Bacon Squared

Croissant Cube, Niman Ranch Bacon, Steamed Egg, Gruyère, Bacon-Onion Jam, and Chives

Pastry Chef Alyssa Gangeri of The Butter Milk Ranch | Nashville

Adapted by StarChefs | April 2022

INGREDIENTS:

Croissant Cube:
Yield: 20 cubes
450 grams flour 
1.05 kilograms high-gluten flour 
224 grams sugar 
24 grams salt 
750 grams whole milk 
2.7 kilograms butter 
73 grams fresh yeast 

Bacon Onion Jam:
Yield: 1 quart
6 ounces ground Niman Ranch bacon 
2 ½ jalapeños, minced 
1 tablespoon minced garlic 
5 yellow onions, julienned 
2 ounces sugar 
1.25 ounces whole grain mustard

Steamed Eggs:
Yield: 20 servings
36 ounces eggs
12 ounces whole milk
Oil for greasing

To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
Sliced Gruyère
Finely chopped chives
2 strips cooked Niman Ranch bacon

METHOD:

For the Croissant Cube:
In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add flours, sugar, salt, milk, and 100 grams butter. Mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms. Add fresh yeast. Mix on lowest speed for 14 minutes. Remove from mixer and shape into a boule. Cover and let rest 40 minutes. Place dough in the refrigerator to cool 8 hours (or overnight). The following day, laminate croissant dough to a 5-millimeter rectangle. Place a 2.6-kilogram butter sheet onto croissant dough, ensuring that it covers three-quarters of the dough. Make a book fold and score both bookends. Sheet dough to a 10-millimeter thickness then turn the dough sheeter down to a 5-millimeter setting. Make a four fold. Sheet dough to an 18-millimeter thickness to lock in the layers. Freeze dough for 1 hour. Heat oven to 375°F. Sheet dough to a 16-millimeter thickness, turn, then sheet to a 4-millimeter thickness. Cut the dough into 2-¾-inch-wide strips. Fold strips and place each strip into 3-by-3-inch mini pullman cube pans. Proof until the dough reaches the top of the mold. Slide lid onto the mold and bake 4 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake an additional 17 minutes. Immediately remove lid and flip cube out of the mold. Allow to cool completely. 

For the Bacon Onion Jam:
In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté bacon until golden brown. Add jalapeño and garlic and cook until tender. Add onions and slowly cook until golden brown. Add sugar and mustard and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced and sticky. Remove from heat, transfer to a food processor, then pulse to combine. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate.

For the Steamed Eggs:
On steam, heat a Vulcan combination oven to 212°F. In a Vitamix blender, blend to combine eggs and milk. Pour egg mixture out onto a greased, parchment-lined sheet tray. Steam eggs until set. Cool completely. Cut into 3-by-3-inch cubes. Keep warm.

To Assemble and Serve:
Horizontally slice 1 Croissant Cube in half. Toast both sides until golden brown. Slightly hollow out the bottom half to create a nest for the Steamed Egg. Top 1 Steamed Egg with Gruyère and warm until cheese is melted. Smear Bacon Jam on both interior sides of the Croissant Cube. Place Steamed Egg and cheese into the nest on the bottom Croissant Cube half. Top with fresh chives followed by bacon. Close the Croissant Cube and enjoy!

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