Maple Bacon Pecan Brittle Recipes

BACON PECAN BRITTLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Butter the paper generously.
• Place the sugar, corn syrup, water and butter in a large sauce pot. Attach a candy thermometer on the side of the pot, with the bottom down in the sugar mixture. Turn the heat on medium-high and bring the sugar to a boil.
• Meanwhile, chop the bacon finely, place it in a skillet, and cook over medium heat until brown. Then drain the bacon bits well on paper towels. They need to be dry, not greasy when added to the brittle.
• Watch the candy thermometer closely. When it reaches 275 degrees F or "Soft Crack" carefully stir in the pecans. It usually takes 15-25 minutes to reach this temperature.
• Continue to boil the candy. The moment the thermometer reaches 295 degrees F or "Hard Crack" turn off the heat. Carefully stir in the vanilla extract and dried bacon bits. Then stir in the baking soda. The mixture will bubble up to create air pockets.
• Quickly, yet very carefully, pour the hot liquid brittle on the prepared baking sheet. Pour it in a zigzag pattern across the baking sheet so it spreads out and fills the sheet in an even layer.
• Immediately move the baking sheet to the refrigerator or freezer so that it cools fast, retaining as many air bubbles as possible. This creates a light airy texture.
• Once the entire sheet of brittle is hard, break it into 36 pieces. Store the brittle in an airtight container until ready to serve.

THIS BRITTLE PIGGY

Steps:

• Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and generously butter it. Working in batches, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then break each slice in half.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer registers 260 degrees F, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add the butter, nuts and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir once, then continue cooking over medium-high heat, undisturbed, until the syrup turns golden and the candy thermometer registers 285 degrees F, 5 to 10 more minutes. Carefully stir in the prepared bacon, the vanilla and baking soda. (The mixture will foam a bit.) Cook, stirring several times, until the foam subsides and the mixture darkens slightly, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, then carefully tilt to spread it into a thin layer. Use tongs to redistribute the bacon pieces if necessary. Let cool completely, then break into pieces.

MAPLE-PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
• Mix sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, water, and salt together in a pot over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, 5 to 10 minutes. Fold pecans into sugar mixture.
• Place a candy thermometer in pecan mixture and turn heat up to medium-high. Gently stir mixture until it reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), about 10 minutes.
• Quickly removing pot from heat and stir in margarine and baking soda until well mixed. Pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out with a spatula. Allow to cool until hardened, about 30 minutes. Break into pieces.

MAPLE PECAN BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the pecans in a shallow baking dish. Brush the top of the bacon slices with maple syrup. Press the bacon into the pecans and lay the slices on a wire-rack-fitted sheet tray. Bake until crisp and golden, 25 minutes.

BACON BRITTLE

Steps:

• Grease or butter a large nonstick baking sheet.
• In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat.
• Stir until the sugar dissolves and the syrup comes to a boil.
• Attach a candy thermometer to the pan, increase the heat to high, and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 290 degrees.
• Immediately remove from the heat.
• Stir in the butter, vanilla, baking soda, pecans and bacon bits.
• Watch out, as the mixture will foam.
• When the foam subsides, pour the hot mixture onto the prepared baking sheet as thinly as possible.
• Do not use a spatula.
• Cool at least 10 minutes before breaking into pieces.
• Store in a covered container.

SPICY MAPLE BACON PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place bacon on a rack over a cookie sheet and cook until crispy, about 15 minutes. Reserve bacon fat. The recipe calls for 8 tablespoons of butter (fat) - replace as much of butter as you have bacon fat. Once bacon is done, drain on paper towels and chop into bits.
• Place the sugar and maple syrup in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat and stir with a wooden spoon until sugar begins to melt. Lower the heat to medium-high and keep stirring just until the sugar is melted. Stop stirring and watch for it to turn a medium caramel color. About 10 minutes total.
• Stir in peanuts, and then bacon fat and butter. Then add Old Bay, cayenne and dry mustard. Allow peanuts to cook for about two minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the bacon.
• Turn the mixture out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and spread it evenly to the desired thickness with a wooden spoon or stiff rubber spatula. Sprinkle salt on top, while brittle is still warm.
• Allow to cool completely--at least one hour--then break the brittle into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature. If your brittle isn't brittle enough to break into pieces, pop it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, until it hardens enough to snap easily.

MAPLE-PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Generously grease and lightly flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan, or spray with baking spray with flour. In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
• Bake 47 to 53 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, the cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of the syrup with electric mixer on low speed. Beat in enough of the remaining syrup to make a smooth, soft frosting that will flow down side of cake. Spread frosting over cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.