I will admit that I have not been one to jump on the bacon in dessert bandwagon. Though must admit that when Liz sent me bacon toffee as a pick me up that started to sway me. I love me some bacon. I mean love. It is truly the only thing that holds me from being vegetarian is bacon. In fact my friends bought me a t-shirt that says Vegetarian*…and then at the bottom is *except for bacon. Which is about right sadly. I tried giving it up. But that stomach of that pig is like an evil siren I tell you.
From time to time the fine people of Andrew McMeel and Simon and Schuster like to send me a free cookbook in the mail to preview. Some I love. Some not so much. But the other day in the mail I got one called I Love Bacon. Um. Hello world’s most perfect book for me. Now this recipe doesn’t come from there. It has just mostly made me want bacon with every meal for the last few days. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 🙂
Mostly I see maple and bacon together in sweet things. So when I ran across a recipe with pumpkin and no maple, but rather a boiled caramel cream cheese frosting, I was oh my yes! I will tell a secret. I fried up extra bacon. Then I took out a knife and would spread frosting on that bacon and eat it. Oh my. Oh my. Oh my. If you watch According to Jim, he hangs with Jim’s wife’s brother Andy a lot. Andy has a secret shame of rolling sticks of butter in sugar and eating them. Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is my stick of sugar coated butter. Oh my. I know I keep saying that but really, oh my. 😛
If you don’t like bacon, then guess what? You aren’t going to like these. I will still like you but will feel slightly sorry that you miss out on the food that I feel needs it’s own spot on the food pyramid…down at the bottom. 😀
Pumpkin Caramel Bars with Bacon
For the bars:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. table salt
1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
4 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 9-13-inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray.
Whisk together pumpkins puree sugars, egg, melted butter, and vanilla in a large bowl and blend well.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until well incorporated.
Spread pumpkin batter evenly into prepared ban. Bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup water
Pinch of salt
½ cup heavy cream
4 ounces unsalted butter, cubed
4ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 ounces of bacon, diced and then pan fried, oil drained
Boil sugar, water, and pinch of salt in a large saucepan over high heat, for 5 minutes. Gently swirling occasionally to prevent scorching.
Whisk in cream and butter and boil another 2 minutes.
Transfer caramel to the bowl of a stand mixer, whip on high speed until sides of bowl are cool to the touch and caramel is thick, 8-120 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add cream cheese, 1 cube at a time, until frosting is smooth.
Frost cool bars. Top with bacon pieces.
Adapted from Cuisine at Home magazine October 2010 issue
Nutmeg Nanny says
I have yet to make any baked good with bacon. Although I did try maple bacon ice cream for the first time a couple weeks ago. I enjoyed it 🙂
kyn_a says
There’s no wrong way to cook with bacon!
Jessica @ bake me away! says
Oh, man…I’d so be all over this. I miss bacon! My best friend is a bacon fanatic, so one year I gave her The Bacon Cookbook, Bacon Salt, and a pound of fresh-cut bacon from the deli. She was happy. 😉
Natalie says
Oh my goodness I am going to have to make this. There is half a package of bacon slices sitting menacingly in my freezer and this is all the more reason to eat them. TO THE KITCHEN I GO!
Merry120 says
I haven’t made anything with bacon so far though I’m sure my husband would LOVE it. We love some bacon around here. Speaking of….there is a restaurant in Calgary that serves a bucket of bacon with a side of maple syrup as an appetizer.
Lisa says
I’m loving the caramel frosting on bacon idea. All that cakey stuff would just take up space that could be filled with more bacon!
LilSis says
Oh my goodness! I still haven’t tried any sweets with bacon even though I’ve seen lots of recipes with that combo.
And believe me; I LOVE me some bacon, too! This recipe might be the ONE to make me want to get out the pumpkin!
And, the smell of bacon is the only thing that tempts my sister who has been vegetarian for 16 years…
wendyywy says
LOL,
I love the way you suggested the new arrangement of the food pyramid
Rosa says
That is a terrific combo! I love bacon treats.
Cheers,
Rosa
The Blue-Eyed Bakers says
Um bacon and pumpkin!? Lady you’re genius! We want!!
SH says
This sounds delicious!!!
I have a question though… what is the consistency of the bar? Are they more solid like a brownie or blondie, or are they on the cakey and crumbly? Just curious!
Peabody says
More like cake than bar. Very moist.
Amalia says
please stop! This is pure madness! I love all your recipes every day more! i’m gonna gain a 100 pounds if I make all fo them! but they are all SO creative and GOOD.
-Amalia
http://buttersweetmelody.wordpress.com/
Fallon says
This is crazy insane, but it sounds like it works. Bacon and desserts who would of thought? lol
Krystle says
Oh…man! That looks delicious! I still have yet to add bacon to a dessert but this makes me want to run home and whip this up pronto!
Paula says
looks so delicious!
have a nice time!
Paula
CookiePie says
I mean, you had me at “pumpkin,” but then you had to get all “caramel” and “bacon” on me! 🙂
Erika says
I’m still not sure about the bacon in desserts thing, but, then again, I do like sweet followed by salty!
Certainly looks delicious.
Liz @ Blog is the New Black says
You had me at bacon.
Becca says
mmmm these look really good and im not really partial to bacon. i’ll eat any meat item (exageration) except bacon…but because these look so good there might be an exception 😀
Joanne says
bacon is a supreme necessity in my life. For example. Just yesterday I made this creamed corn with bacon in it. I hated the creamed corn. But couldn’t bring myself to throw out the bacon. So I just picked the bacon out and ate it. It seemed like the right thing to do. And it was. Oh it was.
The other right thing to do is for me to make this. Now. Yesterday. Five minutes ago. Yeah. It sounds glorious.
vanillasugar says
oh dear. gotta admit i was afraid to click on this when i saw bacon. its 9pm and i’m starving for breakfast. this combo is right up my alley.
brilynn says
That’s taking things to a whole other level of awesome…
dawn says
I love bacon and this looks AMAZING!
Otehlia Cassidy says
Not sure I could do this, but if I could I would. They look amazing. Love your website! I also tried your pumpkin cheesecake bread from Chez Us, and it was great!
Lisa - respect the shoes says
Oh my, this looks sooooo wrong but oh so gooood in so many ways!
Barbara says
Well, you’ve certainly done it this time! OMG.
Going to make these this week!
Sues says
Wow, wow, wow! I was just talking about combining pumpkin and bacon in a dessert cake… And now I MUST do it. This looks beyond wonderful! 🙂
Mrs. L says
You had me at bacon…bacon is comfort food. And I need comfort food after that game last night…sheesh.
VeggieGirl says
Love this shout-out 😀
Diana says
If you love bacon (and I do) try this stuff – its addictive.
http://onlinestore.skilletstreetfood.com/
I saw it on the Cooking Channel. Its called “bacon spread” of bacon “jam”.
Gigi says
You are so darn cute! I just love you and your bacon happiness. I am so happy you blog so I can pop in and see what you are making. Keep up the great writing and pictures. You are the best!!
Baking is my Zen says
It actually tasted good with bacon. Made these. Added your link on my blog, Baking is my Zen.
http://bakingismyzen.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkin-caramel-bars-with-bacon-fall.html
~ Carmen
Diane says
Serendipity, is what I call finding this post. I was looking for something amazing to do with pumpkin, and voila! I can’t wait to try it.
Loved meeting you when we lunched with Melinda!