My 15 Mins of Fame : Kahlua Risotto Makes it on Saveur Magazine

Had a nice little surprise in the mail today from Saveur in the form of a free magazine... 

It turns out my Kahlua Risotto recipe made it as a runner up for the Kahlua recipe contest, whoo! 

It definitely made my day :)

Project 05: Billionaire's Bacon Palmiers

After reading about Billionaire's Bacon (a confection of candied bacon created by Mortimer's in New York City) I created this little cookie—a palmier with a twist, but really it's  the perfect man of the cookie world. 

It combines the French sophistication of buttery pastry layers, the complexity of caramelized brown sugar, the manliness of smoky bacon and just the right amount of spice from the black pepper to keep things interesting. It's a wonderful blend of sweet, salty and spicy to keep you wanting more. Best of all, he's, I mean, it's low maintenance too—the whole preparation will have you in-and-out of the kitchen in no time.

Billionaire Bacon Palmiers

Yields 20 cookies and serves 5

1/2 package or 1 sheet of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets 

1 cup brown sugar

2 thick slices of apple smoked bacon

1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Let's get started. First, render the bacon slices in a skillet on medium heat till golden brown and crispy. Drain the cooked bacon on paper towels and crumble to tiny pieces  (the smaller the better) when cooled to the touch.

Next, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Unfold the sheet of thawed puff pastry on a clean work surface and sprinkle 1/2 cup of brown sugar evenly on top. Use a rolling pin to gently press the sugar into the dough.

Carefully flip the pastry over and scatter the crumbled bacon all over the top. Do the same with the black pepper. Take the remaining 1/2 cup of the sugar and sprinkle over evenly and lightly press the toppings in with the rolling pin. 

Now comes the fun part! Roll the left vertical side to the center and then repeat with the right side. Gently press the two sides together and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate the pastry log for an hour or so till it's firm and thoroughly chilled. This step is imperative because it enables you to slice the palmiers easily later on and also ensures even baking.

Once the pastry is chilled, slice the log crosswise into 1/2 inch medallions. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet (silpat works wonders as well) with plenty of space in between as they will spread and expand in the oven.

Bake the palmiers for 8-10 minutes till they are golden brown on top. Flip the cookies over and bake for a 3-5 minutes longer till the bottom is caramelized as well. Let them cool for a short while and enjoy responsibly!