I know. Here I am again, going on about bacon. (I can admit it. I might have a problem.) Ever since I made candied bacon with a chili and peach jam glaze a few weeks ago, I can’t get the stuff of my mind. This time, I wanted to try a different method. (All in the name of science, you understand.) When in doubt, consult with the experts.
I turned to David Lebovitz, who incorporated the stuff into ice cream. He made his with brown sugar, but kind of lamented the fact that it just didn’t work well with maple syrup. (It was too liquid-y and slid right off in the oven.)
(Maple + bacon? Yes, please!)
When I spotted a bag of granulated maple sugar at the store the other day, I knew I had to give it a try.
It was solid. It should work, I figured. And it did.
When I got the bag home and opened it up (alright, maybe I had a nibble in the car), it looked like powdery light brown sugar and tasted exactly like maple syrup.
So.
Dear Mr. Lebovitz,
I think I might be on to something. I used your method, but with granulated maple sugar. If you can’t find the stuff in Paris, I’ll send you a bag. You totally have to try this. (I would send you some of the bacon, but it’s already…um…gone missing.)
Sincerely,
Miss. Mouse
A note on the bacon
I used thick-cut bacon, which means it was in the oven for a while. If you try this with regular bacon, it will probably cook in less time. Keep a close eye on it, and yank it when it starts to crisp up.
I also used a rack with this recipe. I figured that the thick-cut bacon would throw off a fair amount of fat, and possibly interfere with the maple candy coating. If you use regular bacon, you’ll likely be OK without one.
Maple Sugar Candied Bacon
Thick-cut bacon
Granulated maple sugar
Line a sheet pan with foil. Set a rack on it. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Grab your bacon. Space it out on the rack. Sprinkle each slice with 1-2 tsp. of granulated maple sugar.
Pop the pan into your 400-degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, until your bacon is crisp on the edges. All the sugar should have melted and the bacon should be nice and shiny.
Pull the pan out of the oven and flip the bacon over.
Sprinkle the tops with another 1-2 tsp. of granulated maple sugar.
Bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and glossy, like this:
Let cool on the rack, then transfer to a plate.
Use chopped bits of maple sugar candied bacon in ice cream, cookies, sandwiches, or any other manner of evil, indulgent treat.
Or, you know, just inhale as soon as it’s cool enough to handle.
Enjoy!
