Maple Praline Bacon Recipes

MAPLE PRALINE BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels.
• Spread the pecans onto an unlined baking sheet, and toast 7 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown and aromatic. Watch the nuts carefully as they bake, because they burn quickly. Set aside to cool.
• Stir the maple syrup, butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the hot candy resembles foamy caramel and a candy thermometer reads 270 degrees F (130 degrees C) (soft crack stage). Quickly stir in the pecans.
• Toss the bacon in the candy mixture to coat each strip, and remove with tongs to cool and harden on the prepared baking sheet. Last but not least... eat up!

PRALINE BACON

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a cooling rack, and set it in the prepared sheet pan. Bake until the bacon browns and the fat is rendered and bubbly. About 30 to 35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar and pecans in a small food processor. Pulse about 15 times or until the pecans are finely chopped.
• Remove the bacon from the oven, sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture, and pat down to adhere. Return to the oven a bake until the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes.
• Cool on the rack for 10 minutes before serving.

BAKED BRIE WITH MAPLE CARAMELIZED APPLES AND SPICED PRALINE BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Lay bacon on the prepared baking sheet. Mix pecans, brown sugar, chili powder, and sea salt together in a bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the bacon.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crisp, and browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Chop bacon into rough pieces.
• Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Saute, stirring only every 60 to 90 seconds, until apples are tender and brown, about 8 minutes. Mix in remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup and cinnamon. Transfer to a bowl.
• Cut a round of parchment paper slightly larger than the round of Brie cheese. Place the Brie cheese on the parchment paper; place onto a baking sheet. Top with the cooked apples to make a big mound.
• Bake in the hot oven for 5 minutes. Add bacon-praline mixture on top of the Brie. Continue baking until top is bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a serving platter using a large spatula. Sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary.

BOURBON-PRALINE BACON

Steps:

• In a 13 X 9 pan, mix the bourbon, vanilla and 1 T brown sugar. Add bacon slices, coating them in the liquid. Let them soak for 15 minutes (or up to 1 hour).
• Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees place an oven rack in the middle. Lightly grease a baking rack and place it on a foil-covered baking sheet.
• Grind the pecans in a food processor or spice grinder. On a large plate or baking sheet, thoroughly mix the ground pecans with the cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and the remaining 1/4 C brown sugar (fingers work best).
• One at a time, shake the excess liquid off the bacon slices, and lay them in the pecan mixture, pressing lightly with your fingertips to make the topping adhere. Flip the bacon and repeat on the other side. (In the middle of this process the topping may begin to cake up. Re-mix it with a fork if necessary). Lay each slice on the rack.
• Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from the rack. Serve warm or cooled -- and enjoy.

MAPLE PRALINES

Steps:

• In a heavy 1-qt. saucepan, combine sugar, cream and syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage), stirring occasionally., Remove from the heat. Add butter; do not stir. Cool, without stirring, to 160°. Stir in pecans. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture just begins to thicken but is still glossy. Quickly drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Cool. Store in an airtight container.