Author Notes: peanut butter and sesame seeds are two of my favorite flavors and when combined, they blend beautifully. the sandy texture of a peanut butter cookie is a perfect match for the crispy little seeds. so why mess with the perfect combination of flavors and textures?
the current trend of adding bacon to desserts and sweets is a bit over done. when you start seeing bacon sundaes on fast food menus, it is time to move on. it wouldn’t be so bad if the result wasn’t a smack in the face; the overpowering flavor of salty- smoky bacon that screams it’s presence bite after bite. as a pastry chef, i have learned to blend seemingly opposite flavors to form a new flavor with subtle hints and notes that leave people guessing just what might be in this dish.
to really give desserts a bacon flavor, i always reach for the pan after the bacon is cooked. the fat left in the pan is full of flavor. when used in small amounts, it can add a touch of smoke, a hint of bacon that will not mask the remaining nuances and will enhance them.
for the best flavor, use a smoked bacon that hasn’t been cured with nitrites or nitrates. with all of the artisanal producers out there, you are bound to find a nice, smoky bacon that hasn’t been cured. finding it is easier than you think, many supermarkets now carry uncured bacon, i buy mine locally at trader joe’s. —janeofmanytrade
Makes: 24 cookies
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1/4
cup bacon fat, at room temperature
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3/4
cup dark brown sugar
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4
tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
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1/2
cup peanut butter, must be homogenized
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2
tablespoons chopped peanuts
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1
tablespoon sesame seeds
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1
egg
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1 1/4
cups all purpose flour
-
1/2
teaspoon baking soda
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3/4
cup sesame seeds for coating the cookies
- if you just cooked your bacon, be sure to save the grease and don’t worry about straining out all those little bits! just go ahead and measure out the 1/4 cup and allow it to cool to room temperature. bacon at room temperature is much softer than butter but it should be opaque.
- preheat the oven to 375. in a mixing bowl, cream the brown sugar with the bacon fat, butter, chopped peanuts and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds. scrape the bowl well and cream until light and fluffy.
- add the egg, mix it in and scrape down the bowl to completely incorporate it. place the flour and baking soda in a sifter and sift over the dough. stir it in by hand and mix in thoroughly.
- to scoop out the cookies, use a portion scoop size #40 or a tablespoon slightly heaped. roll each one in the additional sesame seeds. place the cookies on a heavy duty baking sheet that is lined with baking paper. bake until golden brown, turning the trays halfway through, about 12-14 minutes. let them cool for a few minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.
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