Desserts

Here's one that'll leave you drooling for more:

Classic Bacon Brownies

Bacon + brownie = Awesomeness
Ready for a sweet overload? This twist on chocolate-dipped bacon was probably meant to be. Who would've thought- Bacon Brownies. I can't believe I've never tried something like this before! Well, maybe now you can!

Ingredients:

1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Fry bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until nearly crisp, about 5 minutes. Add honey and stir until the foaming subsides. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate to cool.
3. Mix melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl; mix in eggs.
4. Sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt together in a bowl; add to the egg mixture. Fold bacon and chocolate chips into the mixture; pour into the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Allow brownies to cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

You can put some candied bacon on top for a nice touch.

HERE'S ANOTHER SWEET TREAT TO EAT!:

I've always looked into bakeries and wondered how they make those beautiful French macarons. They're actually jkind of hard to make yourself, but here's how to do it if you're willing to try:

Classic French Chocolate Macarons

INGREDIENTS

For the macarons:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup almond flour or almond meal
• 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch cream of tartar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the ganache filling:

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), at room temperature and cut into cubes

INSTRUCTIONS

For the macarons:

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Fit a large pastry bag with a 1/2-inch plain tip; set aside.
2. Place the powdered sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse several times to aerate. Process until fine and combined, about 30 seconds. Sift through a flour sifter into a large bowl; set aside.
3. Make a meringue by placing the egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until opaque and foamy, about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium high, and beat until the egg whites are white in color and hold the line of the whisk, about 1 minute. Continue to beat, slowly adding the granulated sugar, until the sugar is combined, the peaks are stiff, and the whites are shiny, about 1 minute more. (Do not overwhip.) Transfer the meringue to a large bowl.
4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry mixture into the egg whites in four batches until the dry ingredients are just combined. (The meringue will deflate.)  With the final addition, stop folding when there are no traces of egg whites, the mixture runs like slow-moving lava, and it looks like cake batter. (Do not overmix.)
5. Transfer the batter to the pastry bag. Pipe out 1-1/4-inch rounds about 1 inch apart onto the baking sheets, about 25 per sheet. Pick up the baking sheets and bang them against the work surface to help create the macaron base, or foot. Let the rounds sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry the tops and ensure even cooking.
6. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Bake the macarons one sheet at a time for 7 minutes. Rotate the sheet and cook for 7 minutes more. Transfer the sheet to a rack to cool completely.

For the ganache filling:

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl.
2. Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to boil. Stir it into the chocolate without creating bubbles. Let sit for 1 minute. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator until thickened but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.

To assemble:

1. Pair macarons of similar size. Remove the ganache from the refrigerator. If you choose to pipe the ganache, transfer it to a resealable plastic bag and snip about a 1/2 inch off a bottom corner. Squeeze or scoop the ganache to about the size of a cherry (about 1 teaspoon) onto the center of a macaron half. Top with another half and press gently so that it looks like a mini hamburger. The filling should not ooze out the edges. Refrigerate, covered, at least 24 hours before serving.