Julie Van Rosendaal - Bacon Shortbread

This week, Julie's spin of the "Wheel of Meats & Holiday Treats" lands on "Bacon Shortbread".



Bacon Shortbread

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup bacon drippings, chilled
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3-4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, bacon fat and icing sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat on low speed or stir until almost blended. Add the crumbled bacon and stir just until blended.

Divide the dough in half and press each into an 8" or 9" pan; score dough into 8 wedges and press around the outer edge with the tines of a fork.

Bake in middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden. Cool completely in the pans on a wire rack, and cut into wedges with a sharp knife. Makes 32 wedges.

Bacon Shortbread with Salted Ale (or Stout) Caramel

1 batch bacon shortbread (above)

Caramel:
about half a bottle of ale or stout, divided
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup corn syrup or Roger's golden syrup
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup chocolate chips or chopped dark or semisweet chocolate

Pat the bacon shortbread dough into an 8x8-inch pan and bake at 325F for 30 minutes, until very pale golden around the edges and set. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, simmer 1/2 cup of the ale for about 20 minutes, until it's reduced by more than half.

In a largish pot (it will bubble up) combine 1/4 cup more of the ale (from the bottle), sugars, butter, cream, syrup and salt over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 244F on a candy thermometer. Stir in the reduced ale and pour over the shortbread base. Let stand or chill until firm.

Melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave, stirring until melted. Spread over the set caramel and let stand or refrigerate for 10 minutes, until set. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan and invert the squares onto a cutting board, then cut into squares or bars with a sharp, heavy knife. Makes about 32 bars.