The ultimate whiskey bacon coffee pancake syrup recipe

Every now and then a recipe comes along that makes you think: 'You're kidding, aren't you? You're having a laugh'. Some, but not all, of these recipes involve heaping sugar, fat and salt together in life-shortening amounts. And of those, some come from the US.

It's enough to remind a food fan of the good old days of Man V Food which followed the delightful Adam Richman on his quest around the States in search of the biggest and probably least healthy food known to humanity. He often found it, too.

We all know you can't cook recipes like this every day, but just in case you believe 'A little bit of what you fancy does you good', we offer this stunning concoction as one to be tried, in moderation, over pancakes or waffles.

Like most US recipes, the measurements are a challenge. So in the spirit of going the extra mile on behalf of AOL Food, we tested the recipe and translated it below. We reduced the quantities a bit too as it's seriously sweet. Enjoy, in moderation of course.

Ingredients:
180ml maple syrup
25ml rye whiskey* (or experiment with your favourite whisky or even rum)
100g thinly sliced streaky bacon (cooked until crispy, chopped)
1 level tsp ground coffee
Finely ground black pepper (to taste)

Method:
Warm the syrup in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and coffee and simmer gently for about five minutes to allow the flavours to come together. Add the whiskey of your choice and turn off the heat. Stir and cover it to keep warm while you make the pancakes. If you want the alcohol to evaporate away, simmer for a little longer.

And if you're looking for the simplest pancake recipe - look no further.

Ingredients:
100g plain flour
250ml milk
2 eggs
pinch of salt
sunflower oil (or other vegetable oil of your choice) to cook in
fresh lemon juice and caster sugar to serve (or topping of your choice)

Method:
1 Sieve the flour into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, then crack in both eggs and stir until smooth.
2 Using a whisk, slowly add the milk. You're aiming for the consistency of single cream, so if it seems a little too thick, add a tablespoon or two of cold water and whisk again. if you''re worried about lumps, put it through a sieve.
3 Allow the batter to rest for 30mins if you have time.
4 Heat a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add a dessertspoonful of the batter and tilt it around to spread it out while it cooks for a minute. Flip it over and cook for another minute, slide on to a plate and add the topping of your choice. Bon appetit!

Rye whiskeys available in the UK include Bulleitt rye whiskey and Hudson Manhattan rye whiskey. These two rye whiskies are also excellent for making an Old Fashioned, Sazerac or Manhattan cocktail. Bourbon is tempting (Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve or Jim Beam, for example) but it's sweeter than rye whiskey and in combination with the maple syrup in the recipe may be too sweet for some palates. There's no reason why using your favourite Scottish whisky or Irish whiskey wouldn't work well, but watch out for anything that adds even more sweetness. Have fun experimenting!

More treats from AOL Food
Another naughty US pancake syrup recipe
How to read a whisky label
More pancake recipes