Spiced Apple & Candied Bacon Bonbons

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

   ~5 min
2. 2

   Lay bacon strips flat on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.

   ~3 min
3. 3

   Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. Drain on paper towels and let cool completely. Once cool, finely chop the candied bacon.

   ~25 min
4. 4

   Peel the apples, core them, and slice them very thinly into shards (about 1/16 inch thick). Aim for pieces that are roughly 1-2 inches in size.

   ~10 min
5. 5

   In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, remaining brown sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir until sugars are dissolved.

   ~5 min
6. 6

   Heat over medium-high heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 300°F (150°C) on a candy thermometer. This is the hard-crack stage.

   ~15 min
7. 7

   Remove from heat and carefully stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Be cautious as the mixture will bubble.

   ~2 min
8. 8

   Working quickly, dip the apple shards into the hot caramel, coating them thinly. Allow excess caramel to drip off.

   ~10 min
9. 9

   Immediately sprinkle the wet caramel with the chopped candied bacon bits. Place the coated apple shards on wax paper to set.

   ~5 min
10. 10

    Allow the bonbons to cool completely and harden for at least 30 minutes before serving or storing.

    ~30 min