Bourbon Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Labor day weekend is just around the corner and these cookies might just be the perfect addition to your BBQ. I made them for an Olympics party earlier this month and nicknamed them 'Ugly Americans'.  Because really, what could be more self indulgent at an event promoting athleticism and good health than eating a cookie filled with bacon, chocolate and booze?  Yes, I'm kind of a jerk.  It's just that I pinned them forever ago and was dying for an excuse to give them a try.  Anyway I'm pretty confident these cookies are worth their weight in judgement... they are truly, ridiculously good.

photo © cake. 2012

Bacon Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from whisky disks

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 strips bacon (thinner bacon cut is recommended for crispiness)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
2.Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings and set aside to cool. Crumble the bacon.
3. Beat the butter and reserved bacon drippings in a large bowl with a mixer on until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the granulated and light brown sugar until creamy, about 4 minutes, then add the egg and bourbon and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
4. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions, scraping down the bowl as needed, until just combined. Stir in bacon and chocolate chips. Form the dough into 1″ balls and arrange 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake for about 8-10 minutes.

Hellos + End of Summer Cake

Well hello, and happy... mid August?  Summer is winding down already and I've been basically terrible about following up on my commitment to post my personal projects along the way.  It's interesting how quickly I fell out of the habit of blogging regularly... my extra time was almost instantly eaten up by other things and I can't exactly say how I was managing to keep up with it for so long.  Major credit must again be given to all of you who find a way to keep the balance. 

I have been stockpiling a few things for you though, including some of my recent baking projects.  Before summer and peach season are over, you must add this peach upside down cake to your to-do list.  I discovered it via pinterest and gave it my own twist by layering the fruit in a spiral round. It's  not the world's most attractive cake, but I assure you what it lacks in visual appeal it more than makes up for in taste. I mean, we're talking caramelized fresh peaches here... I made this on July 4th and it was polished off in about 10 minutes flat.

I hope you all enjoy the final days of your summer... I'm winding down with a family beach weekend this month, but I'll be back soon with more good things this fall.

photo © cake. 2012

 Peach Upside Down Cake

adapted from midwest living

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2-2 cups sliced, pitted and peeled peaches
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Directions

Place 1/4 cup butter in an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Warm in a 350 degrees F oven about 5 minutes or until butter is melted. (Be sure to watch carefully to avoid overbrowning the butter). Remove pan from oven. Add brown sugar, stirring until sugar is completely moistened. Spread sugar mixture evenly in pan. Arrange peach slices evenly over brown sugar mixture. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in granulated sugar until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to beaten butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter evenly over the peaches in the pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan; invert onto a large serving plate. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.