The oven does a wonderful thing to brie: It melts it. And what’s not to adore about soft, gooey, warm cheese? But in this recipe, it’s not the brie we gush over, it’s the chutney. (Though we wouldn’t part with the cheese or the wonderful, creamy texture it brings to the appetizer.)

It’s the apple and black currants that make the chutney so good. They’re the perfect foil for the tart cranberries, giving the chutney an earthy, richly sweet flavor that beautifully complements its fall spices — cinnamon, ginger, clove, and allspice. As one of our tasters said, “It’s divine, I could eat an entire bowl of it ... all by itself.”

It’s also extremely pretty, a brilliant holiday red. Our tips: Serve the brie and chutney with Carr’s Cracked Pepper Table Water Crackers. They bring out the chutney’s spice, and give the otherwise soft appetizer some crisp crunch. And make two batches of the chutney — it’ll be lovely spooned over everything from leftover turkey to ice cream!

Servings: 10 to 12

Ingredients

1 cup water
1lb fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 ½ Tbsp cinnamon, grated
½ tsp ground clove
¼ tsp allspice
1 large apple, diced medium
¼ cup black currants
1 wheel of brie cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, fresh cranberries, sugars, ginger, cinnamon, clove, and ground allspice, and cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cranberries split.
3. Add the apple and currants. Reduce to a simmer and cook to desired thickness, about 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Just before serving, set the brie on a baking sheet with parchment, and bake it for 4 to 6 minutes, until it’s oozing but not runny.
5. Serve the brie immediately with a small bowl or ramekin of the chutney.