Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bacon strips onto a wire rack topped baking sheet. Bake strips in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile combine brown sugar, apple butter, cayenne pepper and wine in a small bowl. Stir to combine. When timer for bacon sounds, remove bacon from the oven. Spread sugar mixture onto each strip evenly. Return to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes until bacon is cooked, but not yet crisp and the sugar mixture is caramelized. (Watch closely.) Remove from oven, let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve warm. Makes 1 pound of bacon. *Cooking times will vary based upon the thickness of bacon used.

To make:

Whiskey Spicy Peach Candied Bacon: Substitute whiskey for wine, peach jam for apple butter and all other ingredients stay the same.

Spicy Pear Candied Bacon: Substitute pear jam for apple butter, all other ingredients stay the same.

Spicy Praline Bacon Candy: Add 1/2 C finely chopped pecans to 1/3 C brown sugar, add 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, add 2 TBSP wine or apple juice, spread onto par-cooked bacon, return to oven to bake until nuts are toasted and sugar is caramelized. Cool until warm. (10 min).