Caramelized Pear and Bacon Empanadas with Thyme Maple Syrup

Hello again.

It has been a while.  I've been busy busy busy with work (and play, but sadly most of that play has not been in the kitchen....) but last Wednesday I found time to make some lovely empanadas.  Now, it's up to you to decide whether they are better as an appetizer (a rather sweet one) or a dessert (not too sweet as far as desserts go)

Caramelized pears accented by fresh thyme, with a cornmeal bacon crust, drizzled with a syrup boasting the complex medley of sap and herb.

Maple and thyme is one of my favorite flavor combinations, and here a syrup of just those two ingredients lets their simple but complex flavor show through together.

Cornmeal Bacon Dough:
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup creme friache
1 tbsp butter, unsalted, melted and cooled
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
8 slices bacon
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup


Cut the bacon into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces, cook in a pan over high heat, when crisp add the brown sugar. Stir continuously for two minutes or until the pan is getting dry, then add the maple syrup. Cook, stirring, until bacon is caramelized and crisp. Remove bacon from pan using slotted spoon letting oil drip off, then spread bacon in a thin layer on a baking sheet or plate to cool. 


Proof yeast with sugar in 1/4 cup of the warm milk until foamy and yeast is doubling in size, about 5-10 minutes. 


Beat in remaining milk, egg and egg yolk, creme fraiche and butter. Stir in cooled bacon, making sure the little pieces aren't all stuck together. Mix in flour, cornmeal and salt and knead using the dough hook until a soft dough comes together. 


Turn out onto a board and knead with your hands, about four minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled bowl, turning dough to coat with a little oil, and let rise for 1 1/2 hours in a warm place or until doubled in size.


Pear Filling:
6 large firm pears
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
3 sprigs fresh thyme


Mix granulated sugar with brown sugar, set aside. 


Remove cores and stems, and cut pears into rough 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with sugar mixture to coat.


Heat butter in a large heavy pan, cast iron works well. When hot and foaming, add sugared pears and 3 thyme sprigs. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is bubbling. Cook about 3-5 more minutes, and then pour off most of the liquid, leaving just a bit to coat the bottom of the pan and the pears. Pears should now brown easier, but keep stirring so they don't get stuck. When pears are starting to get soft, 2-3 more minutes, add the 2 tablespoons maple syrup and stir continuously until liquid has been cooked off. Remove from heat, place pears in a bowl and let cool.


Maple Thyme Syrup:
1 cup maple syrup
4-6 sprigs fresh thyme


Place 1 cup maple syrup with 4-6 sprigs thyme in a saucepan. 


Four sprigs makes for a medium sauce, while six will be quite strong. 


Bring to a boil, and let boil gently for three minutes. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit for at least an hour. 


Strain out thyme, and refrigerate syrup.


Asssembly:
Cornmeal Bacon Dough
Pear Filling
Maple Thyme Syrup
1 egg
a few springs thyme


Oven at 450 degrees. 


Punch down dough, and roll out to 1/8 inch thick. 


Cut into circles, any size will work, whatever size cutter you have handy, I find 4-6 inch circles easiest to work with though. 


Spoon filling into center, be sure to squeeze out extra liquid before placing it on dough. A little less then 1/4 cup filling seemed to work well for mine, you want them plump but not to the point to exploding. 


Moisten edges of dough slightly, and press closed firmly with your fingers, then use a fork to crimp the edges. 


Arrange empanadas about 2 inches apart on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Beat egg with 1 tbsp water, and brush on tops of empanadas. Sprinkle with thyme leaves, just a few. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until golden.


Serve warm, and drizzle with thyme maple syrup. Also, some extra syrup in the side is good for dipping.

Bacon Caramel Corn

A salty-sweet treat for fall, caramel corn with crispy bacon and cayenne pepper, you'll find yourself eating the whole bowl!

Recipe:
1/2 cup popcorn kernels, popped however you'd like
1/2 pound bacon (+ or - depending on how bacon-y you want it)
1 tsp salt
1/4 - 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste, I like mine spicy)
a pinch ground cardamom
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp light corn syrup
oil for coating utensils

Oven at 350 degrees.

Chop bacon into bits, the size is up to you, I prefer slightly larger bacon pieces so mine were about an inch. Cook until almost crispy, it will crisp more in the oven.

Grease a bowl, and in it combine popcorn, cooked bacon, salt, cayenne pepper, and cardamom.  Toss it around a little.

Put sugar, water, and corn syrup in saucepan.  Stir to combine.  Heat until sugar dissolves, then let it cook on high until it is amber with no stirring.  Swirl the pan occasionally.  While that is heating, line a cookie sheet (a rim around the edges makes it easier, but is not necessary) with foil, and then grease the foil.  Grease two wooden spoons.  Now, back to the caramel, when it is the right color, take it off the stove and add the whipping cream.  It will bubble, but stir it until it is all blended.

Pour over popcorn mixture, and toss with greased spoons until it is all coated.  Now put it on the cookie sheet.  Put it in the oven. Bake until shiny and getting crispier. Stir it around once in a while. I test mine by taking a piece out and waiting for it to cool, then seeing if it is crisp.  Don't let it burn! Mine took about 15 minutes.  When it is done, let it cool on the sheet, and break up large clumps.  Then it is done!  Very delicious with spiced cider.