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Man Candy: Candied Bacon and Nuts

By:Nagi
54 Comments
Recipe v

Candied bacon and nuts. “Man Candy”. It couldn’t possibly be called anything else. Ridiculously addictive. Easy to make. Be careful who you make this for!

A tray of Candied Bacon and Nuts

It is rare to meet a bloke who doesn’t love bacon. It is like men are genetically programmed to be obsessed with bacon. And beer, for that matter. And beef. Did I just figure out the holy trinity for men? Beer, Beef and Bacon.

This candy doesn’t have beef or beer in it. I did make a version with beer, but it was more effort to make, you couldn’t actually taste the beer in it and it had a much thicker candy coating which I thought made it far too sweet.

This one is super simple to make. It is actually a recipe by Sunny Anderson (an American celebrity chef) which she calls Bacon Bark. I changed the name because after 3 attempts to make it, it never came out like “bark” and I am not convinced it could because there is simply not enough toffee/candy to spread and hold the bacon and nuts together. It does stick together in chunks, but not like “bark”.

So I thought candy was a more suitable name for it. It’s like candied nuts – but with bacon added. You can break it up completely, all leave it in bigger chunks (which I prefer).

This is INSANELY ADDICTIVE!

A cup of Candied Bacon and Nuts (walnuts and pecan)

The ingredients are exactly the same as Sunny’s recipe but I rewrote it with more instructions so you can benefit from my failed efforts. The first time I made it, it didn’t come out like candy, more like a sticky caramel. This was because there was too much bacon fat, so I added the step to drain excess fat off the baking tray before adding the nuts. The second time I made it, I didn’t use baking / parchment paper which the recipe said was optional, but it’s definitely necessary because otherwise the toffee gets stuck on the baking tray.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Homemade Man Candy. Now that’s a priceless gift!

– Nagi

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A tray of Candied Bacon and Nuts

Man Candy: Candied Bacon and Nuts

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 35 mins
Bacon, Candy
5 from 12 votes
Servings6 - 8
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Easy to make, and a great gift for any bacon lover. Just be careful who you give it to. Because they will be begging you to make it again and again and again!!

Ingredients

Candied Bacon

  • 6 slices centre cut or middle bacon (about 200g / 6 oz) (Note 1)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or normal)
  • 1/2 tsp paprika (Note 2)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (Note 2)
  • 1 lemon , zest only
  • Pinch of salt
  • Black pepper (3 grinds)

Candied Nuts

  • 1 cup pecans , roughly chopped
  • 1 cup walnuts , roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or normal)
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (Note 3)
  • 1/2 tsp paprika (Note 2)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (Note 2)
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • Black pepper (3 grinds)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper (parchment paper).
  • Cut the bacon into 1.5cm / 0.6" pieces (remove rind if it has it).
  • Combine with remaining Candied Bacon ingredients in a bowl and use your fingers to coat the bacon.
  • Combine the Candied Nuts ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine.
  • Spread the Candied Bacon onto a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, or until the sugar is bubbling and the bacon is starting to turn brown (i.e. almost cooked).
  • Remove the bacon from the tray using a slotted spatula (so you don't get too much bacon fat) and transfer it into the bowl with the nuts. Mix to combine.
  • Use a spatula to scrape and pour the excess oil off the parchment paper (this is what I did).
  • Pour the nuts back onto the baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, stirring once at half time.
  • Turn the oven off and open the door slightly. Leave for at least 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
  • Break the candy into chunks. To store, place into an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator. (Note 4)

Recipe Notes:

1. Center cut is lower in fat than streaky bacon. In Australia, the equivalent is middle bacon which is the type most commonly found at supermarkets. Streaky bacon can also be used but use 1 extra piece because the bacon is much fattier and the fat renders out when you bake it so you will end up with less bacon unless you use an extra piece.
2. The original recipe calls for hot Hungarian Paprika. I couldn't find this, so I just used ordinary and added cayenne pepper for the heat. You could also use chili powder, but make sure it's pure chili powder, not American chili powder which is more like a seasoning which has other flavourings like onion powder in it.
If you happen to have hot Hungarian Paprika, then you can use 1/2 tsp of it instead of 1/2 tsp ordinary paprika + 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper.
3. Pumpkin Pie Spice is a spice blend used for pumpkin pie which you can buy pre blended in America. I make my own - it's very simple: 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder + 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg + 1/4 tsp all spice + 1/8 tsp ground ginger.
4. I am not 100% sure how long it can be kept for. I have never seen it last more than 3 days, so I know it's fine for up to 3 days. It should be stored in the refrigerator - because of the bacon. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
5. Nutrition assumes 6 servings but this does not take into account that the rendered fat is discarded.
Man Candy Bacon Pecan Walnuts Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 82gCalories: 443cal (22%)Carbohydrates: 21.5g (7%)Protein: 16.1g (32%)Fat: 34.5g (53%)Saturated Fat: 5.3g (33%)Cholesterol: 28mg (9%)Sodium: 582mg (25%)Potassium: 360mg (10%)Fiber: 3.4g (14%)Sugar: 16.6g (18%)Vitamin A: 250IU (5%)Vitamin C: 1.7mg (2%)Calcium: 40mg (4%)Iron: 1.8mg (10%)
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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54 Comments

  2. Kathleen | HapaNom says

    5 stars
    Wow – these sound incredibly flavorful. I go weak in the knees for anything with bacon, but this… this is like bacon trail mix! How cool is that!? I’m definitely taking this on our next hike!

    Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      OMG Bacon TRAIL MIX!! Loo, you’re the hiker here – what to form a partnership? I’ll cook, you distribute!! He he!

      Reply

    • Nagi | RecipeTin says

      I laughed so hard I had tears! You are an absolute cracker Maureen! You are not allowed to make this though, because it’s not good for John and you won’t be able to stop him from eating it. 🙂

      Reply
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