For The Love of Bacon

So who doesn’t love bacon? I have two daughters who will not eat chicken or beef but love bacon. It’s such a mystery to me how bacon just seems to go with everything from entrees, vegetables or desserts. Yes, I said desserts, which happens to be one of my favorite things to make with bacon. I also live in the Southwest where all things seems to be spicy which is why I decided to try a favorite of mine which is chocolate bacon baklava and add a spicy kick to it with some jalapeño pepper jelly. The result was this sweet, salty chocolate phyllo dough pastry with just enough kick to keep you wanting just a little more. You can adjust the pepper jelly if you want it spicier  

  

    

Spicy-Strawberry Chocolate-Bacon Baklava

Ingredients
1½ cups pecans, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked until crispy, crumbled
12oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups strawberries, sliced
1-8oz roll phyllo dough, thawed
½ cup butter, melted

1½ cup strawberry preserves

½ cup jalapeño pepper jelly
½ cup honey
¼ cup water
2 tablespoon lemon juice

 

Instructions
1) In a food processor, finely chop bacon and pecans. Pour into a bowl and add chocolate.

2) Unroll phyllo and place single sheet in *9x11 baking pan. Brush with butter and repeat until you have 7 layers. Spread ½ bacon-chocolate mixture on top of phyllo. Repeat layering phyllo until you have 6 more layers. Top with remaining bacon mixture and layer phyllo and butter 6 more times. Brush top with butter. Score top and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 325 degrees.

3) While the baklava is baking, combine strawberry preserves, pepper jelly, honey, water and lemon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 5 minutes or until sauce reduces and starts to thicken. Remove ½ cup sauce and strain, reserving liquid to use as glaze.

4) Pour cooled sauce over baklava and top with sliced strawberries. Use reserved glaze to coat strawberries. Allow to set for 1 hour before serving.

*Cut Phyllo sheets to fit bottom of pan.

 

Notes:
Who doesn't love bacon! Here's just one more way to enjoy it, even for dessert. The salty bacon taste and crunchy pecans are a great addition to the melted chocolate. The lemon in the sauce helps bring out the flavors of the strawberries. The sauce adds a fresh sweet-spicy taste to the crunchy, salty pecan flavor. You can serve this dessert with whipped cream or reserve some of the bacon-pecan mixture and sprinkle it on top.

 




Looks good!