Sticky Puffs with Maple Caramel, Bacon, and Nuts

Ingredients:

• 450 g of bacon
• 1.5 cups light brown sugar
• 1/4 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• One package (500 g) of puff pastry (2 sheets), defrost, if frozen, roll out in one direction to a thickness of 3 mm.
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1.5 cups chopped walnuts
• Additionally: 12-cup muffin tin; additional foil-lined baking sheet

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place a 12-cup muffin tin on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
2. Place the bacon slices on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the bacon is almost crisp, about 18 minutes.
3. Place the bacon on a plate lined with paper towels.
4. Pour the rendered bacon fat into a small saucepan.
5. Once the bacon has cooled, crumble it into small pieces.
   
   Caramel:
6. Place the pan with the bacon grease over medium-low heat. Add 1 cup of brown sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.
7. The mixture will look grainy.
8. Slowly pour in the maple syrup and stir vigorously.
9. Cook until the mixture begins to bubble.
10. Once the syrup has thickened, add the cream and coarse salt.
11. Remove from heat and stir until the cream is completely incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.
12. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Place both sheets of puff pastry on a cutting board and generously brush the pastry with melted butter.
13. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon with the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar.
14. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the buttered pastry sheets.
15. Sprinkle the dough with 0.5 cups of crumbled bacon and some chopped nuts. Gently press the bacon and nuts into the sugar mixture with your palms.