Bacon Candy Or Devil's Delight?

This is a recipe that I'm sure is from the devil himself.
Originaly called Bacon Candy,
I think they should call it Devil's Delight.

Thick cut salty pork bacon, dredged in brown sugar with a dose of chili powder.

So it's sweet, salty, smokey, spicy, sticky sticks of pure delight.

I know it must be from the devil because it is so evil yet comes off as so good.

What do you think?

Devil's Delight or Bacon Candy

Either way, they were a BIG hit at my party!

Served with Super Simple Pumpkin Coffeecake per request!

Bacon Candy

1 lb Bacon
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1 TBS chili powder (Or to taste)

Add Chili powder to brown sugar and mix well. Dredge bacon slices in sugar mixture coating each side. Lay on backing rack over foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes till crisp.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

I got my Hershey Chocolate basket that I won from Marye today. It was delivered bright and early and a great way to start the day.

This was an awesome basket filled with flour, sugar, cocoa, peanut butter and a brownie mix. There was also two bags of Hershey Kisses, an oven mitt and a rubber spatula, all in a big bowl. Thank you Hershey and thank you Marye!

Then I started putting together Christmas baskets. First I gathered my supplies. I used my Chocolate Strawberry Jam and my Vanilla Spiced Peach jam that I made last summer. I also had some plum syrup that I had put up. They were all decorated and ready to go.

Then I bottled up some of my vanilla extract that I've had brewing since last May. I put it in some pretty bottles and added a vanilla bean for decoration.
Turned out pretty nice if I do say so myself!

I found these really cute labels at the Dollartree. There was 4 different designs. I used these two on a couple bottles of sparkling cider.
How festive you say? I agree!

Here is basket #1.
This basket included the book The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado. Then of course you need to add a Christmas candle. Two jars of jam and a bottle of vanilla extract rounds out this gift. Sooo... what do you think of basket #1?

Here is basket #2. It has some Elf Nog dressed up as a snowman, two jars of jam, vanilla extract and a tea towel tied up with a Christmas decoration that looks like a sugar cookie.

Basket #3: Mistletoe tonic decked out as Santa's boot sticking out of the chimney. A Christmas candle, egg nog tea bread, jam and a bottle of vanilla extract.
I like all the baskets because they are all just a little bit different.
Tell me, which is your favorite? 1, 2, or #3?

Now look at these balls! Zinfandel Port balls! These are so good with a glass of red wine, or of course a glass of port! I saw these over at Cathy's blog, Noble Pig and knew I had to try these. They were so simple to make, just a few pulses in the food processor. I used a scooper to form the balls saving my hands from the messy work. A little roll in the sweet stuff (powdered sugar) and that's it. Ready for giving.

Want a closer look?

Packaged up and looking pretty, these were given to coworkers as a little token of
friendship and Christmas cheer.

So... what do you think? You gonna try them? You know you want to!

Zinfandel Port Balls
courtesy of Noble Pig
Adapted from Sunset

1 package (12 oz.) vanilla sandwich cookies
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup pecans, whole
3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup Zinfandel Port or other Port
1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a food processor, whirl vanilla wafers, cocoa powder and 1 cup whole pecans until fine crumbs form.

Add Port and corn syrup to the crumb mixture and whirl again until blended. Scoop out the sticky mixture into a bowl and add 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans. Mix in pecans with a spoon until fully incorporated.

Roll into 1-inch balls and place on parchment paper.

Roll each ball in powdered sugar

Caramel Cake With Caramelized Butter Frosting And Fleur De Sel Caramels

This months Daring Bakers challenge was a caramel cake with caramelised butter frosting and the option of making caramel candy. Since I've wanted to make caramel for some time now, that's where I started. The hubby bought me some fleur de sel sea salt and I've had it in the cupboard just waiting for the right time. This was the right time!

Cooking caramel can be a little intimidating.

After the caramel was made, I poured some into these silicon ice/candy trays that I won from Blake Makes. I was thinking I was pretty smart and couldn't wait until I made the cake to decorate with these candies. BUT... a few weeks in a baggie, they all melted together. I had a big lump of letters that were all married. I was so bummed. Then someone said to me, why don't you just remelt them. Brilliant! So I did!
The ones in the pan got cut into squares and got a sprinkle of Fleur de Sel.

Then they were wrapped in wax paper and looked like
some genuine old fashion caramel candies.

First part of the challenge complete!

Now for this cake and the frosting, it all centered around making this caramel syrup. It was used to flavor the cake and the frosting. This was the best part of this whole challenge in my opinion. the caramel candies were very good but they stuck to your teeth and tried to pull your caps off.
Me no likey that!

But this syrup was heaven. I was so surprised at how buttery this syrup tasted when there was no butter in it. If I make one element of this challenge again, it will be the caramel syrup! You can pour it on your ice cream or cheesecake, stir it into your coffee, or sandwich it between to cookies. Swirl it into some brownie batter or just eat it by the spoonful. It was sooo good!

The frosting was started with some browned butter. That was the first time I had ever browned butter and I was surprised how caramelised the flavor was. It so complimented the carmel flavor of the syrup. I added 1/2 a teaspoon of the fleur de sel sea salt to cut the sweetness.

My cake turned out quite dense but that didn't take anything away from the flavor. It was actually a pretty easy cake to make and perfect addition to out thanksgiving table.

This month’s DB challenge recipe was brought to you by Shuna Fish Lydon of Eggbeater, as selected by the wonderful Dolores of Culinary Curiosity and co-hosted by Alex and Jenny. Thanks guys!

CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room

Preheat oven to 350F
Butter one tall (2 – 2.5 inch deep) 9-inch cake pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.Sift flour and baking powder.Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Turn batter into prepared cake pan.Place cake pan on cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan. Set first timer for 30 minutes, rotate pan and set timer for another 15-20 minutes. Your own oven will set the pace. Bake until sides pull away from the pan and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing it. Cake will keep for three days outside of the refrigerator.

CARAMEL SYRUP
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelizing process)

In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back.Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.}Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.

CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.
Note: Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month.To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light(recipes above courtesy of Shuna Fish Lydon)

GOLDEN VANILLA BEAN CARAMELS- makes eighty-one 1-inch caramels -
Ingredients
1 cup golden syrup
2 cups sugar
3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons pure ground vanilla beans, purchased or ground in a coffee or spice grinders, or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks, softened
Equipment A 9-inch square baking pan Candy thermometer
Procedure
Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil.

Combine the golden syrup, sugar, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to simmer around the edges. Wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes.

(Meanwhile, rinse the spatula or spoon before using it again later.)

Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more. Attach the candy thermometer to the pan, without letting it touch the bottom of the pan, and cook, uncovered (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 305°F.

Meanwhile, combine the cream and ground vanilla beans (not the extract) in a small saucepan and heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot.

When the sugar mixture reaches 305°F, turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically, so be careful. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently.

Stir until any thickened syrup at the bottom of the pan is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, to about 245°F. Then cook, stirring constantly, to 260°f for soft, chewy caramels or 265°F; for firmer chewy caramels.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, if using it. Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight until firm. Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper. Peel off the liner. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife. Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane.

Variations Fleur de Sel Caramels: Extra salt, in the form of fleur de sel or another coarse flaked salt, brings out the flavor of the caramel and offers a little ying to the yang. Add an extra scant 1/4 teaspoon of coarse sea salt to the recipe. Or, to keep the salt crunchy, let the caramel cool and firm. Then sprinkle with two pinches of flaky salt and press it in. Invert, remove the pan liner, sprinkle with more salt. Then cut and wrap the caramels in wax paper or cellophane. (recipe from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert)

If you like this recipe, please click on the link below!