Oh yes I did! (Dark Chocolate BACON Cupcakes)

My awesomeness is just getting awesomer! Last week Ally and I had a Chocolate Bacon Party. Oh my heavens, best thing EVER! SO MUCH FUN!!! Everything was Chocolaty and Bacony. I think the best part was these awesome cupcakes and the bacon drizzled with white and dark chocolate. I have another recipe for a different type of chocolate bacon cupcakes, but I want to make them first before I post it.

Ingredients:


12 slices bacon

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 eggs

1 cup cold, strong, brewed coffee

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

powder, for dusting



Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coffee, buttermilk and oil. Stir just until blended. Mix in 3/4 of the bacon, reserving the rest for garnish. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting* and sprinkle reserved bacon crumbles on top. Dust with additional cocoa powder

*I just used the basic butter, sugar, coco powder, vanilla and milk frosting. Super easy. It's in the Betty Crocker Cookbook

I can do the pretzel, can you?

Ingredients

•1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water

•1 tablespoon sugar

•2 teaspoons kosher salt

•1 package active dry yeast

•22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups

•2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

•Vegetable oil, for pan

•10 cups water

•1/4 cup baking soda

•1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water

•Pretzel salt or Kosher Salt (I used Kosher)


Directions

1.Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using a spatula, mix until well combined.

2.Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

3.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

4.Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

5.In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

6.Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.

7.Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Hayden Jumps

Hayden likes to hide in our house. She gets "lost" on a pretty regular basis. Kinda my fault because I let her have full access to all 4700sqft. Usually she is doing something absolutely horrible. See picture below...

This was with pancake mix...

But today I found her in my room jumping on our bed. Not ruining or breaking anything. Just happily jumping.