Bacon Toffee

Instructions

1. Line a baking tray with a silpat, or oil it very well.
2. Crisp bacon in a skillet or under a broiler and drain on paper towels. Break or chop them into 1/4" bits and set aside. Don't go too small, because you want them to have personality in your mouth. Use a smoky bacon, ideally lightly cured.
3. Place in a heavy saucepan, in this order: 1/4 cup water, 1 stick butter, a large pinch of salt, and 1 cup sugar.
4. Over medium-high heat, cook till the mixture reaches 285F, stirring often. In practice, this means that you cook it until it's a good toffee color, about the same color as the old tan m&ms. I'm not kidding about the stirring, though.
5. Pull it off heat, mix in the bacon bits, and pour onto the baking sheet. Spread quickly to about 1/4" thick, and let cool for 2 hours.
6. Using a hammer or the handle of a large knife, break the toffee into shards. This is best accomplished by whacking it through a folded paper towel.