Love bacon? Candied bacon is the best thing to start with when you want to add bacon to any dessert. This treat is quite easy to make, but there are many steps.
Before you start this recipe, you need to decide which bacon you like the best – you will need a dozen strips for the recipe. I prefer to buy a slab of bacon from the butcher, that way I can cut into strips myself; my favorite is maple blueberry bacon from Whole Foods Market.
Begin by cutting your strips of bacon; you may use any thickness you desire, I tend to lean towards three quarters to one inch pieces. Once they are all cut, place them in a medium sized pot then fill with water until just covered. Simmer this for five minutes then drain.
In the same pot place a cup of granulated white sugar and the same amount of water and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the poached bacon and simmer for five more minutes. Drain once again and cool on a baking pan.
Once you have cooled the bacon, place in a deep fryer or a pot of canola or vegetable oil, whichever you prefer to fry with. The heat should be at three hundred and twenty five degrees, fry until golden brown. This will caramelize the sugars on the outside of the bacon and create a nice coat on the outer layer. Drain the extra oil off and cool once again for a few minutes on the same baking pan.
In a large sized sauté pan place a quarter cup of honey, a quarter cup of maple syrup, and a quarter cup of water. Bring that to a simmer and then add the bacon. Once the mixture reduces down and coats the bacon entirely, then transfer to a baking pan with a baking mat and place in a three hundred and fifty degree oven. Check and rotate every couple minutes until they start to darken as shown in the picture. When ready, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Store the candied bacon in an airtight container with wax or parchment paper between each layer.
This is a great way to add bacon to any of your favorite desserts. I love to fold it into my favorite flavored ice cream when it is coming out of the machine. It also makes a great improvement to any cookie dough or cake batter folded in before baked off. This bacon also looks great as a garnish on top of cakes or layered in-between.
I admit, there are easier ways to make candied bacon (like topping with brown sugar before baking), but in my experience none give it the crunch and full flavor that you get from boiling, frying, then baking.
Crafted Creations 