Brownies with Bacon and Bourbon
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 3:16 pm
This was in the Dallas Morning News this morning as one of the cookie contest winners. I thought that it might draw some interest here.....DUH heck with bacon and bourbon 
BROWNIES WITH BACON, BOURBON, PECANS AND OPTIONAL HEAT
Third place, Decadent
1/2 cup pecan halves
8 ounces thinly sliced bacon
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons bourbon
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate to drizzle on top (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper; leave a 2-inch overhang on 2 opposite sides (handles for removal); spray with vegetable spray.
Spread pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until fragrant. After cooling, chop the pecans coarsely.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over moderate heat until crisp, turning once — about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and let cool. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Finely chop the bacon.
Combine both chocolates and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted. Scrape into a large bowl.
Using a handheld mixer, beat both sugars with the reserved 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Beat in the bourbon. Add the eggs and salt and beat until smooth. Add to the melted chocolate in the large bowl. Sift the cocoa and flour into the bowl (and the cayenne if using), and then beat until blended.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the bacon and pecans on top. Bake for about 30 minutes, just until the brownies are set around the edges but slightly wobbly in the center. (A toothpick inserted in the center should have some batter clinging to it.) Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the brownies cool completely. Drizzle with optional melted chocolate.
Lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into 24 squares and serve.
PER COOKIE: Calories 246 (53% fat), Fat 15 g (7 g sat), Cholesterol 53 mg, Sodium 164 mg, Fiber 1 g, Carbohydrates 25 g, Protein 5 g
BROWNIES WITH BACON, BOURBON, PECANS AND OPTIONAL HEAT
Third place, Decadent
1/2 cup pecan halves
8 ounces thinly sliced bacon
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons bourbon
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate to drizzle on top (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper; leave a 2-inch overhang on 2 opposite sides (handles for removal); spray with vegetable spray.
Spread pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until fragrant. After cooling, chop the pecans coarsely.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over moderate heat until crisp, turning once — about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and let cool. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Finely chop the bacon.
Combine both chocolates and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted. Scrape into a large bowl.
Using a handheld mixer, beat both sugars with the reserved 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Beat in the bourbon. Add the eggs and salt and beat until smooth. Add to the melted chocolate in the large bowl. Sift the cocoa and flour into the bowl (and the cayenne if using), and then beat until blended.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the bacon and pecans on top. Bake for about 30 minutes, just until the brownies are set around the edges but slightly wobbly in the center. (A toothpick inserted in the center should have some batter clinging to it.) Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the brownies cool completely. Drizzle with optional melted chocolate.
Lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into 24 squares and serve.
PER COOKIE: Calories 246 (53% fat), Fat 15 g (7 g sat), Cholesterol 53 mg, Sodium 164 mg, Fiber 1 g, Carbohydrates 25 g, Protein 5 g
