3951. BACON CHOCOLATE MORNING CUPCAKES

Makes: 18


2 cups flour

1¼ cups brown sugar
2 tsp. instant espresso powder (on the coffee aisle)
1½ tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 very ripe medium banana mashed
1 egg
3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
1/3 cup cooked bacon crumbled
Bacon Oat Crumble (optional topping; recipe below)
1/2 cup chocolate chips melted

Preheat oven to 350°F and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

Stir together flour, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer. (Don’t worry if there are a few lumps of sugar.)

Add milk, butter and banana; beat for about 1 minute on medium-low speed. Add egg and beat for 1½ minutes more on medium-high speed. Stir in chocolate chips and bacon.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups and sprinkle with Bacon Oat Crumble, if you like. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool slightly before drizzling with melted chocolate.

Bacon Oat Crumble: Using your fingertips, mix 1 cup oats, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon, 2 tbsp. softened butter and 1 tsp. instant espresso powder in a medium bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over cupcake tops before baking.

bacon recipe source: Raley's Supermarkets (@raleys), 500 West Capitol Ave., West Sacramento, CA 95605

3950. MOCHA LATTE BACON DANISH

8 servings


6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 egg, beaten
6 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate flavored hazelnut spread
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

Heat oven to 350°F. Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper. In small bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Remove dough from can; do not unroll. Cut into 8 slices. Place cut side down 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Press each slice into 3-inch round. Press 1 1/2-inch-wide indentation in center of each round. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture into each indentation. Brush edges with beaten egg.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp. Drain well.

In small microwavable bowl, mix chocolate hazelnut spread and espresso powder. Microwave on High 30 seconds; stir. Drizzle over rolls. Sprinkle with bacon.

bacon recipe source: Marla Clark, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Bake-Off® Contest 46, 2013; Pillsbury.com, Pillsbury, General Mills, Inc., P.O. Box 9452, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440

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

3470. BACON JAM with BOURBON, MAPLE, and ESPRESSO

makes 3-4 cups of bacon jam


2 lb. extra thick cut bacon
2 extra large Spanish/red onions, quartered and sliced in thick strips
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 cup maple syrup
2 double-shots espresso (4 shots total)
1/4 cup bourbon (or whisky)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Cut bacon into small strips (about 1/5th an inch across).

Place all the bacon into a large pot and cook over medium-high, stirring often. Avoid crisping the bacon but cook until it gains color. Depending on your pot this could take 15-25 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon and remove the bacon from the pan/pot. Drain all fat into a bowl and turn heat to medium high. Add 2 tablespoons of bacon fat back into pot and wait a few minutes. Store extra fat in a jar and use it for frying and/or conditioning your cast iron pots.

Add onions and cayenne to pot, turn to medium and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.

Add maple syrup, espresso, bourbon and bacon to the pot and return temperature to medium-high.  simmer, stirring every few minutes until sauce reduces and turns into a thick sauce (enough to coat the bacon without dripping off the spoon).

Add balsamic at end, stir to incorporate.

Place in a jar and store in the fridge for up to a week.


bacon recipe source: Joel MacCharles, Well Preserved (@WellPreserved), April 30, 2014

3469. CHOCOLATE-BACON CUPCAKES with DULCE DE LECHE FROSTING

For the candied bacon:

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

6 slices bacon, cut in half

 

For the cupcakes:

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup brewed espresso or coffee

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

For the frosting:

1 cup jarred dulce de leche

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

sea salt, for topping

 

Make the candied bacon: Preheat the oven to 350F and set a rack on a foil-lined baking sheet.

 

Whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Toss the bacon in the sugar mixture until coated, then arrange on the rack in a single layer. Bake until dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Chop 3 pieces of bacon; set aside. 

 

Make the cupcakes: Combine the vegetable oil, espresso, brown sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave until hot, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth, then set aside to cool, about 15 minutes.

 

Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and fine salt in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla to the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture and continue whisking until combined.

 

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Divide the batter among the cups, then sprinkle with the chopped bacon. Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely. 

 

Make the frosting: Beat the dulce de leche, cream cheese and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until combined. Top the cupcakes with the frosting. Chop the remaining 3 slices of bacon and place on top of the frosting. Sprinkle sea salt over the frosting.

 

 

bacon recipe source: Amanda, Fake Ginger (@fakeginger), October 31, 2014; adapted from Food Network Magazine

3411. ESPRESSO and CARDAMOM GLAZED BACON

serves 4


12 strips of bacon
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 shot of espresso
1 cardamon pod

Place the bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet. Combine espresso, maple and smashed cardamon pod Brush each strip with syrup mixture and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes until crispy.
Drain on a wire rack and serve.


bacon recipe source: Karen, Sunday Suppers, April 25, 2014; adapted from Toby's Estate, 125 North 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249

125 North 6th Street
Brooklyn, New York

3027. RHUBARB BACON JAM

400 grams good-quality bacon, chopped into lardons
200 grams fresh rhubarb, finely chopped
200 grams of onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup strong espresso
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1-2 tablespoon(s) grainy mustard

Fry bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, but not overdone(fat will be rendered); transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Drain fat, if you have too much; add rhubarb and onions to bacon fat and sauté until onions are translucent and rhubarb begins to soften (no more than 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds; stir in brown sugar, espresso, syrup, vinegar, and add bacon back into the pan; bring to a simmering boil and cook, uncovered 30 to 45 minutes until reduced to a thick jam-like texture. Add grainy mustard to taste (complement the flavour balance with the mustard, as needed: start small). Store in jar(s) in the fridge or freezer and use as desired: great hot, or cold.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Valerie Lugonja, A Canadian Foodie, June 21, 2013

2770. ESPRESSO-MAPLE LACQUERED BACON

makes ½ pound of bacon and 1 cup of espresso-maple syrup


½ pound thick-cut, nitrate-free smoked bacon (about 6–8 slices)
3 shots espresso
½ cup pure maple syrup
6 whole cardamom pods

Stir together the espresso and the syrup. Add the cardamom pods and let steep together in the fridge overnight. Remove the cardamom pods.

Preheat oven to 350°. Lay the bacon out on a sheet pan. Bake, turning once until the bacon is mostly crisp but not too dry. Remove from the pan. Brush ½ teaspoon of the espresso-maple syrup on each slice of bacon and let cool a bit before devouring.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Toby’s Estate Coffee, 125 N. Sixth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249 | Edible Brooklyn: The Edible Blog, October 18, 2012