How To: Make Bacon Bourbon Brownies

Is dessert your deadliest vice? Try adding even more decadence to the equation—heavy, gooey chocolate with hints of crispy bacon and smokey bourbon, AKA the calorie-rich bacon bourbon brownie. Adapted from Slash Food, this after dinner treat isn't for the faint of heart.

Bacon Bourbon Brownies

Ingredients:

• approximately 1/2 to 3/4 cup Wild Turkey 101 proof bourbon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• approximately 5 to 7 strips of bacon (around 1/2 pound)
• 8 oz butter
• 10 oz semisweet baking chocolate
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 5 large eggs
• freshly ground black pepper & sea salt
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups flour

Step 1 Gather Your Ingredients

This recipe is slightly more complicated than your standard brownie mix, so to make life easier, set aside your ingredients ahead of time. Pre-heat your oven to 350° F.

Step 2 Fry Up the Bacon

Fry approximately 5 to 7 strips of bacon, and place on paper towels to soak up the grease. Once cool and stiff, chop or break into small pieces. If you want the texture of the bacon to stand out more later, chop into larger pieces than I did. Reserve the grease for later.

Step 3 Soak the Pecans in Bourbon

Measure out your pecans, and place them in a bowl. Add just enough bourbon to cover. Let the pecans soak until roughly half of the bourbon has been absorbed.

Warnings

• This may take a while, so you may want to skip Step 4 for now, and revisit later.

Step 4 Toast the Pecans

Once about half of the bourbon has been absorbed, scoop out all of the pecans with a slotted spoon and arrange on a baking sheet or pan of some kind. Bake until nearly toasted.

Reserve one teaspoon from the remaining bourbon in the bowl; pour the rest of the bourbon over the pecans, and throw them back into the oven until they've finished toasting.

Step 5 Use a Double Boiler to Melt the Baking Chocolate and Butter

Set up a double boiler. Once the water in the lower compartment begins simmering, add the butter and chocolate to the upper saucepan or bowl. When it has nearly melted, remove from heat and stir until completely melted. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized bowl, and let cool.

Tips

• For those who have never used a double boiler, it is quite easy to set up a makeshift version. Gather two pots of slightly varied sizes, or one pot and one bowl. Fill the bottom pot about halfway up with water, and set on high heat. Nestle the upper pot or bowl within, so that the edges rest on the bottom pot's edges, and the water heats the bottom of the upper container. The chocolate should melt slowly and easily, without any bubbling or scorching. More details here.

Step 6 Mix Together the Rest of the Ingredients

Once your melted butter and chocolate mixture has cooled, add the sugar, brown sugar, a few churns of freshly ground black pepper, a pinch of sea salt, eggs, and your teaspoon of reserved bourbon. Whisk well.

Next, add the cocoa powder and stir thoroughly. Add a half a cup of flour at a time, ensuring it is fully incorporated before adding the ensuing portions.

Step 7 Add the Bacon and Pecans

Once your batter is thoroughly mixed, add your bacon bits and toasted pecans. Stir well.

Step 8 Bake

Lightly coat an 11 by 7 inch baking pan with your reserved bacon grease. Add the batter, pouring evenly. Place in your pre-heated 350° F oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Once finished, allow the brownies to cool and cut into squares.

Step 9 Enjoy!

Decadent, huh? Don't say I didn't warn you.