1734. BACON, POTATO CHIP and TOFFEE BRITTLE

yields four cups


6 oz. butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup bacon lardons, fat reserved for cooking
1/2 cup almonds, smoked
1/2 cup potato chips, chopped roughly
1 1/2 lb. chocolate, bittersweet, 62 to 70% cacao, melted

Potato Chip Butter Cookies with Caramel Buttercream
8 oz. butter, room temperature
15 1/2 oz. sugar
1 teaspoon salt, plus as needed
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups potato chips, crushed
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 1/2 oz. corn syrup
powdered sugar as needed

Melt butter in heavy-duty saucepan. Add sugar, water, corn syrup, salt, vanilla and a tablespoon of reserved bacon fat to pan. Cook mixture until sugar reaches amber color. Pour onto a sheet pan lined with foil and reserve until set. Let set.

Chop toffee, then combine with almonds, chips and bacon in a bowl. Cover mixture with melted chocolate, then pour back onto sheet pan and spread evenly, as thin as possible. Reserve, refrigerated, until firm. Crack into shards.


Potato Chip Butter Cookies with Caramel Buttercream: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and 3 1/2 ounces sugar, then add pinch of salt, vanilla and 2 cups potato chips and mix until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour).

Scoop dough into desired size and roll into a ball. Place on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan, leaving a 2-inch space between each cookie. Press thumb in center of ball, creating a thumbprint. Bake until cookies are golden brown (about 8 to 10 minutes). Reserve to cool.

To make caramel, pour 6 ounces sugar, corn syrup and 1 tsp salt in a heavy-duty saucepot and cook until medium amber in color. Meanwhile, heat cream to warm. When sugar is medium amber in color, return to a boil before mixing in remaining sugar. Add warm cream in small batches, reducing after each addition. Remove pot from heat and reserve to cool before adding to cookies.

To assemble, put a dollop of caramel in center of each cookie. Refrigerate to cool and set caramel. Sprinkle remainder of crushed chips on top of caramel, and dust lightly with powdered sugar.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef-Owner Mindy Segal, Hot Chocolate, 1747 North Damen Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60647, (773) 489-1747 | Idaho Potato Commission, 661 South Rivershore Lane, Suite 230, Eagle, Idaho 83616, (208) 334-2350