Chef notes
The name really says all you need to know about these brownies. I haven't met a soul who doesn't love the combination of the saltiness of bacon and potato chips with the sweet decadence of chocolate. These brownies are one of my most requested desserts to take to a party or covered dish supper. Saving some of the bacon crumbles and crushed chips to sprinkle over the top lets everybody know what they're going to find inside when they bite into one. Trust me, these brownies will become a family favorite.
Technique tip: I like to cut the bacon into pieces with scissors because it's easier to cut multiple pieces at a time and faster than a knife.
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- 8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 2½ cups lightly crushed ridged potato chips
Preparation
1.Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 3-inch overhang on all sides. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
2.In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring often, until very crispy, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Reserve the fat in the skillet.
3.Add the butter to the skillet with the bacon fat and melt over medium heat. Add the sugar and stir until it starts to dissolve, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
4.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder, salt and eggs until smooth, about 5 minutes, then beat in the cooled butter mixture.
5.Add the flour and stir until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips, half the bacon, and 1 cup of the potato chips. Scoop into the prepared baking pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with the remaining bacon and chips, pressing them lightly onto the surface of the batter.
6.Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into squares.
Excerpted from TRISHA'S KITCHEN: Easy Comfort Food for Friends and Family © 2021 by Trisha Yearwood with Beth Yearwood Bernard. Photography © 2021 by Ben Fink. Reproduced by permission of Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
