Yield: 6 servings.
For the candied bacon:
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 pound thick-cut bacon
For the bread pudding:
2 cups whole buttermilk
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
⅓ cup orange juice
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons molasses
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon orange zest
½ teaspoon salt
6 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
1 (1-pound) loaf day-old French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
For the candied bacon: Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, vinegar, and maple syrup.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place bacon slices on cooling rack set over the lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, turn slices, and bake another 10 minutes.
Remove bacon and brush both sides with brown sugar mixture. Return bacon to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Repeat basting every 5 minutes until bacon is browned and crisp.
Remove bacon from oven and coarsely chop. Set aside.
For the bread pudding: Spray a shallow 2½-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, brown sugar, orange juice, melted butter, molasses, spices, zest, salt, eggs, vanilla, and mashed sweet potatoes until combined. Stir in bread. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and sprinkle candied bacon evenly over the top. Bake until bread pudding is lightly browned around edges and set in the middle, approximately 15 to 20 minutes more.
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.
