Puffs with Sweet Pepper Bacon

These guilt-free keto cheese Puffs with Sweet Pepper Bacon are the ideal treat if you’re in the mood for a crunchy, cheesy snack with a hint of smoky-sweet decadence. They combine crispy bacon glazed with sweetener(keto) and freshly cracked black pepper with fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth cheese puffs. These low-carb bites are all the flavor without kicking you out of ketosis. You get the tempting crunch of bacon, the peppery taste of black pepper, and the decadence of cheese with every bite of these keto cheesy Puffs with Sweet Pepper Bacon

Free Keto Meal Plan: STEP-BY-STEP KETO DIET PLAN FOR BEGINNERS

STATISTICAL REVIEW:

• Diet: Ketogenic, free from gluten
• Course: Appetizer, side dish, snack
• Cuisine: American fusion
• Fifteen mins for preparation
• Cooking will take thirty mins
• Working time will be forty-five mins in total
• Size/serving: ~three cheese puffs with bacon topping
• Yield in total: ~eighteen cheese puffs
• Mode of cooking: Oven-baked
• Level of difficulty: Normal

TOOLS:

• An electric mixer(hand/stand)
• Rack for cooling
• Bowls for mixing(normal & large)
• Cups and spoons to measure
• A little saucepan for the bacon glaze
• Spatula
• Paper of parchment-lined sheet/tray for baking

INGREDIENTS:

CHEESE PUFFS

• Salt, one-fourth tsp.
• 1 cup of cheddar cheese
• Powdered garlic, half a tsp.
• 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese
• Baking powder, one tsp.
• 1 cup of almond flour
• Cream cheese, two tbsp.
• An egg

SWEET BLACK PEPPER BACON:

• 2 tbsp. of keto sweetener
• Bacon slices, ~eight
• 1 & 1/2 black pepper

INGREDIENT NOTES:

FLOUR OF ALMOND

• Use the super-fine version of almond flour as a standard low-carb flour to make the keto baked goods. Replace it with only one-fourth coconut flour + an egg, as coconut flour is too absorbent.

MOZZARELLA CHEESE:

• A shredded version of mozzarella cheese will provide the stretchy & balanced flavor to our cheese puffs. You may go for the provolone/Monterey Jack, in case you can’t get the mozzarella cheese.

EGGS:

• The addition of an egg will bind the dough properly & it doesn’t crack while baking. To go dairy-free, use the flax eggs(a tbsp. of ground flaxseed + 3 tbsps. of water) in place of regular eggs.

KETO SWEETENER:

• We are using allulose/monkfruit sweetener to caramelize our bacon while keeping our carb intake low, as it is very low in carbs.You can also go for the erythritol, but it may crystallize.

CHEDDAR CHEESE:

• The shredded version of cheddar cheese adds the sharp flavor & structure to our dough. You may use low-moisture Parmesan cheese in its place.

BLACK PEPPER:

• You will need the freshly cracked version of black pepper for the strong aroma. You may substitute it with smoked paprika for a variety of flavors.

CREAM CHEESE:

• We will require the softened version of cream cheese to make our dough creamy & flexible. You may swap the cream cheese with Mascarpone cheese if needed.

BACON:

• It is a key item that gives the salty crispness to our puffs. You can also go for the Turkey bacon in its place, it will be leaner but still crunchy.

Free Keto Meal Plan: STEP-BY-STEP KETO DIET PLAN FOR BEGINNERS

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Warm up the oven(empty) at 190 C & begin working.
2. Arrange the slices of bacon on that baking sheet/tray(parchment-lined).
3. Sprinkle the allulose & black pepper evenly through all the slices of bacon.
4. Insert into the oven for almost twenty mins or till you see the crispy & caramelized bacon.
5. At this moment, remove the tray of crisped bacon from the oven.
6. Crumble them once they are cooled down.
7. Include the mozzarella & cream cheese in a bowl(microwave-safe).
8. Insert that bowl in the microwave till the cheeses melt.
9. Pause and stir every thirty seconds till the cheese melts smoothly.
10. Next, take out the bowl from the microwave.
11. Include baking powder, egg, flour of almonds, salt & garlic powder in that cheese mixture.
12. Mix till the formation of smooth dough.
13. Separate a tbsp. of dough per ball & make it a round shape.
14. Keep it on a baking tray/sheet.
15. Similarly, make all rounds & arrange them with a fixed distance between them on the tray.
16. Insert the tray into the oven for almost fifteen mins at 175 degrees C.
17. Take the baking sheet/tray out of the oven when you see the puffed, golden, and crisp balls.
18. Immediately sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the warm balls to let it stick to the melty cheese.
19. Keep the keto cheesy Puffs with Sweet Pepper Bacon on the rack for cooling, then serve!

TIPS:

• If you want the bacon to be crispier even then, arrange them on a wire rack that is set on the tray.
• Whenever you need to store the leftovers, store the crumbled bacon and cheese puffs in separate boxes.
• Always try to use freshly shredded cheese for better melting.
• Chill the dough for almost fifteen mins to lower its stickiness.
• You may use more allulose if you want the bacons to be sweeter.

HOW TO PRESERVE(THE LEFTOVERS):

CHILLING:

• Save the cheese puffs alone in a container that is sealed with a lid. Refrigerate it for ~five days. You need to store the bacon separately by keeping it wrapped inside the sheet of parchment.

FREEZING:

• Pack the cheese puffs in a zip-locked bag & freeze them for ~two months. We advise you to prepare fresh bacon for the amazing results.

REHEATING:

• Frozen puffs get rewarmed at 165 C in ten minutes, while chilled cheese puffs will be warmed up again in five mins at 150 C.

FAQs:

Is that possible to prepare them earlier?

• Of course! Bake the cheese puffs a day earlier warm them again using the oven right before serving. Top them fresh with crisped bacon right before serving.

Can they be air-fried instead of baking?

• Yes, air fry them at 175 C for ~twelve mins & the puffs would be even more crisper than baked puffs.

How the Turkey bacon will work?

• Turkey bacon is leaner in comparison, but can be well paired with cheese puffs.

Free Keto Meal Plan: STEP-BY-STEP KETO DIET PLAN FOR BEGINNERS

NUTRITIONAL FACTS/SERVING:

Size/serve: Two cheese puffs + bacon crumbles
Calories: ~165 kcal
Carbs in total: Three & a half grams
Fiber: 1.5 g
Net carbohydrates: Two grams
Fats: 13 g
Sugar: Less than half a gram
Proteins: 9 g
Sodium: 310 milligrams.