Normally on New Year's Eve Jacob and I stay in and lay low, but to ring in 2015 we decided to have a few people over. Not a call the cops party but just a little get together. It was a lot of fun and I actually stayed awake until after midnight.
I served my most favorite pulled pork on little slider rolls, veggies and dip, chips and dip, and these glorious Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry. These sticks of joy are amazing. The puff pastry is buttery and flaky and the bacon is, well, bacon! The cheese is just a nice touch and sprinkle of brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness.
They might look difficult but I assure you they are not. This was my first time working with puff pastry and it was easier than excepted. Just follow the instructions below and you'll be good to go!
Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry
1 package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded (or a mix of your favorite cheeses)
1 package center cut bacon of another thin bacon (18-20 slices)
1/4 cup brown sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil (or use a baking mat) and place a wire rack on top. Generously spray the rack with cooking spray. Set aside. The wire rack
is a must; it allows the bacon grease to drip down without making the puff pastry soggy.Unfold the sheets of puff pastry on a cutting board. Use a pastry brush to coat with the beaten egg.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the pastry and use a rolling pin to lightly press the cheese into the pastry dough.
Use a pizza cutter to slice the pastry into long 1/2 inch wide strips (like bread sticks).
Place a slice of bacon onto the cut strip of pastry and twist the two together. Once twisted, place onto the prepared pan. Repeat with remaining pastry and bacon.
Sprinkle each with a little brown sugar. Bake for 30 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan half way through baking. After 30 minutes start checking the oven every 5 minutes to see progress. You want them to be nice golden brown and bacon cooked, but not burnt (of course).
Remove from the oven and cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and either enjoy cold or microwave for a 10-20 seconds.
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Printer Friendly Recipe
