Tuesday, May 10, 2016

How to Make Perfect Coffee Bacon with Maple-Espresso Glaze plus a Special Giveaway from Cleo Coyle



WARNING: Once you start eating this beautiful, smoky-sweet bacon, you won’t be able to stop!  At least, that’s been my experience and Marc’s, my husband and partner in crime writing. 
Click here to learn more.


Our readers may recognize a version of this treat from our bestselling Coffeehouse Mystery Dead to the Last Drop, set in Washington, DC.

Assistant chef Luther Bell cooks it up for customers of the new Village Blend Jazz Space, a relaxed supper club co-managed by our amateur sleuth Clare, who soon feels more than the heat of the kitchen when she becomes a prime suspect in the kidnapping of the President’s college-age daughter. Forced to go on the run with acting federal agent Mike Quinn, Clare must solve the perplexing mystery in order to save her good friends, Mike’s law enforcement career—and her own bacon. 




* * *


OUR SPECIAL GIVEAWAY

Marc and I hope you enjoy the recipe and...we invite you to check out a very special giveaway, along with an insanely easy recipe for Cherry Streusel Coffee Cake...


TO ENTER, CLICK HERE or on the photo below
and jump to our Cherry Coffee Cake post
where you can enter our giveaway...
.

TO ENTER CLICK THE PHOTO.


Now let's get our bacon on!




How to Make Perfect Coffee Bacon 
with Maple-Espresso Glaze


Cleo Coyle has a partner in
crime-writing—her husband.
Learn about their books
by clicking here and here.

While there are plenty of recipes out there for coffee bacon or glazed bacon, this one is our own—one my husband and I tweaked to perfection, in our opinion, anyway! 

One strip of this beautiful bacon evokes the glorious flavors of a pancake breakfast—
the sweetness of maple syrup, the earthiness
of coffee, and the unctuous richness of smoked meat...

Now you may be tempted to change the recipe—say, use regular bacon instead of thick-cut. Or make the bacon on a rack instead of a sheet pan or leave out the espresso powder (aka instant espresso). 


Our advice is don't do it, follow the recipe! Thick-cut bacon works wonderfully in this cooking process; regular or thin-cut will burn to a crisp! A rack will drain too much grease, which is necessary in the cooking for both flavor and caramelization. (It would also become caked with the glaze, making a royal mess.) And the deep earthiness of that espresso powder is needed to balance the cloying sweetness of the maple syrup and unctuousness of the bacon. 

Finally, be sure not to undercook the meat. The real key to perfection is watching for the slight char on the edges of the strips. That char assure you that the sugars have properly caramelized in the glaze.

You can serve the finished bacon with coffee, grapefruit, and slices of melon for an amazing breakfast (that's how Marc and I are eating it this morning)! Or make this a show-stopping side dish as part of a larger brunch, or try it as a fun snack or dinner appetizer. It’s also fantastic in a BLT. However you serve it, one thing is certain... You will be eating with sheer joy!





To download this recipe in
a free PDF that you can print,
save, or share,
click here.

Click for the free recipe PDF.


Cleo's Coffee Bacon with
Maple-Espresso Glaze

Makes 6 bacon slices

Ingredients:

6 Thick-cut bacon slices (must be thick-cut)

2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar (dark gives deeper complexity)


¼ teaspoon espresso powder
(aka instant espresso,
     see my note and the end of the recipe) 


1 Tablespoon hot coffee

1-1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

Optional addition: For a smoky-spicy note, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon chili powder to the glaze. For more heat try chipotle chile powder or ancho chile powder. Start with a little and taste-test the glaze until you reach the level of spiciness you like. (And, yes, there is a difference between "chili" and "chile" powder. Learn more here.)

Directions: 


(1) First preheat your oven to 375° F. Place bacon slices flat on a rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment paper. You want the slices to warm up a bit before going into the oven, so lay out the bacon before making the glaze. 

The parchment paper is there to absorb grease and prevent the bacon from sticking to the pan. Believe me, the process is messy, and you’ll be glad you used the parchment paper!



(2) Measure dark brown sugar and espresso powder (aka instant espresso) into a small bowl. Add hot coffee and whisk with a fork until sugar and espresso granules are dissolved. Whisk in maple syrup. 



(3) Brush each slice with your coffee-maple-glaze. 


(4) Bake for 10 minutes at 375° F. Flip the bacon, brush the other side with more of the glaze. Increase the oven temperature to 425° F. Bake for another 10 to 13 minutes. 

Watch closely to prevent burning. Bacon is not done until the edges show caramelization—they should look slightly charred. (See my photos below as a guide.)






(5) Drain grease: Allow the bacon to cool a few minutes and the sizzling to stop. Then move the hot bacon slices to a baking sheet or counter surface that’s been covered with waxed paper or parchment paper. Do not use paper towels, the glazed bacon will stick! Serve and eat with sheer joy!




*Note on Espresso Powder: 

Espresso powder (or instant espresso) is not made of ground espresso beans. It is freeze-dried espresso that dissolves quickly in liquids. A good quality brand to look for is Medaglia D’oro. You can use any brand of instant espresso in this recipe, but do not substitute instant coffee. It gives a harsher and more sour flavor than instant espresso, which brings a richer, earthier note.






Eat (and read) with joy!

~ Cleo Coyle

New York Times bestselling author of  
The Coffeehouse Mysteries


Friend me on facebook here. * Follow me on twitter here
Learn about my books here


* * *



Our newest mystery is now

a bestselling hardcover!


Coffee. It can get a girl killed.

Amazon * B&N




A Mystery Guild Selection
A Baker & Taylor Fall "Trends" Pick
Three "Best of Year" Reviewer Lists


Dead to the Last Drop 
is a culinary mystery with 
more than 25 delicious recipes!

See the free illustrated 
Recipe Guide by clicking here.



*  *  *



The Coffeehouse Mysteries are bestselling
works of amateur sleuth fiction set in a landmark
Greenwich Village coffeehouse, and each of the
15 titles includes the added bonus of recipes. 


GET A FREE TITLE CHECKLIST
OF BOOKS IN ORDER

(with mini plot summaries)


* * * 


Marc and I also write
The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries

Get a free title checklist, 
with mini plot summaries, 



Or learn more about the 
books and meet Jack Shepard, 
our PI ghost by clicking here.



18 comments:

  1. Bacon is the best; thanks for the chance to win :)
    jslbrown2009 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lisa - Bacon is indeed the best! On the giveaway--to enter, you'll need to scroll back up and click the link provided at the beginning of this blog post. If you do, be sure to follow the contest rules. I hope you're able to enter, Lisa, and I wish you luck!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  2. I love caramelized bacon -- I have had it before made with brown sugar and mustard powder and it was delicious. Your recipe is taking it up a notch -- can't wait to try it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Celia - Mustard powder and brown sugar with the flavor of bacon is a winner. Another great combo to try! Thanks for dropping by the Kitchen today, and I hope you have a delicious week.

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  3. My son decided to change to vegan late last year, so I always feel guilty cooking bacon. But he is travelling for the summer before coming home to pack up for college. This recipe will probably get several uses in the coming months, for the joy of eating and the solace of nibbling on comfort food. Will need for both.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm wondering why you feel guilty! I'm hoping it's because the smell of bacon is hard to resist (and you don't want to tempt him) and not because he makes you feel guilty for eating meat. I'll tell you why I say that. I understand and respect everyone's choice for following personal diets--whether for health or religious or philosophical reasons. BUT I do not approve of anyone bullying anyone else into a diet they don't feel is right for them. (I had a friend who followed a vegan diet and ended up in the hospital because of that diet, so there are many points of view on that issue!) I hope you don't mind my honesty and I hope you take joy in frying up bacon whenever you wish. :)

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  4. That bacon looks so good. I wish I had some right now. I'm not sure I have the patience to wait for it to bake, though.
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda - You are so right about patience. The willpower for me comes when it's ready to eat. After one bite, I have to stop myself from eating the entire pan!

      Thanks for dropping in today, and I noticed you left your e-mail. Just to reiterate what I told Lisa (above), the giveaway is not at this site. Scroll back up and click the link if you want to enter it this week. Good luck and thanks again.

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  5. Oh my goodness. Bacon, espresso, and maple syrup. What more can I ask?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My husband would say "a stack of pancakes"...but I'm fine with half a grapefruit or melon slices! :) Thanks for dropping in today, Libby, it is always, always a pleasure to see you in the Kitchen!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  6. I much prefer cooking bacon in the oven. I haven't tried coffee, but that hint of sweetness from maple syrup is delish!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Krista - I agree on both counts, oven-cooked bacon is so much easier to make--the results are always more consistent. And that maple-bacon flavor combo is a classic for eating with joy!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  7. I swear, I can smell this bacon cooking, and I haven't even started cooking it yet. I'm afraid to even cook it with family members present - there may be a stampede!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha! Yes, and I can see you holding them off. But once the bacon is cooked and devoured, expect applause!

      Thanks for the happy comment, Laine. You always brighten my day when you stop by the Kitchen...

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”

      Cleo Coyle on Twitter

      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  8. I am going to have to try this recipe sometime! I bet the house smells really yummy when you cook this up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elaine - It does indeed, and because there is so much flavor, a little goes along way. Just two pieces of this bacon with a few slices of melon and a cup of coffee makes an eminently satisfying breakfast. Thanks for dropping in Elaine, it's lovely to see you back in the Kitchen!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete