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No, you don't have to read that twice, there's bacon in this syrup. Caroline Wright, who wrote the cookbook Cake Magic, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her Maple Bacon and Chocolate Cake, that includes a simple syrup with bacon cooked in. The combination of the bacon fat combined with the sweetness of the cake makes for an amazing taste combination that really compliments the sweet and the savory. They say there's nothing bacon can't make better, Caroline proved they're Wright!
- 4 slices uncooked bacon
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1) Cook the bacon in a large skillet according to package directions. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat from the pan. Let the bacon cool, then crumble it.
2) Combine the sugar, water, and crumbled bacon in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then add the vanilla and reserved bacon fat. Remove from the heat and set aside to steep, covered, for at least 20 minutes. Strain the bacon from the finished syrup (if making Candied Bacon, below, reserve the bacon). Use the syrup warm.
3) Bacon Syrup will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. Reheat it in a small saucepan over low heat before using.
