3270. BOURBON and BACON CARAMEL BANANA SPLIT

makes five servings


1 cup diced bacon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons bourbon
1 cup plus 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
8 oz. milk chocolate almond candy bar
5 whole bananas
granulated sugar
5 good quality maraschino cherries
shaved chocolate
vanilla ice cream

Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook the bacon until crunchy, about 6 minutes. Once crispy, pour off the excess fat and add the brown sugar, stir to dissolve. Deglaze with the bourbon and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of heavy cream. Heat through and  keep warm while you make the whipped cream.

Add the cup of heavy cream to a large bowl and whisk in the brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Melt the milk chocolate almond candy bar.

Cut the banana in half lengthwise and place on a flame resistant surface. Cover the flat portion of the banana in sugar and apply a flame. Let the sugar caramelize. NOTE: you can also put the bananas in the broiler to caramelize if you don’t have blow torch. Place them on a platter and top with the vanilla ice cream, bacon caramel, whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and shaved chocolate. Repeat with the remaining bananas.


bacon recipe source: Michael Symon, The Chew, ABC-TV

2530. DULCE DE LECHE, BACON, COCONUT and CHOCOLATE CHIP MAGIC BARS

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces bacon, finely diced
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut (6 1/2 ounces)
12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup salted roasted almonds, chopped
One 16-ounce jar dulce de leche (recipe below)
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Dulce de Leche
1 quart whole milk
12 ounces sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds in a large, 4-quart saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the baking soda and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a bare simmer. Stir occasionally, but do not re-incorporate the foam that appears on the top of the mixture. Continue to cook for 1 hour. Remove the vanilla bean after 1 hour and continue to cook until the mixture is a dark caramel color and has reduced to about 1 cup, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a month.

Dulce de Leche recipe courtesy of: Alton Brown


Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving up to 1 inch of overhang. Spray the paper with vegetable oil spray.

In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and browned, about 4 minutes. Scrape the butter into a large bowl and freeze just until solid, about 15 minutes.

Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the sugar, vanilla seeds and egg yolk into the butter at medium speed until blended. Add the flour and salt and beat until moistened crumbs form. Press the crumbs into the prepared baking pan and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 25 minutes, until the crust is set and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, wipe out the bowl used to make the crust. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels and let cool. In the bowl, toss the coconut with the chocolate chips, almonds and bacon.

In another bowl, whisk the dulce de leche with the condensed milk; pour two-thirds of it in the crust. Lightly press the coconut-bacon mixture over the dulce de leche. Drizzle the remaining dulce de leche mixture on top.

Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the bars cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Carefully remove the bars from the pan and peel off the paper. Cut into bars and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: LoveFeast Table, December 13, 2010 | Grace Parisi, Food & Wine

1530. BACON CHOCOLATE CRUNCH BAR

4 lb. gianduja chocolate
1 lb. peanut butter
8 oz. praline paste
4 cups feuillitine (or chopped-up cornflakes)
1½ teaspoon sea salt
1 lb. bacon

Combine the chocolate, peanut butter and praline paste in a double boiler and melt over low heat. Stir in the feuillitine and salt. Spread the chocolate mixture evenly on a large pastry sheet and refrigerate until solid. Cut the chocolate into strips. Brunoise the bacon (dice it really small) and cook in a pan until it's almost burned. Transfer it to a paper towel to soak up some of the fat. Using a crème brûlée torch, quickly heat the top of the chocolate strips to soften. Cover the top with bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal, 435 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90036, 323-782-9225

141. BACON CRUNCH BARS

makes 32 servings, 1 bar each


1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup peanut butter
4 cups Grape Nuts cereal
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray; set aside. Mix sugar, corn syrup and peanut butter in large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for two minutes or just until mixture boils, stirring every minute.

Combine cereal and bacon. Add to corn syrup mixture; mix until well blended.

Press cereal mixture firmly into prepared pan. Cool. Lift bars from pan, using foil handles. Remove foil. Cut into 32 bars to serve.


courtesy of: Kraft Foods