Spicy Candied Bacon with Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 piece of bacon weighing 450 g.
• Cooking spray to spray
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 0.5 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Slice the bacon lengthwise into nine 0.5-1 cm thick slices. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on it. Spray the rack with cooking spray.
2. In a pie dish, combine sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, 2 teaspoons black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour 1/2 cup maple syrup into a small bowl. Brush both sides of each bacon slice with maple syrup. Press the bacon, one slice at a time, into the brown sugar mixture to coat. Arrange on the prepared rack. Sprinkle the bacon with the remaining sugar mixture.
3. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the bacon is crisp and the sugar is caramelized, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Transfer the bacon to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let cool completely. Store candied bacon in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days..
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the red pepper flakes and the remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup. Drizzle the bacon with the red pepper maple syrup or serve the syrup in a dipping cup.