Conformity? It’s just another word for towing the line. Being just another sheep in the flock. Playing the proverbial game. I can understand the desire to fit in, the gods know; social recognition, friends, fame, fortune, but why do that? Is it not better to love what you love to hell with those that disapprove? Did Peter Rosendahl bow to peer pressure when the world told him that there was something missing in his life?
Heck no, he trained tirelessly in and day out until he became the world record holding 100m unicycle champion. Did Phil Shaw listen to his neighbours when they told him that there was an easier way to complete menial household tasks, rather than combining them with life-threatening and risky sports to create Extreme Ironing? I don’t think so.
This is why I decided to combine the things I love into a chimera of deliciousness. Mixing drinks with desserts and making cured confection pork products. So friends, head to your local liquor store, your deli and the baking isle of your supermarket and smash together this conglomerate of courses to create The Culinary Barbarian’s, Bourbon and Cola, Candied Bacon Ice Cream Sandwiches.
Ingredients:
1 Betty Crocker vanilla cake mix (reserve frosting)
3 eggs
80g melted butter
¼ cup bourbon
½ cup cola
5 streaky bacon rashers, rind removed
2 tbsp cinnamon
6 tbsp brown sugar
1 litre vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1 tbsp bourbon, additional
Spray oil
Method:
Candied Bacon:
- Line a flat baking tray with greaseproof baking paper and arrange the bacon length ways with as little overlapping as possible.
- Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and sprinkle liberally over the bacon (about 1/3rd of the brown sugar and cinnamon mix). Place the bacon into the cold oven and then set the temperature to 220°C.
- After about 15 min, check on the bacon. Remove from the oven and pour off the excess bacon fat. Carefully turn the bacon rashers with tongs and apply another 1/3rd of the cinnamon/ brown sugar mix. Return to the oven for another 8-10 minor until slightly crispy and the sugar is well caramelised.
- Remove from the oven. Line a plate with baking paper and arrange the bacon onto the plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes, at which point the bacon should snap like a cracker. Finely dice and return to the fridge for later use.
Bourbon and Cola Cake:
- This one is pretty straight forward; you follow the directions to the cake mix but substitute ½ cup of cola and ¼ cup bourbon for ¾ cup of milk. Preheat oven to 140°. Beat the eggs, melted butter bourbon, cola and cake mic together on low for 30 seconds then high for only a minute. The longer you beat the mix the more air is added to the mix which is not what we want for the cake base.
- Next, place sheet of baking paper over a flat oven tray and lightly spray with oil. Pour ½ of the mix and spread out evenly about ½ cm thick. Place another greased sheet of baking paper over the top of the mix and rest a second oven tray lightly over the top. This will help to prevent the sponge cake from rising too much. Place into the oven for 10-15 min or slightly golden on the edges or a skewer comes out clean when poked into the centre. Allow to cool on a cooling rack and repeat with the remaining cake mix.
Candied Bacon Ice Cream:
- While the cake mix is cooling, mix the remaining brown sugar/ cinnamon mix and 2/3rd of the candied bacon into the softened ice cream until consistent.
Bourbon Tippled Frosting:
- Squeeze the frosting into a container and stir in 1 tbsp of bourbon.
The Assembly:
There are 2 ways to do this:
- Cut shapes into the cake sheets with cookie cutters and spoon the ice cream between and sandwich together.
- The easy way. Lay out a large sheep of plastic wrap, place the bottom layer of cake over the plastic. Spread the ice cream over the bottom layer evenly and top with the second layer of cake. Cut off the rough edges and wrap the cake tightly with the wrap and place into the freezer for at least 1 hour to set.
- Remove from the freezer, loosely unwrap the top and spread the frosting and sprinkle with remaining candied bacon. Re-wrap and return to the freezer. Cut when ready to serve.
