Maple Bacon Pecan Pop

Our classroom culinary staff is looking forward to Valentine’s Day! We are excited about a new cooking class on February 11th featuring mini pie recipes.  This week, Lana and I did some experimenting for the class and we fell in love with this recipe. Well actually, the Eckert’s Country Store staff fell in love with it at first bite- they were our “official recipe testers.” We are even considering featuring these pops in our 5th Annual Valentine Wine and Food Pairings Dinner on February 13th. (Visit dev.eckerts.com for event details).

I will be taking this recipe to Show Me St. Louis on Wednesday, January 14th to demonstrate the steps in the studio. Tune into KSDK at 10a.m. to see me make it in person! Or, better yet, join us for the cooking class on February 11th.

If you are looking for a memorable valentine, these pie pops are perfect for office mates and friends. Place one or two of them in a cellophane bag and tie with red ribbon for an irresistible home-baked gift.

Eat well this winter, Angie 

Ingredients

For Pop

• 1 Eckert’s frozen 9-inch unbaked pie shell, defrosted
• About 2 to 3 tablespoons flour to prevent pie dough sticking
• 14 to 16 wooden popsicles sticks
• 2 ½-inch cookie cutter design heart

  Egg Wash

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water
   

Instructions

Pop

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
2. Soak wooden sticks in water about 10 to 15 minutes. Before using sticks, drain off water and pat with paper towel to remove extra water.
3. Remove pie crust from pan; then on a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Dip cookie cutter into flour. Cut hearts in pie dough. Reserve the leftover dough to cover the wooden stick. Place pie dough shapes on a parchment lined or lightly greased baking sheet.
4. Whisk together egg and water in a small bowl. Dip tip or about ½-inch of one end of wooden stick into the egg wash. (An 8-ounce fruit jar works great.)
5. Lay egg-dipped stick on the bottom half of the heart pie dough. Cut a piece of the leftover dough to fit tightly over the stick. Use a dry stick to gently seal the dough. Dot with egg wash to “glue” dough together.
6. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until slightly brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
7. HINT: The cookies can be made and baked up to 3 days before frosting. Carefully store in an air-tight container. Baked pie pops can also be frozen up to 1 month.
8. 5 strips cooked crispy bacon, finely mince

   Pop frosting

9. About 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
10. ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
11. 1 teaspoon maple extract
12. About ½ cup cold heavy cream
13. ¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted, for garnish
14. In a medium bowl, beat together sugar, vanilla and maple extract with electric mixer. Add cream and whip until thick about 2 minutes. Add a little more sugar or cream to make a thick consistency. By hand fold in minced bacon; mix well.
15. Frost baked pastry and garnish with pecans.
16. Makes about 16 to 18 pops.