Bourbon Candied Bacon Brownies with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Who can resistBrownies with bacon especially when it is coated with brown sugar caramelized to a sweet lacquer? Plus there's a hint of bourbon and chili for a little kick.

BOURBON CANDIED BACON

1 pound sliced bacon, separated into strips (at least 3 strips per person, try not to use thick sliced bacon)
1 cup brown sugar
1 generous teaspoon ground hot pepper or chili like pepperoncini
½ cup (more or less) bourbon
PAM Spray
Preheat oven to 375°.

1. Heat the bourbon in a small pan over high heat, bring to a boil and reduce to two tablespoons. Brush the bacon with the reduced bourbon on both sides.

2. Line two sheet pans with aluminum foil and spray with PAM. Place the brown sugar and hot pepper and mix well in a shallow dish. Place the bacon slices one at a time in the sugar and pat firmly, turning to coat both sides well. Don't worry if some of the sugar falls off. Remove the bacon from the sugar and place on the sheet pan.




3. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 7 minutes, check to make sure it is browning evenly rotate pan from top to bottom turn and cook for another 5 - 8 minutes. Cook until browned and lacquered.

To test for doneness take a piece of bacon and place on a oiled sheet pan when cool it should be crispy not limp. Remove from the oven and let cool on a oiled sheet pan.

Bacon Brownies with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Makes 9 brownies
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup thick BOURBON CANDIED BACON , chopped******

bourbon caramel sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
To make the bourbon caramel sauce, cook the sugar over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and caremalized. Add the bourbon and stir to combine. Then, add the butter and cream and stir to combine. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until the sauce comes together.


To make the bacon brownies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


Cook the bacon instuctions above********


Whisk together the eggs, vanilla and sugar until smooth. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring to combine. Add it to the eggs/vanilla/sugar mixture and stir to combine. Then, sift together the flour and cocoa powder, and fold into the wet mixture. Fold in 3/4 of the bacon.

Spread the batter into a parchment-lined 8 inch square pan. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top . Bake for 20-25 minutes. remove from over top with the rest of the bacon

Let cool in the pan. Cut into 2 inch squares