International Bacon Day: Add chocolate

September 5 is International Bacon Day. In the past year or so, bacon has been popping up in so many recipes and restaurants. It's added to absolutely everything. There's bacon ice-cream, bacon cupcakes, bacon cookies, and what goes best with it? You guessed it: Chocolate. Together they've got that sweet/salty thing going on.

So I thought I'd do a round-up of some of the bacon recipes I've blogged about here on DyingforChocolate and link to a few more.

Overall introduction to chocolate and bacon including chocolate covered strips of bacon and more.
Bacon Brownies
Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bacon Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake
Dark Chocolate and Bacon Cupcakes
Simplified Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar

No time to bake? Check out your local chocolatier today for Bacon + Chocolate:
Socola has a beer and bacon truffle set.
Vosges has its great Mo's Bacon Bar
And there are many others.

I've also had several chocolate panini recipes over the last few months. Vosges has a lot of wonderful recipes, but this one is perfect for today's holiday, especially because it uses their Mo's Bacon Bar (I would use the dark).

Mo’s Milk or Dark Bacon Bar Panini from Katrina Markoff's Peace and Love Blog (Vosges)
Yields One Sandwich

Equipment needed: Panini press or waffle iron

2 Italian country bread slices about 4-5 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick
2 tbsp Sea salted butter, French brand, Isigny Ste Mere or make your own by mixing 1/2 tsp Maldon salt and 2 tbsp of a fabulous butter
Pinch Maldon salt
2 squares Vosges‘ Mo’s Milk or Dark Bacon Bar
2 strips of crispy bacon (this is optional, but I think you should put it in)

Spread butter on all sides of the bread. Place bacon bar squares on one piece of bread, followed by strips of bacon if you are using them and a sprinkle of salt. Place other piece of buttered bread on top and press with Panini press until golden brown.

Tips:
Make sure your bread doesn’t have many gaping holes or your fillings may seep through and burn.

If you don’t have a Panini press substitute with a waffle iron.

Make sure the bread you use isn’t overly crusty or it may cut your mouth a bit when pressed. At the same time don’t choose a overly soft bread not a good quality sign either and it won’t have the rigidity. Try a crusty ciabatta or italian peasant bread.

Have a great International Bacon Day!