Simple Maple Crack Topping

This is a simple topping I like to use most often for pouring over top pound cakes or yellow cakes instead of frosting or glazes and for making a very yummy sticky buns, but it can be used for topping all sorts of recipes.

Maple syrup is tree sap obtained from the maple tree but it is also basically a natural form of liquid sugar. Unlike granulated or other dry sugars, however, you never have to add any water or worry about getting the portions of water to sugar just right to caramelize it — just put it into a clean, dry pan and boil it until it reaches the desired stage (softness or hardness) — or pour over top before baking at 375 F degrees for 20 to 25 minutes and let the oven do the caramelizing for a gooey, sticky bun type topping.

For more about caramelizing sugar and the stages:

Making Perfect Caramel

 

 

 

Simple Maple Crack Topping

Caramelized maple syrup with bacon bits. Maple Crack is most often used for topping pastries and sweet breads, cakes or crackers, but also used on some savory dishes. Some recipes are caramelized right in the oven, but this is a topping for pouring over top of already baked goods such as a pound cake or sticky buns. However, it also works well in the oven for most sticky bun recipes.

You can caramelize maple syrup so that it is still soft but thicker and very gooey or even so that is as hard as brittle depending upon the recipe requirements or personal preference.

1 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup bacon bits

 

Poured topping:

In a large saucepan, bring maple syrup to a boil, cooking until it reaches the desired (i.e. soft or hard ball) stage. Stir in bacon bits. Pour over baked goods. It may be used as a drizzle or can be spread with a spatula to cover completely. Allow to cool completely and set.

This works well for topping cakes and just about any recipe desired.

Baked topping:

Alternately, depending upon the baked goods being made and the time they can or cannot spend in the oven, you can top the recipe with maple syrup, sprinkle on the bacon (or stir the bacon into the syrup then top the recipe), and bake in a preheat 375 F degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown, thick, and gooey.

This works really well for most large sticky bun recipes in which the buns need 20 to 30 minutes to bake at 375 F degrees.

 

For Granny’s Maple Crack Sticky Buns:

Granny’s Maple Crack Sticky Buns