Maple Bacon Pancake Food

PANCAKES WITH BACON AND MAPLE SYRUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter and set aside to cool slightly while you get on with the rest of the batter and the bacon.
• In a large, wide-necked measuring cup, measure out the flour and add the baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir to combine.
• In another cup, measure the milk, beat in the eggs and then the slightly cooled butter, and pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking as you do so. Or just put everything in a blender and blitz.
• In the vegetable oil, fry the bacon (cut into half crosswise) or the pancetta strips until crisp, remove to paper towels and cover with more paper towels (not because I'm fat-phobic - as if! - but because this will help them keep their requisite crispness). Now, heat either a griddle or nonstick frying pan, smear with a small bit of butter and then start frying. I just pour small amounts straight from the cup (but you could use a 1/4-cup measure if you prefer) so that you have wiggly circumferenced disks. When you see bubbles erupting on the surface, turn the pancakes over and cook for a couple of minutes, if that, on the other side.
• Or use a blini pan and, as just described, turn when the bubbles break through to the uncooked surface. There is a Russian saying to the effect that the first pancake is always botched, so be prepared to sacrifice the initial offering to unceremonious stoveside gobbling.
• Pile the pancakes onto plate, wigwam with pieces of crispy bacon or pancetta and dribble or pour over, depending on greed and capacity, that clear, brown, woodily fragrant syrup.

MAPLE-BACON OVEN PANCAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine biscuit mix and sugar. In a small bowl, combine the milk, eggs, syrup and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with bacon and remaining cheese. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with syrup if desired.

MAPLE-BACON PANCAKES

Steps:

• Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then break into 1" pieces. Reserve drippings and wipe out skillet.
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, syrup, eggs and butter. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined (batter will have lumps).
• Heat 1 teaspoon drippings in skillet over medium-low heat. For each pancake, arrange some of the bacon pieces in a circle in skillet. Slowly pour 1/3 cup batter over bacon, starting in center and moving outward in a swirling motion to prevent bacon from shifting. Cook until small bubbles form on surface. Flip, and cook until golden brown. Transfer finished pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve with syrup.

MAPLE-BACON PANCAKES

Steps:

• Cook bacon in two batches in a large skillet over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels, then break into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces. Reserve drippings, and wipe out skillet.
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, syrup, eggs, and butter. Add to flour mixture, and whisk until just combined (batter will have lumps).
• Heat 1 teaspoon drippings in skillet over medium-low heat. For each pancake, arrange some of the bacon pieces in a circle in skillet. Slowly pour 1/3 cup batter over bacon, starting in center and moving outward in a swirling motion to prevent bacon from shifting. Cook until small bubbles form on surface. Flip, and cook until golden brown. Transfer pancakes to a baking sheet, and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining bacon and batter. Serve with syrup.

UPSIDE-DOWN APPLE BACON PANCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In an 8-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towels to drain, reserving drippings., Add apple to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with bacon, brown sugar and cinnamon., In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, butter and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour over apples., Bake until lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with syrup.

PANCAKE CUPCAKES WITH MAPLE-BACON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and arrange bacon on the pan. Bake 15 minutes until very crisp; immediately transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; let cool 5-10 minutes. Crumble bacon and toss with maple syrup. (Note that there is a total of 8 slices of bacon and 1/4 cup of maple syrup in this step.).
• Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners, and spray liners with non-stick spray.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add a third of the cooled bacon. In a second bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir just until fully moistened (there may be small lumps). Divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups and bake in the preheated oven until puffed and firm to the touch, about 10 minutes (they will not brown much). Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until fully cooled.
• In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, whip the butter on high until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl every minute or two. Turn the speed down to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time; do not add more until it's nearly completely absorbed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, turn up to medium-high and whip until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add maple syrup and vanilla and continue to whip 1 minute more. Add half the remaining bacon and stir in with a spatula. Frost the cooled cupcakes with an offset spatula. Top with more bacon.