3907. BLUEBERRY BACON BREAKFAST CAKE

makes a 9×13 dish


6 slices thick-cut bacon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons bacon fat, cooled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces fresh blueberries (frozen work too – just thaw and pay completely dry)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add bacon. Fry until completely crisp and fat is rendered. Remove bacon and place on a paper towel to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk butter and bacon fat with sugar until combined. Whisk in eggs until completely smooth, then whisk in vanilla extract. Slowly add dry ingredients, mixing with a large spoon. Add in milk and stir until combined. Toss blueberries with 1-2 tablespoons of flour. Fold in bacon and blueberries, then pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until golden on the sides and top. Remove cake and poke holes on top with a toothpick. Pour glaze over top, reserving a bit extra for topping if desired.

Cream Cheese Glaze
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons milk
Add softened cream cheese to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add in milk and vanilla, mixing until combined, then begin to stir in powdered sugar. If mixture is too thick, add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin, add in powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.


bacon recipe source: Jessica Merchant, How Sweet It Is (@HowSweetBlog), April 17, 2012

3848. BANANA BACON BUNDT CAKE

Yield: One 10-12 cup Bundt cake


Bundt Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs (room temperature)
2 tsp vanilla
1½ cups mashed overripe banana (approx 4 medium)
1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)

Glaze:
1½ cups powdered sugar
5 Tbps pure maple syrup

Candied Maple Bacon:
4 slices bacon
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp light brown sugar (packed)
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Bundt Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3mins).

Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla and mashed bananas. Beat well to combine.

Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of buttermilk). Fully incorporating after each addition. Do not overmix.

Add some batter into your prepared pan and press it into the cracks of the bundt pan with a small spatula. Add remaining batter until pan is no more than ¾ full. Smooth the top with a spatula and whack the pan against the counter to evenly distribute.

Bake for 60-70mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.

Place cake on wire rack to cool for 10mins. Whack the pan on the counter to loosen the cake and turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze:

Whisk powdered sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Thick but pourable. Pour over cooled cake.

Candied Maple Bacon:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a wire rack.

Place maple syrup and sugar into a medium bowl and mix until combined. Add bacon slices and mix with your hands until coated.

Place strips of bacon onto wire rack and bake for 25-30mins or until browned and crisp. Remove from wire rack and place on parchment lined baking sheet to cool. Chop and sprinkle over top of glazed Bundt cake.


bacon recipe source: Olivia, Liv for Cake (@livforcake), January 20, 2016

3726. STILTON and BACON CHEESECAKES

serves six 


For the crusts

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup finely crushed digestive biscuits or graham crackers

 

For the filling

6 strips bacon, finely diced

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 oz. stilton, softened

½ cups shelled walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

2 strips cooked bacon, broken into thirds

2 cups mixed young lettuce leaves

¾ cups fruit chutney (optional)

 

For the crusts: Grease six 2" × 2" ring molds with 1 tbsp. of the butter; set molds on a cookie sheet. Melt remaining 3 tbsp. butter and transfer to a small bowl. Add biscuit crumbs and mix well. Put equal amounts of the crumb mixture into prepared molds, firmly pressing on crumbs to form an even crust at base of molds. Chill crusts in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

 

For the filling: Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels, saving rendered bacon grease for another use. Using a fork, mix cheeses together in a medium bowl. Add bacon and walnuts (if using) and stir well. Pack equal amounts of the filling into molds, smoothing tops with the back of a small warm metal spoon. Cover cheesecakes with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

 

Run a small knife around inside of molds and slide cheesecakes onto six plates, crust side down. Serve cheesecakes at room temperature, garnished with a piece of bacon, with lettuces and chutney (if using) on the side.

 

 

bacon recipe source: Take Big Bites by Linda Ellerbe (Putnam, 2005); Saveur, February 2, 2009

3600. CHOCOLATE BACON BUNDT CAKE

Chocolate Cake:

1 box devil's food cake mix

1 box instant chocolate pudding mix

4 eggs

2/3 cup oil

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup buttermilk or milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

 

Chocolate Glaze:

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2-4 tablespoons milk

6-8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease your Bundt pan well. Sift cake mix into a small bowl to remove any lumps and add instant pudding mix to it. In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, sour cream, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in cake mix and instant pudding mix until smooth. Add chocolate chips and stir again. Dump into prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

 

Glaze: Combine powdered sugar, butter and 2 Tbsp. milk. Add more milk if needed to reach a pourable consistency.

 

Pour glaze over cooled cake and spindle bacon on top. Go heavy on the bacon, your man will appreciate it.

 

 

bacon recipe source: Lizzy Mae Early, Your Cup of Cake (@LizzysCupOfCake), August 15, 2013

3621. BACON-PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

yields eight servings


6 slices bacon

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
7 fresh pineapple rings (about 1/2 inch thick)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 9 to 11 minutes; remove to paper towels. Finely chop and set aside.

Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the skillet. Add 4 tablespoons butter and melt over low heat. Pour into a 9-inch-round cake pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter mixture.

Place a pineapple ring in the middle of the pan, then arrange the remaining rings around the outside, overlapping them slightly if necessary. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the chopped bacon in the middle of the rings and between them.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the remaining 1 stick butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the batter is smooth, about 15 more seconds. Fold in the remaining chopped bacon.

Spread the batter over the pineapple in the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a platter. Let cool at least 1 hour before serving. 

 

 

bacon recipe source: Food Network Magazine/Food Network Kitchen

3517. ESPRESSO POUND CAKE with MAPLE BACON ICING

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoons double dutch cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup strong espresso, cooled

for the maple bacon icing:
1/2 teaspoon whole milk
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
8 strips center cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper as well. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, throughly mixing each time. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Add half flour mixture and half espresso. Mix. Add remaining flour mixture and espresso and mix until smooth and no large lumps remain.

Transfer batter to prepared baking loaf pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let sit until cool, at least 45 minutes and then remove from pan.

Then, in a small bowl whisk together milk, pure maple syrup, and maple extract. Add powdered sugar, whisking until smooth. Slowly pour on top of the cooled poundcake and sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe source: Jessica Segarra, The Novice Chef (@TheNoviceChef), July 18, 2012

3007. MINI BACON CHEESECAKES

yields about 24 mini cheesecakes

 

 

For the bacon and crust:

4 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons sugar
12 chocolate wafer cookies
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt

For the cheesecakes:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 large egg

 

Make the bacon: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with paper liners. Put the bacon pieces in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost completely browned, about 4 minutes. Pour off the drippings and reserve. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over the bacon and cook, stirring, until the bacon is crisp and glazed, about 3 more minutes. Transfer the candied bacon to a plate; set aside until ready to use.

Make the crust: Pulse the cookies, butter, the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon bacon drippings, and the salt in a food processor until finely ground. Firmly press 1 heaping teaspoon of the crumb mixture into each mini muffin liner. Bake until the crust is set, about 12 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack.

Make the cheesecakes: Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-high speed until light and smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and egg and mix until just incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed. Fill each mini muffin cup with about 2 teaspoons batter and bake until set, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack, then transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill at least 4 hours. Top each cheesecake with a piece of candied bacon.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Food Network Magazine

2819. TUNA BACON CAKES

makes about 7 to 8 patties


1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed
2 to 3 green onions, finely diced
10 ounces canned wild albacore tuna, drained
2 to 3 slices cooked bacon, diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
Zest from 1/2 lemon (about 1/2 teaspoon)
2 pastured eggs
2 tablespoons coconut flour
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
coconut oil, avocado oil, or bacon grease

In a large bowl mix together all ingredients through coconut flour. Season with salt and pepper. In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat add fat of choice (coconut oil, avocado oil, or bacon grease), just enough to coat pan. Form mixture into patties, should make about 7 or 8 patties. Place about 3 to 4 patties into skillet, leave enough room around patties so they cook evenly. Cook patties on each side until golden and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Serve immediately over a salad or as you wish. Highly recommend with diced avocado.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Heather Connell, Multiply Delicious, August 14, 2012

2031. AUVERGNE POUNTI CAKE

3 eggs
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup vegetable oil (or more)
½ cup warm milk
½ lb. grated cheese
½ lb. cured ham (prosciutto)
¼ lb. smoked bacon
15 pitted prunes
½ lb. chard, spinach, or lettuce leaves
1 medium onion
salt and pepper

Preheat a convection oven to 350ºF. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, flour, and baking powder. Gradually stir in the vegetable oil. Warm the milk briefly in the microwave and gradually incorporate it into the batter. Mix in the grated cheese, a little salt, a good amount of pepper. Chop the onion and saute it lightly in a pan with the bacon (or lardons). Meanwhile, cut the country ham into strips. Chop the chard or other greens roughly, and cut each prune into two or even four pieces. When the onions and bacon have cooled slightly, mix all the ingredients into the cake batter. Cook the batter in a buttered or non-stick loaf pan for 45 minutes. Let it cool for 15 or 20 minutes before taking it out of the pan.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ken Broadhurst, Living the Life in Saint-Aignan, St-Aignan-sur-Cher, Loire Valley, France, September 30, 2009

1064. PARSNIP and BACON CAKE with a HONEY-MUSTARD SAUCE

serves 4


4 parsnip, topped and tailed, and chopped into pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 slices bacon, rinds and all fat removed
1 chili, finely chopped (optional)
2 shallot, finely chopped
3 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard
1/2 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons cream, low-fat is fine
1 sprig parsley, for garnish (optional)

Bring a pan to the boil, add the parsnips, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until they are cooked through and tender when prodded with a fork. Drain them really thoroughly. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a non-stick pan, add the bacon and cook until it starts to brown but is still soft. Add the chilli, garlic and shallots (or whichever of these you are using), and sauté for 2 minutes, or until the garlic and shallots are softening. Stir in the garam masala (if including), and remove the pan from the heat. Mash the well-drained parsnips and add the bacon mixture and the lightly beaten egg to the mashed parsnips, stirring until well-combined. Put the pan back over the heat and add the second tablespoon of butter. Pile the parsnip mixture into the pan so that it forms a single 'cake', and flatten it with a spatula or egg slide. Cook it for a few minutes. Carefully loosen the 'cake' and slide it onto a plate. Invert the plate back over the pan and ease the 'cake' back into the pan to cook the other side. While the 'cake' is cooking, mix the mustard, honey and cream together in a small saucepan over a low heat, until the mixture begins to form bubbles. When both sides of the 'cake' are browned, transfer the 'cake' to a serving plate, cut into wedges, garnish with a sprig of parsley and serve with the honey-mustard sauce and a green salad.


courtesy of: RecipeZaar

648. TARO ROOT CAKE with SCALLOPS, MUSHROOMS, SHRIMP and BACON

a.k.a. Woo Tul Gow

makes one 8-inch cake, about 48 slices

Note: Wear rubber gloves when handling taro, as some people can have an allergic reaction to touching it. Also use rice flour, not glutinous flour!


1/4 cup Chinese dried scallops (gown yu chee), about 1 ounce
8 Chinese dried mushrooms
1/4 cup Chinese dried shrimp, about 1 ounce
6 ounces Chinese Bacon (lop-yok), store bought or homemade
1 large taro root, about 2 1/4 pounds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups rice flour
vegetable oil, for pan-frying
oyster-flavored sauce

In a small bowl, soak the scallops in 1/3 cup cold water for about 2 hours, or until softened. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid. Remove and discard the small hard knob from the side of the scallops. Finely shred the scallops.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, soak the mushrooms in 1/2 cup cold water 30 minutes, or until softened. Drain and squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid. Cut off and discard stems and mince the caps. In a small bowl, soak the dried shrimp in 1/3 cup cold water for 30 minutes, or until softened. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Finely chop shrimp and set aside.

Cut the bacon into 3 equal pieces and place in a 9-inch shallow heatproof dish. Bring water to a boil over high heat in a covered steamer large enough to fit the dish without touching the sides of the steamer. Carefully place the dish in the steamer, cover, reduce heat to medium, and steam 15 to 20 minutes, or just until bacon is softened and there are juices in the dish. Check the water level from time to time and replenish, if necessary, with boiling water. Carefully remove the dish from the steamer and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, wearing rubber gloves, peel taro root and cut into 1/2-inch cubes to make about 7 cups. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the taro root, 1 teaspoon salt, and about 1 1/2 quarts cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until taro has turned a pale lavender color and is just tender when pierced with a knife.

Remove the bacon from its dish and reserve the juices in the dish. Cut off and discard the rind and thick layer of fat underneath. Cut the remaining meat into paper-thin slices and then finely chop. In a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet, stir-fry the chopped bacon over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until meat releases fat and just begins to brown. Add the minced mushrooms and shrimp, and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in pan juices from the bacon and remove from heat.

Drain the taro in a colander, reserving the cooking liquid. Return the taro to the saucepan, add the bacon and mushroom mixture, and stir to combine. In a large bowl, combine the rice flour and the reserved mushroom, scallop, and shrimp soaking liquids, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved hot taro broth. Pour this batter over the taro mixture in the saucepan. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir until combined. Consistency will resemble that of thick rice pudding. Pour the mixture into a heatproof 8-inch round, 3- to 4-inch-deep, straight-sided bowl, such as a soufflé dish.

Bring water to a boil over high heat in a covered steamer large enough to fit the dish without touching the sides of the steamer. Carefully place the dish into the steamer, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and steam 1 hour, or just until cake is set and is firm to the touch. Check the water level and replenish, if necessary, with boiling water. Carefully remove the bowl from the steamer and cool on a rack about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 to 4 hours.

Run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen sides. Place a cake rack over the bowl and invert to unmold. Flip the cake right-side up onto a cutting board. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

When ready to eat, cut the cake into quarters. Cut each quarter crosswise, not into wedges, but into two 2-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip crosswise into scant 1/2-inch-thick slices. This is the typical way of slicing a cake Chinese style.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet, over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add just enough vegetable oil to barely coat the wok. Add the taro cake slices in batches and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Serve immediately with oyster sauce.


courtesy of: Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, by Grace Young. Simon & Schuster, May 1999

582. POTATO and BACON CAKE with DRIED FRUIT

the authentic Chamonix "Farcon"


2.2 lbs. potatoes (preferably Bintje)
7 oz. prunes
2 oz. currants
3.5 oz. lardons (small cubes of bacon)
10 thin slices smoked bacon
scant 1/2 cup liquid cream
3 tbsp. butter
2 eggs
1 large onion
salt and freshly ground pepper


Preheat the oven at: 300°F. Peel and chop the onion finely. Sweat it in a covered pan for 5 minutes with 2 tbsp. butter and the lardons; peel and grate the raw potatoes (as you would carrots); line the bottom and sides of a round soufflé dish or a small round casserole with the slices of smoked bacon; combine the potatoes, onions, lardons, cream, eggs, prunes and raisins; season with salt and pepper; pour into the mould; cover and allow to cook for about 4 hours in a bain-marie in the preheated 300° F oven; remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before unmoulding.

NOTE: A typical Savoyard peasant dish, the recipe for which varies from valley to valley. Thus, you might find dried apple or a pinch of nutmeg included in some versions. The "farcon" cooks for several hours (the time needed to go to the village for Mass) in a special tall mould called a "rabolire" that has a central chimney. It provided meat (bacon), starch (potatoes) and dessert (prunes and raisins) in just one dish!

SUGGESTION: Serve it on the day you make it, or the next day, cut into thick slices and reheated in a skillet, with a little butter and a nice green salad. In our region it is also served as a side dish with a roast or game stew.


courtesy of: Pierre Carrier, Albert I, the Maison Carrier, 38 route du Bouchet, BP 55, 74402 Chamonix (Savoy/Mont-Blanc), France

381. BACON CHEESEBURGER CAKE

yields 20 servings


1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (13 ounce) package brownie mix
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans vanilla frosting
yellow food coloring
red food coloring
3 vanilla wafer cookies
1 large roll of red fruit leather
4 caramels, with stripes
8 yellow chewy fruit-flavored candy squares
1 (16 ounce) container chocolate frosting
1 large roll of green fruit leather
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Preheat oven according to instructions on cake mix box; prepare mix. Grease and flour a 9 inch pan, and a shallow metal bowl at least 9 inches in diameter. Fill the 9 inch cake pan 2/3 full with cake batter; pour the remaining batter into the prepared metal bowl (this will be the top of your "bun"). Bake according to directions, remove from pans, and cool on a wire rack.

Grease and flour a 9 inch pan. Prepare brownie batter, and bake according to instructions on box. Remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack. Shave off the sharp edges of the brownie, making it resemble a hamburger patty.

Place 1/4 cups of vanilla frosting in a heavy duty plastic sandwich bag, and color with yellow food coloring to make your mustard. Repeat a second time using the red food coloring to make your ketchup. Place remaining frosting in a bowl, and color with a mix of red and yellow food coloring until you arrive at the color of a hamburger bun.

Cut the cookies in half and wrap with pieces of red fruit leather to create your tomatoes. Unwrap the caramels, and heat in microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to slightly soften. Roll the caramels individually between sheets of waxed paper to create bacon strips. Microwave the chewy fruit-flavored candy squares, place together, and roll between sheets of waxed paper to create your cheese slice; trim into a square shape.

To assemble, place bottom bun on your serving dish, and spread with some of the hamburger bun frosting. Place brownie on top of this, and spread it with chocolate frosting. Decorate edges with the tomatoes, bacon, cheese, mustard, and ketchup; use the green fruit leather as lettuce. Place top bun over this and spread with the remaining hamburger bun frosting; sprinkle with sesame seeds.


courtesy of: Kry Hanes, Mons, Belgium

107. APPLE SPICE CAKE with CHEDDAR BACON CRUMBLE and MAPLE PECAN ICE CREAM

yields 8 servings


Apple filling:
8 Gala apples
½ cup sugar
2 cups cider
1 vanilla bean
2 cinnamon sticks

Cake:
2 cups cake flour
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 vanilla bean
1 orange zest
Pinch fresh nutmeg
Pinch of salt
5 eggs
1 Tablespoon lavender honey
7 ounces melted butter

Streusel:
9 ounces butter
1 ¾ cups brown sugar
2 ½ cups cake flour
1 cup almond flour
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Pecan pralines:
1 pound pecans
½ cup water
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Ice cream:
5 cups maple syrup
1 quart cream
2 quarts milk
20 yolks
½ cup trimoline

Garnish:
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 slices thick-cut bacon, roasted crisp and crumbled
Maple syrup

For apple filling: Cut the apples into a ½-inch dice and let rest unwrapped in the refrigerator overnight to partially dehydrate. The next day, combine the apples with sugar, cider, vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks and arrange in a roasting pan. Cover with foil and roast at 350°F until the apples are soft and tender but not falling apart.

For cake: In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. Add the eggs and honey, and slowly add the butter to incorporate. Pour batter into a half sheet pan and let rest overnight. The following day, preheat oven to 350°F and bake until cake springs back lightly when touched, about 10 minutes. Cool completely and then cut cake into discs using a 3-inch cookie cutter.

For streusel: In an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix all ingredients together until large chunks form. Spread out streusel in a half sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the freezer overnight. The following day, preheat oven to 325°F and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

For the pecan pralines: Place the pecans, water and sugar in a large pot and let mixture come to a boil, stirring occasionally. Continue to stir vigorously as water evaporates and crystals of sugar begin to form. When the crystals start to melt to caramel remove from heat, stir in the cinnamon and pour out onto a baking pan to cool. Chop pralines into bits and store in an airtight container.

For ice cream: Reduce the maple syrup by half in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Deglaze with the cream. Add the milk and bring back to a boil. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and trimoline. Pour some of the hot cream mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly to combine. Place tempered eggs into the remaining hot cream mixture, whisking constantly until mixture coast the back of a wooden spoon. Strain custard through a fine mesh strainer and chill overnight. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Stir in pecan pralines into the freshly run ice cream and reserve in the freezer.

To assemble: Place a piece of cake into the bottom of a 3-inch ring mold. Top with some of the apple filling and press to remove the liquid until you have a nice, compact mold. Top with some streusel and grated cheddar cheese. Place in a 350°F oven to melt the cheese and heat through. Unmold onto a plate. Garnish each plate with a scoop of maple ice cream, a drizzle of maple syrup, and bits of crumbled bacon.


courtesy of: Chef Nicole Kaplan, Eleven Madison Park, New York, New York