BOURBON BACON BRITTLE WITH SMOKED MAPLE SALT

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BOURBON BACON BRITTLE WITH MAPLE SMOKED SALT

Either you love bacon, or you're a maniac and we can't be friends.

I'm joking!!  But seriously, even the non bacon lovers out there need to get on the bacon for dessert bandwagon.  More than just a fad, this twist on Brittle, an old fashioned favourite hits all the right sweet and salty spots all at once.  I warn you though, this is incredibly moreish and impossible just to have one piece... 

Course Dessert
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the Brown Sugar Bourbon Bacon:

  • 12 strips thick cut bacon or bacon lardons
  • 3 tablespoons Bourbon
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar

For the Brittle:

  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 140 g Liquid Glucose
  • 120 ml water
  • 26 g unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 100 g chopped toasted nuts
  • smoked salt for sprinkling

Instructions

For the Brown Sugar Bourbon Bacon:

  1. Preheat oven to 200C and lay bacon on a foil lined baking sheet. Coat the bacon in the Bourbon and brown sugar and give it a good mix.  Bake for 15 - 25 minutes or until crunchy.
  2. Chop the bacon with a knife into small bite size pieces.

For the Brittle:

  1. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper.  Make sure you have all the rest of your ingredients prepared and ready to pour in the brittle a bit later.  You will be thankful for this later!  Mix the vanilla, Bourbon, bacon and toasted nuts in a bowl and set aside.
  2. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, glucose and water over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to boil.  Once boiling turn up to high and use a thermometer to track the mixture until it reaches 150C.  Be patient it goes slowly at first but then all of sudden the temperature seems to jack right up!
  3. Add your Bourbon, bacon nut mix and allow mixture to get to 160C.  Immediately remove from heat.
  4. Quickly stir in butter, vanilla, and baking soda.  Work quickly and pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet as thinly as possible. Use a wooden spoon to spread it if necessary.

  5. Immediately sprinkle with the smoked salt and allow the brittle to cool completely.  Then roughly break with your hands.

    Complete bacon heaven!