Cheesy Bacon Puff Food

CHEDDAR BACON PUFFS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk or light cream, salt, and butter. Put over high heat and cook, stirring, until butter is melted. Bring to a boil.
• With a wooden spoon , stir in the flour all at once. Continue stirring until the dough leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball.
• Transfer the hot dough to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Let the dough rest for 2 minutes.
• Beat the hot dough on low speed for 1 minute. Quickly beat in the first egg, beating until thoroughly blended into the dough. Continue beating in the remaining eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in the shredded cheese, bacon, cayenne, and freshly ground black pepper. Continue beating until the dough is smooth and well blended.
• Using a tablespoon measure or small cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheets. With moistened fingers, smooth any peaks on top of the mounds of dough. If peaks are left, they tend to over-brown or burn.
• Bake the puffs for about 20 to 22 minutes, until nicely puffed and golden brown.
• Serve and enjoy!

SWEET AND SAVORY CHEESY BACON WRAPPED PUFF PASTRY TWISTS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly rub each rack with olive oil. 2. In a shallow bowl, combine the brown sugar, rosemary, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. 3. Place both sheets of pastry on a lightly floured counter. Brush the surface of each with a beaten egg. Evenly sprinkle about 1/2 cup of cheese over each sheet, then sprinkle with cayenne. Dust a rolling pin lightly with flour and roll the rolling pin over the cheese, gently pressing the cheese into the pastry. Fold the pastry in half, then cut each into 12 (1/2 inch) wide strips. Pinch the ends to seal, then gently twist each strip several times to enclose the cheese. It's ok if some of the cheese falls out. 4. Take a piece of bacon and wrap it around the twisted pastry. Repeat with the remaining twists. Dredge the twist through the brown sugar mix, tossing to coat, placing the twist on the prepared baking sheet as you go. 5. Bake 30 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. My bacon took 50 minutes to cook, start checking the twists at around 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature...though I love them warm!

CHEESE & BACON TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unravel the pastry on the sheet of baking parchment it comes with, and cut into six squares. Mix the soft cheese with the mustard, if using, and a good grinding of black pepper. Divide between the middles of the pastry squares, and smooth over in a diagonal line from one corner to the opposite side.
• Lay a bacon rasher over the soft cheese, then scatter over the cheese. Brush the two exposed corners of pastry with beaten egg, and fold over the top of the filling to join together. Brush the tops with more egg, then slide the baking parchment on to a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese has melted and the pastry is golden.
• Transfer to a cooling rack for 5-10 mins before serving warm. Will keep chilled in an airtight container for two-three days.

CHEESY BACON STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and fit a baking sheet with a wire rack.
• In a small saucepot, mix the maple syrup, red pepper flakes, orange juice and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
• Line up the bacon slices on the wire rack and brush with the hot maple syrup mixture. Sprinkle some cheese on each piece of bacon. With a skewer in hand, fold the end of a piece of bacon in half lengthwise and press the skewer through the end. Do this to 4 pieces of bacon, spreading them out evenly across the skewer, and place the skewer on the baking sheet. Twist the bacon pieces into long spirals so as to create straws. Take another skewer and skewer the bottom of each piece of bacon to keep the bacon twisted. Do this to all the bacon.
• Bake until the bacon browns, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly on the rack; the bacon will get crunchy as it sits. Serve immediately.

CHEDDAR AND BACON PINWHEELS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and allow to cool slightly, then finely chop. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese and scallions. Season with salt and pepper.
• Unfold the pastry sheets on a lightly floured work surface. Lightly roll each piece of pastry into a 10-inch square. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the entire surface of each piece of pastry, leaving a slight border around the edges. Sprinkle the Cheddar and bacon in an even layer over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Tightly roll each pastry sheet into a log (jelly roll style), then pinch the seam closed and place seam-side down on the work surface.
• Using a sharp knife, cut both logs crosswise into 12 pinwheels each, approximately 1 inch thick. Transfer 12 pinwheels to each prepared baking sheet, spiral-side up. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon water until combined to make an egg wash. Brush the tops and sides of the pinwheels with the egg wash.
• Bake the pinwheels until puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

CHEESY BACON PUFF

Steps:

• Put a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 200*C (425*F).
• Butter a round, shallow, ovenproof dish, about 8 inches in diameter.
• In a large bowl beat the flour, milk, egs, bacon, mustard powder and about two thirds of the cheese with a generous pinch of salt and a good grinding of pepper, until everything's combined into a runny batter.
• Tip the batter into the prepared oven dish,lay the tomato slices on top (don't worry if they sink, they're supposed to) and scatter over the remaining cheese.
• Set the dish on the hot baking sheet and bake for 35 to 45 minutes until it has puffed up and is crispy and golden brown.
• Leave it to cool for a minute or two, but not too long or it will deflate.
• Serve the puff cut into wedges with a crunchy salad on the side.

CHEESE, BACON & ASPARAGUS PUFFS

Steps:

• Heat the grill to high. Lay the bacon on a baking tray in a single layer and grill for 8-10 mins until starting to crisp at the edges. Leave to cool. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Meanwhile, unroll the pastry sheet and cut into six squares. Pile a small mound of the cheese in the centre of each square, reserving some of the cheese for scattering over later. Trim the woodier ends of the asparagus spears so each one is about 10cm long. Place four spears diagonally across each mound of cheese. Chop the bacon into small pieces and sprinkle over.
• Working with one pastry square at a time, fold the two corners not covered by the asparagus into the centre and pinch the ends together gently to seal. Repeat with the remaining squares, then scatter over the reserved cheese. Can now be frozen for up to three months.
• Transfer the puffs to a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 20-25 mins (or 35 mins from frozen), or until golden brown. Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes before serving.

CHEESY LEEK & BACON PUFF

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the bacon for 3-4 mins until it begins to crisp. Tip onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan with the butter and allow to melt before adding the leeks and thyme. Season and cook for 3-4 mins until softened. Place in a bowl with the crisp bacon and cheese, and allow to cool.
• Whisk the egg in a small bowl with 1 tsp water, to make an egg wash. Cut one-third off the pastry and, on a lightly-fl oured surface, roll out to make a 15cm x 30cm rectangle, and place on a baking sheet. This will form the base of the tart. Pile the leek mixture in the middle of the base, leaving a 2cm surround. Roll the remaining pastry into a larger rectangle which will cover the leek mixture easily. Brush the edges of the pastry base with egg wash, then carefully lay over the larger rectangle and smooth the surface to get rid of any trapped air. Cut away excess pastry to form a tidy edge and glaze with egg wash. With the back of a fork, press to seal the edges. Chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Brush the top of the pastry with more egg wash and season the top before baking. Cook for 10 mins, then reduce the heat to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and cook for 25-30 mins until puffed up and golden brown. Serve either hot or at room temperature.
• To make ahead, freeze at end of stage 2 for up to a month, or refrigerate for up to a day.

CHEESE, BACON & ONION PUFF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 230C/fan 210C/gas 8. Make up the batter as stated in the pancake recipe and set aside. Grease a large, round, ceramic dish, about 22cm wide, and dust it with the grated Parmesan.
• Heat the butter in a frying pan. Sizzle the bacon for about 5 mins until crisp, then leave to cool. Tip the bacon, onion and cheddar into the batter and stir until completely combined. Tip the batter into the prepared dish so it comes almost to the top, then bake for 30-35 mins until puffed up and golden. Bring piping hot to the table and serve straight from the dish with a crisp salad.

BACON CHEDDAR PUFFS

Steps:

• Combine milk and butter in medium saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until utter is melted and mixture is simmering.
• Add flour, stir until mixture forms a ball.
• Remove from heat.
• Beat in 1 egg at a time until mixture is smooth.
• Stir in remaining ingredients; mix well.
• Drop heaping teaspoons of mixture onto greased baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.