I have been in my kitchen experimenting with recipes inspired by my bacon loving boys! They live by the mantra that “Everything’s Better With Bacon.” Yesterday, I shared my recipe for Bacon Salt and I previously shared my recipe for Bacon Jam. Well, today, I’m taking bacon to a whole new decadent level. I blended the flavors of maple, pecans with bacon to create “Maple Bacon Pecan Brittle.”
Doesn’t this look absolutely amazing? My youngest LOVES it. Let’s take another look so we can drool some more!
If you’ve never made candy from scratch, brittle is a great way to start. It’s fairly quick to make and I know you’ll LOVE it. Here’s some cooking tips.
- You want your bacon to be crispy and not chewy. It’s best to use regular cut (not thick) cut bacon &cook it in a 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. Place the bacon on a cake cooling rack (placed on a lined baking pan) so that the fat drips away.
- Pecans cook and hence burn, more quickly than almonds or peanuts. That’s why they are added toward the end.
- When making candy, it can seem like the temperature stalls at a bit above boiling and then it takes off. That’s because there is a time where your “candy” is boiling the water away. Once the amount of water decreases, the temperature will begin to quickly rise.
- If you under cook your candy, what you will be left with is a chewier/stickier candy rather than a crunchy brittle.
- Please use pure maple syrup rather than maple flavored syrup.
- If you are wondering why there’s baking soda in this recipe, this ingredient helps to make a lighter, airier brittle.
Here’s my pan of brittle once I broke it up. Some people use a hammer but I just used my hands.
Okay, are you ready to make some of this decadent treat? It would be a great treat to take to your holiday parties but beware….once you bring this, everyone will be asking how you made it!
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup cooked bacon (crispy and crumbled)
- 2 cups raw pecans
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or grease liberally with butter.
- Mix the sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, water & salt together in a pot. Cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Place a candy thermometer on the side of your pot and continue cooking until your mixture reaches 255 Degrees F.
- Add the bacon, stirring well. Turn the heat up to medium high and continue cooking, stirring continuously.
- When the candy thermometer reaches 265 Degrees F, add the pecans and stir thoroughly. Your mixture will be getting thick and sticky. Continue stirring & cooking until your candy reaches 300 Degrees F.
- Turn off your stove and remove your pot from the stove. Quickly add the baking soda and stir well to make sure the baking soda is incorporated thoroughly.
- Pour your mixture on your prepared pan and spread with a spatula. Allow your candy to cool. Break into pieces and store in an air tight container.
Leave a Reply