Candied Bacon Dipped in Chocolate & Chocolate-Bacon Bark - Two great recipes with the same ingredients!

Making candied bacon is surprisingly easy, and can be made in many different ways. Dipping it in chocolate was my own twist...and it is one of those few 'desserts' that pairs amazingly well with beer!

I found a few recipes for candied bacon online, including Guinness-flavoured and Sweet & Spicy.  I decided to pull from several recipes in order to reduce the heat (for a broader audience). And it worked out well.

Chocolate-Dipped Candied Bacon Recipe

You need:

• 1 package (lb) of bacon (I used the stuff with 'natural' ingredients)
• 1 cup of brown sugar (I used Camino Organic and Fair Trade Whole Brown Sugar, also called Muscovado - it is less processed and healthier)
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (you can increase the heat by using more cayenne)
• 1/4 cup of water

For dipping & topping...

• 8 ounces of Milk Chocolate (I used Cacao Barry's Organic Milk Chocolate with 38% cocoa solids, but you could use a President's Choice, Joe's Brand or Lindt milk chocolate available at the grocery store).
• A pinch of chunky sea salt

Instructions to Make the Candied Bacon:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a pan with foil and then place a metal cooling rack on top.
3. Mix together the cayenne pepper, water and muscovado brown sugar.
4. Brush the rack with butter or oil to prevent sticking.
5. Place as many slices of bacon as you can fit without overlapping on the rack.
6. Brush the mixture on the top side of the bacon.
7. Bake for 10 minutes. Take it out, flip over the bacon with tongs and then brush the top side of the bacon with the mixture. Bake for 10 more minutes - up to 12, but check it to be sure it doesn't burn (the thin pieces might!).
8. Take out and remove each piece immediately from rack, placing it on waxed paper on a plate (it will stick if you use paper towel).  Let cool completely - dab wet spots from fat with towel if any remain. Follow the same process to candy the remaining bacon. You will have enough mixture to do one more package of bacon if you choose.

Instructions for Dipping:

1. Melt and temper 8 ounces of milk chocolate (follow the proper tempering method here).
2. Cut each piece of bacon in half and dip it in the chocolate. Place the dipped pieces on fresh waxed paper and immediately sprinkle lightly with sea salt (optional). Let cool until set.
3. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve!

Milk Chocolate Bacon Bark:

1. Make the candied bacon as instructed above.
2. Melt and temper the chocolate as instructed above.
3. Cut the bacon into small bits and stir about 1 cup into the melted chocolate.
4. Immediately pour out onto a large piece of waxed paper and quickly spread around with a spatula until you have very thin pieces.  Lightly sprinkle the sea salt on top. Let set on counter or in fridge (if your kitchen is above 21 degrees C). Once set, break up in to pieces. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Here are a few other recipes for candied bacon:

• Sweet & Spicy: http://choperella.com/recipe/sweet-and-spicy-candied-bacon/
• Guinness Candied Bacon: http://micheleswomancave.blogspot.ca/2014/01/guinness-candied-bacon.html