Did you see the Maple Bacon Cake on Thursday Night Smackdown? Michelle, the creator of TNS, is a devoted bacon enthusiast and used bacon toffee generously on her cake. I’d been meaning to make a sweet bacon treat for about a year. A few months ago, sweet bacon recipes began appearing everywhere. I drooled over bacon ice creams and seriously considered a pound of candied bacon. The only reason I didn’t try them sooner is that I made a classic mistake: I mentioned the idea to The Evil Genius first.
Don’t get me wrong — he’s brilliant — but when it comes to applying beloved foods in unexpected ways, he has a blind spot. For proof, consider how he finally switched from Goya coffee (which he’d sworn by for years) to Café Altura’s French Roast. Or take this bacon episode as another example.
Several months ago I excitedly pointed to a picture of bacon ice cream on Tastespotting and said, “Hey! That looks amazing. I might make it this weekend.” He pulled a face like a sad puppy and extracted a promise that I wouldn’t “ruin a perfect batch of vanilla ice cream that way.” How could I refuse? With those persuasive, bright blue eyes, I melted like the ice cream itself. I promised — and then immediately regretted it as the bacon trend swept the blogosphere.
Then, a few days ago, I saw Michelle’s Maple Bacon Cake and had had enough. I already had a pound of bacon, a pound of butter, sugar, and everything else I needed. I went to work. As my grandfather liked to say, “It’s easier to do and get forgiveness than to get permission first…” Besides, I knew he would love it. After all, how can you go wrong with bacon?
I cooked the bacon, mixed the toffee, poured it onto my silpat, and let it firm up. I kept nibbling on the edges as it cooled. Oh my goodness — it was even better than I had imagined. Even with a full pound of bacon in the toffee, the first sensation wasn’t purely bacon; it went sweet, salty, smoky, bacon — a lovely balance that embodied the essence of umami.
When Monsieur Le Evil Genius came home, his dessert radar led him straight to the tray. He popped a piece into his mouth and, mid-chew, asked what it was with a blissful look. “BACON TOFFEE!” I yelled with triumphant enthusiasm. He paused, then admitted, “Wow. You were right. This is great!” Then he proceeded to eat half a pound of it. I won. I’m not rubbing it in much — except when he eats it, which is often — so perhaps I am rubbing it in a little.
Bacon Toffee
Adapted from the English toffee recipe on Thursday Night Smackdown
- 1 pound bacon, sliced thin and fried until very crispy, drained on paper towels
- 1 pound unsalted butter
- 2 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Line a rimmed half-sheet pan with a silpat or parchment and set aside.
Combine all ingredients except the bacon in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Use a pot larger than you think you need because the mixture will boil and rise; you don’t want hot toffee spilling over. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook until the mixture reaches 300°F on a candy thermometer. The temperature climb speeds up after about 200°F, so stay by the stove to avoid scorching.
When the mixture hits 300°F, stir in the crispy bacon and pour immediately into the prepared pan. Use a silicone or offset spatula to spread the toffee into an even layer. Allow to cool and firm completely at room temperature. Once cool, break into pieces by hand. Store refrigerated in a zipper-top bag in the back of the fridge to deter snacking.
What to do with this bacon toffee? I plan to fold pieces into chocolate chip cookies, swirl some into vanilla ice cream, and eat plenty straight from the bag. It keeps refrigerated for weeks.