Ingredients
Makes 1 1/2 quarts

1 lb of applewood smoked
bacon

½ cup of dark brown sugar

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 egg yolks

1 vanilla bean, split

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lay bacon on baking sheet, sprinkle the brown sugar over the bacon and place in the oven. Bake for 14-16 minutes. Let cool and chop fine.

Combine the cream, milk, vanilla bean and sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until hot and the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring occasionally. When done, remove vanilla bean and discard.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot cream-milk mixture. Return the yolk mixture to the saucepan, beating constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, 6-8 minutes. Do not let it boil.

Strain the mixture into a clean bowl and let it cool completely. Stir in bacon and add liquid nitrogen* in small amounts until thickened, about 2 liters.