Recently while I was at the Limelight Marketplace in downtown NYC, I realized that if you like bacon desserts, Limelight may be your new hangout.

I was enjoying my French Toast Cupcake with Bacon from CupcakeStop when a lady at the table next to me said, “Did you see the bacon brownie?” I turned instantly and squeaked excitedly “No, WHERE?!” She looked at me, eyebrows raised and obviously a bit confused by my outburst. You see, she was talking to her husband, not to me, a complete stranger stiting next to her who is bonkers for bacon.

I quickly explained, “I’m sorry! I’m eating a really good bacon cupcake and I write for Bacon Today so when you mentioned bacon, I lost my mind.” She laughed with me (not at me, I’m sure) and then gave me the scoop on where to find the bacon brownie.

She directed me to a dessert counter in the Limelight Marketplace’s Sweet Room called Mari’s New York. Mari’s specializes in tiny “artisanal” brownies, made from scratch, that you can eat in two bites. I thanked my new friend and rushed over to Mari’s counter and blurted out, “I hear you have bacon brownies!” The clerk said, “You heard right,” and handed me a bacon brownie. Squeeee(al)!

I in turn handed her $3 (which breaks down to $1.50 a bite) and took my treasure home. I ate it in 4 bites (I had to make it last) and realized that I would have paid more than $3 for it. DELICIOUS barely covers how this brownie tasted.

The choclate is delightfully rich and the bacon tastes fresh off the frying pan. The moistness of the brownie is a great contrast to the chewyness of the bacon. Sweet and salty, this brownie is terribly satisfying.

If you’ve been reading my articles, you know this is the point where I say, “Obviously I needed to know nore about this porky dish of delish!” So here is my interview with Mari’s New York:

ME: The Bacon Brownie is wonderful! Please explain what the ingredients are that make it so delicious.

MARI’S NY: The bacon brownie has homemade Niman Ranch bacon jam swirled in the batter and a sprinkling of candied bacon on top.

ME: JAM! I never would have guessed that in a million years. How did you come up with the bacon brownie?

MARI’S NY: I started with pureed cooked bacon mixed in but that wasn’t enough to sate my bacon needs – it needed actual pieces of bacon that you’d discover as you chewed. The candied bits on top gild the bacon lily, so to speak.

ME: I’ll second that statement. How often is this bacon brownie for sale at your shop in Limelight? Are they only available here?

MARI’S NY: We try and have enough for sale every day but we have been known to sell out. They are also offered at GRAB Specialty Foods in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

ME: What made you think, “I need to make a brownie with bacon in it”? Are you a bacon enthusiast?

MARI’S NY: I Love Bacon. Who doesn’t?

ME: For real. Who indeed?

MARI’S NY: Bacon goes with just about everything else, so I thought why not brownies? Ever since perfecting my bacon jam, I’ve been adding it to anything and everything at home.

ME: You are my kind of people. So my appetite needs to know if you have any brownies in the future that might contain bacon?

MARI’S NY: Maybe. One thing’s for sure, there will be other bacon offerings at Mari’s New York.

ME: YAY!

– Jennifer Eolin

They’ve always said that the easiest way to a lover’s heart is through their stomach. So it is with today’s latest trend, where pork passionate “paramours” please one with the gentle heat & sweet of a salty and sultry, tantalizing treat of taste-bud temptation.

Were talking about chocolaty caress of freshly dipped flesh, bacon that is … and it’s the latest rage in “Elite Epicurean Eroticism” as lovers willingly surrender themselves to the appetizingly ambrosial allure of today’s acknowledged and approved aphrodisiac of the aficionados …chocolate dipped bacon.

The amazing thing is that it’s so very simple to prepare and enjoy.

Simply cook the bacon till firm, but not brittle while slowly heating a fine chocolate to the point of melting, just like the will power of that very “special someone” whom you plan to enjoy this intoxicating and feverishly famished flesh-fest with.

Remember to drain and pat off any excess grease and allow to cool enough to avoid any injury when these sheets of sweet and salty sizzle are dipped in the luxurious luster of love and lust’s number 1 accomplice, a good quality, fine chocolate, warmed up slowly in a fondue pot or “double boiler” and relaxed just enough to allow it to voluntarily give up it’s existential essence with ease and ecstatic enthusiasm.

It truly takes two to tango … so slowly and playfully take turns teasingly and pleasingly feeding one another this sumptuously satisfying sensation and make a playful dance of it. You won’t be disappointed, we guarantee it!

Bon Appetit!

Bacon Today reader Becca R. shares with us her recipe for Maple Bacon Cupcakes. If you make these let us know how they turn out and take some photos to share with the world!

Bacon Maple Cupcakes

Ingredients
* 4 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
* 1/2 tablespoon bacon drippings (left in the fridge to become solid)
* 1 egg
* 5 tablespoons brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons maple syrup
* 1 1/4 cups self rising flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* tiny tiny pinch kosher salt
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/4 cup of minced bacon, cooked and drained

What you’ll do–
* 1) Cook some bacon in a fry pan (about 6 thick strips). Reserve the drippings and place in the fridge to solidify. Mince 1/4 a cup of the bacon. The chef should eat whatever is left to assure that the bacon is tasty.
* 2) Beat the crud out of the butter and solidified bacon fat ’till light and creamy. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and beat well until combined.
* 3) Add the egg and beat until incorporated.
* 4) Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and powder together.
* 5) Add some of the flour and mix, then some of the milk, then continue to alternate the dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in the bacon. Taste and add more maple syrup, flour, or milk if needed for desired taste. Keep in mind the maple frosting is very sweet, and to add in very small increments for alterations as maple syrup in large amounts can break a cake batter.
* 6) Scoop into cupcake papers and bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes for even baking.

Maple Syrup Frosting

Ingredients
* 4 tablespoons of butter.
* 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
* 1 cup of powdered sugar.
* turbinado sugar (optional, but recommended).
* coarse grain sea salt (optional, but recommended).

What You’ll Do –
* Combine the syrup and butter until combined. Add the sugar, a bit at a time, and whip at high speeds until combined. Pipe or spread onto cupcakes. Sprinkle on sea salt and turbinado sugar for decoration and a lot of added flavor.
(add some crumbled BACON TOO!)

photo courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clevercupcakes/3562015711/