In one of my most recent releases, Home for the Honeymoon (found in the Let’s Get Naughty Limited Edition Romance Anthology), my hero and heroine (Jacob and Clara Mosby) have a Christmas Eve wedding… in the middle of a snowstorm. Here is the blurb for my story in this USA Today bestselling collection:
Home for the Honeymoon
How far will a man go to save his marriage?
Jacob Mosby is getting married the day before Christmas Eve and is desperate to be alone with his bride. Except when a blizzard cancels their flight and closes the mountain roads, they’re forced to honeymoon in their small hometown of Kingsmill, VA. Unfortunately, his house is under renovation, all the rooms at the inn are booked, and Clara, his beautiful wife, is desperate to save their plans.
Clara is terrified if she doesn’t have the perfect honeymoon their marriage will end before it begins. While it’s a ridiculous thought, past betrayals have made her determined to have a perfect wedding night. Except now that they’re stuck in Kingsmill two days before Christmas, with no place to sleep, her fears may come true. Especially when their friends and family insist on “helping” with the new honeymoon plans, her teenage daughter goes missing, and a dangerous snowstorm puts those she loves in danger.
Now Jacob must convince Clara that true love, especially at Christmas, doesn’t promise a perfect life. It only promises a lifetime of imperfect happiness. A promise that’s worth sacrificing everything for… including the wedding night she’s always dreamed of.
So this month on the Hungry {Romance} Writer, I’m going to share some of the recipes served at this beautiful wedding. The first recipe served at this Christmas reception is a warm Camembert cheese topped with a cranberry orange compote. It’s not just delicious, it’s beautiful as well!
Camembert with Cranberry Orange Compote
Ingredients
Cranberry Orange Compote
- ¼ cup brandy
- ¼ cup sugar
- 8 ounces fresh cranberries divided
- 1 orange zested for 1 Tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- dash Kosher salt
- dash freshly ground black pepper
Camembert Cheese
- 1 8-ounce wheel of Camembert Cheese
- 1 Tablespoon brandy
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Serve with crackers and baguette slices and orange slices and roasted walnuts
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350℉ and move the rack to the middle of the oven.
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To prep the cheese, place the cheese in an oven-proof baking dish and score the top of the cheese with a sharp knife. Cut in a checkerboard pattern. In a small bowl, stir together the brandy, olive oil, and dash of Kosher salt. Once it's mixed, pour this over the cheese and set aside for ten minutes.
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In a small saucepan, cook the brandy and sugar over medium heat. Stir often, bring to a boil, and slowly add half of the cranberries. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cranberries burst open. This could take between 5-8 minutes. Then stir in the rest of the cranberries and bring the mixture back up to a boil–but then immediately remove from the heat. Stir in the orange zest and fresh thyme. Then season with salt to taste (but this is optional). Set the compote aside to cool until it reaches room temperature .
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Place the baking dish with the cheese into the oven. Bake until the cheese is soft and oozes out of the side, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Spoon any brandy sauce that is still in the baking dish over the cheese and allow the cheese to rest for at least five minutes.
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Spoon the compote over the cheese and serve with crackers and baguette slices. Garnish with orange slices and roasted walnuts (optional).
