5 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons maple extract
2 cups egg yolks (about 24 large yolks)
1 cup brown sugar
10 slices thick-cut bacon
1 cup melted dark chocolate
Strawberry and mint sprig, for garnish
In a large pot over medium, heat cream, maple syrup and maple extract. Remove pan from heat. Lightly beat egg yolks in a separate large bowl. A few tablespoons at a time, whisk cream mixture and brown sugar into egg yolks.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Place 8-10 ramekins in a large, shallow roasting pan. Add room-temperature water to the pan, filling to about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the roasting pan with plastic wrap, then cover with aluminum foil. (In our tests, the plastic wrap did not melt in a 225-degree oven.) Place the pan in the oven and bake until set, 25-35 minutes. Let cool, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Meanwhile, cook bacon until it's crispy. Let cool, then dip in melted dark chocolate. Just before serving the brulee, sprinkle with a dusting of sugar and caramelize with a torch. Garnish with the chocolate-dipped bacon, a strawberry sliced like a fan and a mint sprig.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Per serving (based on eight servings, excludes garnish): 1,089 calories, 91 g fat, 970 mg cholesterol, 19 g protein, 56g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 346 mg sodium, 73 percent calories from fat.