Hello everyone! Recipes for the Bacon Swizzle Sticks and the Apricot-Brie Puff Pastry are written out below. Thank you for watching!
For more easy make-ahead appetizers, please watch my “Cocktails in the Parlor” (https://youtu.be/eoOfROkLi1Q) and “Cocktails in the Garden” (https://youtu.be/7vlsTB7-zGI) videos!
BACON SWIZZLE STICKS
Thin breadsticks (“Grissini” if possible)
Regular cut bacon
About 2 cups of dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place an oven-proof rack on top of one of the baking sheets.
Tip the brown sugar into a pie plate.
Break breadsticks in half (be gentle here). Cut strips of bacon crosswise in half. Wrap each bacon half tightly around the breadstick half. Roll each stick in the brown sugar to coat. Transfer each stick to the rack, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
MAKE-AHEAD NOTE: Cover with cling film and refrigerate for up to one day. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C.
Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon browns and is cooked through — 20-25 minutes.
Use tongs to immediately transfer the baked swizzle sticks to the clean parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with the maple syrup.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
APRICOT-BRIE PUFF PASTRY BRAID
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed but cold
2 tablespoons apricot jam or preserves
4 slices of Brie cheese, cut 1/2-inch thick
1 beaten egg for glazing the pastry
Unfold the pastry to expose 3 “panels.” Spread the apricot jam on the center panel, and top the jam with the slices of brie. Make 1-inch slits along the two outer panels. Fold the slits up and over the brie to create a rustic “braid.”
MAKE-AHEAD NOTE: The pastry may be assembled to this point. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F/204°C.
Brush the pastry with the beaten egg. Bake until the pastry puffs and browns and the cheese melts — 20-25 minutes.
To serve, slice the pastry crosswise between the braids. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Credit: YouTube/Kevin Lee Jacobs
