Bourbon Kissed Bacon Waffles

 

Bacon and waffles...two of our household's favorite comfort foods.  Why it took so long to combine the two is beyond me.  And I am by far not the only one who wanted to try out this combination...a quick online search reveals numerous recipes.  Everyone has a favorite waffle batter and a preferred method of bacon preparation.  I am partial to the sweet, smokey and salty combination of bacon with a brown sugar glaze.  Crisped in the oven.  And bourbon makes everything a little better.

If sweet and salty isn't your sped, leave out the sugar.   Maybe add a sprinkling of cracked pepper.  Peppered bacon in a cornmeal waffle?  That may have to be my next batch...

adapted from Joy's Recipe at JoytheBaker

yields 4 waffles


The Ingredients:
for the bourbon kissed bacon
1/2 lb thick cut bacon
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Bourbon

The the waffles
1 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla


The Process:
for the Bourbon Kissed Bacon
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Lay the strips of bacon in a single layer on the sheet.  In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and bourbon.  Brush or spoon the mixture evenly over the strips of bacon.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, checking frequently towards the end.  The bacon should be crispy and browned with a caramelized layer of sugar on top.  Remove to a cutting board or cooling rack.  Using a kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut the cooled bacon into small bits.  Set aside.

for the waffles:
Preheat and lightly oil the waffle iron according to the manufacturers directions.

In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, butter and vanilla.  Add the wet to the dry, stirring until just incorporated.

Gently fold in the bacon bits, stirring until the bacon is just distributed.  Do not over mix.

Ladle the batter into the waffle iron (mine uses a little over 1/2 cup of batter per waffle) and cook according to the waffle iron manufacturers directions.

Serve warm with butter and syrup.


The Review:
Can you really go wrong with bacon?   Or waffles?

This version was a winner on all fronts.  The batter was not as tedious as the separated egg white varieties out there.  With one exception, the waffles in this batch upheld that ideal marriage of crisp exterior with soft interior, though not quite as airy as I would normally like.  The taste was slightly sweet and reminiscent of a funnel cake. 

Now stud that batter with a sweet and salt burst of bacon...

YUM