If you’re unfamiliar with the caramel known as Dulce De Leche…or are unfamiliar with how salt and sweet create a magical symphony…then this recipe may just open doors to cooking creativity that you never dreamed of!
On the other hand, if you’re familiar with both, then this recipe may well be one you haven’t tried yourself and could inspire you to go into an entirely new direction!
To give you an idea of what you’re creating, think of the most sinfully decadent, caramel covered Cinnabon you’ve ever had, jack it up another 100% in flavor, and you begin to understand what a treat your taste buds are in for! (And, for those watching calories, this has half to a third of the calories of the aforementioned Cinnabon.) While this is not QUITE better than sex, it’s pretty darn close!
What is Dulce de Leche?
Coming from the French for “sweet of milk”, Dulce de Leche is literally a caramel made primarily from milk, rather than butter. (And yes, “dulce” is where we get the word “dulcet” which is used to describe a certain type of “sweet” singing voice.) Because it’s cooked much slower than a regular caramel, Dulce de Leche has a depth of flavor that regular caramel just can’t compare to.
So, how do you get it in the first place? Well, there are a number of ways: You can buy it premade from companies like Trader Joe’s or Nestle; you can use a shortcut and cook down sweetened condensed milk to make it (either in a water bath in the oven or–if you want to do it the South American way–in the can); or you can use a more traditional recipe (like this one).
Once you have your Dulce de Leche, proceed on to our super simple recipe which will literally take you all of five minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 Maple French Toast Flavored Bagel (Cinnamon or Cinnamon-Raisin works just fine, as well)
- 2 T Dulce de Leche Caramel
- 1 T Real Bacon Pieces
- 2 Pinches of Coarse Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Cut Bagel in Half
- Spread one Tablespoon of Caramel on each half
- Sprinkle bacon across each bagel
- Toast bagels in toaster oven at a medium-light toast setting
- Carefully remove bagels and place on plate
- Sprinkle salt across the caramel
Now sit down, close your eyes, and enjoy every single bite of this incredible dessert—or breakfast—treat!
If you want to know what sort of drink you might wish to pair this with, cold, whole milk is delightful at breakfast, while a good stout lager is incredible for a late evening dessert.
If you try out this recipe and come up with a great improvement—or a great drink pairing–leave your thoughts below! Or if you just want to let us know if you think this is a great recipe or a horrible recipe, we’d love to hear your comments!