The saltiness of bacon is a perfect foil and contrast to sweetness. The French call this surprising combo sucre et sale, or sweet and salt. There are several ways to put the concept to work, and of course it is best with home made bacon.
Three Candied Bacon Recipes
Put these on your next bacon cheeseburger.
Course. Side dish.
Cuisine. American.
Makes. 1 pound of heaven
Takes. 30 minutes
Maple bacon (image above, the three slices on the right)
Ingredients
1 pound bacon
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 tablespoons cider vinegar
Optional. If you wish, sprinkle in black pepper, chipotle powder, ancho powder, coriander, rosemary, thyme, ginger, or whatever else moves you.
Method
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2) Stir together the sugar, syrup, vinegar, and the options.
3) Line a sheet pan with foil. Skip the foil and you'll be scrubbing that pan for hours. Place the strips on the wire rack in the pan. Bake the bacon for 15 minutes.
4) Now paint both sides of the strips with a pastry brush (use a silicon one, it is easier to clean) and bake until the strips are done to your likeness.
5) Let them cool on the rack. If you can resist.
Toffee bacon (image above, the three slices on the left)
Buy Heath Bits 'O Brickle Toffee Bits on the baking aisle of your grocery (there are two flavors, don't get the one with milk chocolate). Line a pan with foil, place a rack above, put the raw bacon on the rack, sprinkle the Heath bits on the bacon, preheat and bake at 350°F until the bacon is cooked and the candy is sorta melted. It will remain sticky.
Muddy Pigs
Muddy Pigs are a real surprise to someone who doesn't know what you are handing them. The recipe is quite simple: Cut 1 pound bacon strips into thirds, cook the bacon hard, let it cool.
Take 8 ounces of chopped semi-sweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon of shortening like Crisco (don't use other oils or butter), and put them in a metal bowl sitting on top of a pot of simmering water so only steam contacts the bottom of the bowl. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Dip the bacon in to coat and place it on parchment paper to cool and harden. Parchment paper works best because it has non-stick silicone in it.
"When you have bacon in your mouth it doesn't matter who's president."Louis C.K.
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