worry, they will cook down to a fraction of their original volume. I like to use sweet, or Vidalia onions but regular yellow onions will work just fine. Caramelizing onions does take some time – they need to be cooked low and slow. Plan for 45 to 60 minutes to fully caramelize the onions. Of course, they can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
Herbs: The final step is to brush the stuffed bread with melted butter and herbs. I like using chopped fresh parsley and thyme for flavour and colour. You could, however, substitute dried parsley and thyme, just be sure to reduce the amounts by about a third.
How to Make Brie Pull-Apart Bread with Pear and Caramelized Onions
Caramelize the Onions
Thinly slice 3 large onions. In a wide skillet, add the butter and olive oil and heat over medium heat until the butter begins to melt. Add all the onions along with the kosher salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat until the onions begin to soften. Then turn down the heat to low.
Cook the onions over low heat until they are very tender and a deep brown colour. You will need to keep an eye on the onions. You don’t need to stir them continuously, but you should be nearby to stir them every so often so that they don’t burn or stick to the pan. You also don’t want them to brown to quickly and become crispy. They should be meltingly tender when done.
When the onions are almost ready begin to prepare the remaining ingredients.
Sauté the Pears
Peel and quarter 1 large pear. To keep the slices small, I like to slice the pear quarters horizontally rather than lengthwise. This will yield slices that are approximately 1 inch in diameter.
Heat some butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pear slices and cook over medium heat just until the pears begin to soften but still hold their shape. Transfer to a plate and set aside until you’re ready to stuff the bread.
Stuff and Bake the Bread
Make five deep cuts about an inch apart in the bread. Cut about three quarters of the way down but not all the way through the bread. Turn the bread and make five more deep cuts crosswise in the bread to create a chessboard pattern.
Begin by stuffing the caramelized onions. Carefully separate the pieces of bread and add some of the onions. I find using a fork makes easy work of spreading the onions down the slices. Divide the onions between the entire loaf.
Slice the brie cheese and then cut the slices into 2 or 3 pieces that are approximately an inch wide. Insert a piece of brie in all the slices between each square of bread. Follow with the sliced pears, adding a slice beside each piece of brie.
In a small saucepan melt the butter. Add the chopped fresh parsley, thyme, kosher salt, and pepper.
Take two long pieces of foil and cross them on a baking sheet. Transfer the stuffed bread to the foil. Brush the bread evenly with the herb butter mixture. Gather up the sides of the foil to partially cover the bread. Add another piece of foil to tent on top.
Bake in a 400 deg F oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is fully melted. Remove and let cool for a few minutes before digging in!
