Bacon Toffee...

The enticement of bacon has jumped from the breakfast table into the mainstream. It's been showing up in some of the damnedest places ~ at birthday parties, school bake sales, at wedding chocolate fountains, even at cocktail parties. It might even turn up in a box of one of your Valentine's presents. And I am not talking the famous English essayist, Sir Francis Bacon either. I’m talking the kind that is cured pig!

It’s no secret that I enjoy a good piece of bacon. And, it’s possible that I seek to integrate bacon into more recipes than I should. But, how can you resist the rich sweetness that is bacon?

The recipe below was emailed to me by a friend, who saw it in the Richmond (VA) Times~Dispatch newspaper and let me tell you, it is easy to whip up. It’s been awhile since I worked with candy and I know I’ve heard various Food Network stars give advice on candy making do’s and don’ts … but they all escaped me yesterday, as I was making up a batch of this recipe. My candy thermometer might have been a little off — I cooked the mixture to the temperature specified in the recipe but it seemed a little darker than I would like. So, I might cook it just a bit shorter next time.

But when I offered the finished product to my skeptical friends and after giving me a few funny looks; they were wowed by the salty sweet combination of this incredible treat. I can say they are hooked for life!



Bacon Toffee

Ingredients:
3 sticks butter
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for topping the toffee if desired
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and cut into 1-inch squares

Heavily butter a rimmed baking sheet and cover with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

In a large saucepan, combine butter, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently with a heat-resistant spatula or a wooden spoon.

Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Make sure the bulb doesn't rest on the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently and continue to boil the mixture about 20 minutes or until it reaches about 290° on the thermometer.

Remove it from the heat and, working quickly, stir in the vanilla and the bacon pieces. Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread with a spatula to about ¼-inch to ½-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.

Let the toffee cool at least 2 hours before using a hammer to break it into pieces. To keep pieces from flying, cover the toffee with a piece of waxed paper before striking it.

Store it in an airtight container and top each single layer with wax paper to minimize clumping of pieces.

Makes about 2½ pounds

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George’s notes:

• The process of making toffee involves boiling the ingredients until the mix is stiff enough to be pulled into a shape which holds and has a glossy surface. The resulting mixture will typically be poured into a shallow tray and allowed to cool to form a sweet.
• A popular variant in the US is English toffee, which is a very buttery toffee often made with almonds. It is available in both chewy and hard versions. Heath Bars are a type of candy made with an English toffee core.
• The word bacon is derived from the Old High German bacho, meaning "buttock", "ham" or "side of bacon", and having a common ancestor with the Old French bacon.

‘Twas the Night Before Sugar Plums...

As a child, I only knew of sugar plums through The Nutcracker and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Several years ago when I had a subscription to Gourmet, I jotted down a recipe for sugar plums, mostly because I had never tasted one before. These sugar plums are confections, not the fruits that you can read about on Wikipedia. They are quite easy to make and tend to be a huge hit with people who either don’t care for chocolate or just enjoy spices and dried fruits in a delectable bite. It’s a terrific aroma that floats through your house when you make a batch: the smells of orange peel, nutmeg, cinnamon, toasted almonds, honey.

I usually dust the sugar plums with confectioners’ sugar before serving. They stay fresh for sometime, thus making them perfect for the holidays. I sometimes tie them up in small little packages and give them as gifts with a copy the famed Sugar Plum story!

‘Twas the Night Before Sugar Plums

Ingredients:
12-ounce package pitted prunes
8-ounce package chopped dates
6-ounce package dried apricots
½ cup pecans, finely chopped (optional)
¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
⅔ cup sugar

In the bowl of a food processor, process the prunes, dates and apricots until finely chopped, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.

Transfer to a large bowl and add pecans, graham cracker crumbs and the orange and lemon zest. Mix completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

Using your palms, shape into ¾ -inch balls. Roll the balls in sugar and place on a baking sheet. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

You may then want to put the balls in small paper cups. Store in airtight container, refrigerated. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 5 dozen


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George's notes:

• Wrap these delectable bites in small festive boxes and give as gifts.
• These Sugar Plums freeze well, so you can make them early and bring out for Christmas Eve.

Never Fail Divinity...

There are some things that always remind me of the Christmas holidays. One that stands out is an old southern traditional Divinity. My mom always makes this time-tested recipe, so I pass it on to you. As the name say, it never fails the cook nor fails to please the recipient of this delicious confection.



Mom's Never Fail Divinity

Ingredients:
1½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pint marshmallow crème
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a saucepan, combine sugar, water and salt; bring to a boil. Cook to syrup thickens. Place marshmallow crème in a mixing bowl; beat in sugar syrup until candy hold a shape. Fold in nuts and vanilla.
On a greased baking sheet, drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture and let cool.
To keep divinity fresh, store in an air-tight container in a cool place.

Makes about 24 pieces


George’s notes:

• Divinity is a classic! It's also a bit temperamental when the weather is hot and humid, so it is best to attempt divinity in low-humidity conditions.
• Divinity can be poured into a 9-inch square pan, cooled, and cut into small squares instead of being dropped from a spoon.

Coconut-Cranberry-White Chocolate Macaroons...

The other day, a friend emailed me a list of top foods people either love or hates. Two items on the dislike list that really surprised me were coconut and white chocolate. Well, I am definitely in the group that loves them both. But a better way to enjoy them is in one delicious macaroon. Here is my recipe using coconut and white chocolate together, with a few dried cranberries thrown in for good measure.


Coconut-Cranberry-White Chocolate Macaroons

Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) package Baker’s Angel Flake® Coconut
3 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
⅔ cup sugar
6 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
½ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine coconut, white chocolate, sugar, flour and salt in large bowl. Add egg whites, chopped cranberries and almond extract; mix well.

Drop by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto lightly greased and floured baking sheets. Bake 20 min. or until edges are golden brown. Immediately remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool completely.

Dip a portion of each macaroon into the melted chocolate and let them set on a piece of parchment paper. Store is a cool place.

Yield: about 18

Best method for melting chocolate:

Using a double boiler, or if you don't have one, use a bowl over a saucepan, follow these tips.

• Fill bottom of double boiler with water and place on low heat.
• Place chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate in the top of double over hot (not boiling) water and allow it to melt. Do not cover.
• When most of the chocolate is shiny, stir until smooth.
• Remove top of boiler from heat and start using.

These delectable Coconut-Cranberry-White Chocolate Macaroons are delicious with your afternoon coffee or tea and they make an excellent gift for that special friend, who needs a pick-me-up!