Snowman Pancakes with Bacon Scarves

Ingredients:

• 8 strips of bacon
• 0.5 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups premium flour
• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 and 1/4 cups whole milk at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large strawberries, halved lengthwise
• 80 semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup)
• Warm maple syrup, for serving
• Special equipment: a medium pastry bag with a #840 tip or a zip-lock bag

Preparation:

1. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared plate. Drain the grease and wipe the skillet with paper towels.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Using a whisk or electric mixer, beat the cream until it forms medium peaks, about 2 minutes. Set the bacon and whipped cream aside while you prepare the pancakes.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, add the milk, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir the butter into the milk mixture. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and knead until the dough forms (a few lumps are normal).
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat and pour in two ¼-cup rounds of batter to make two pancakes. Top each pancake with two 2-tablespoon rounds of batter to form the snowman heads (close enough so that the small and large pancakes touch). Cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes and the undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip with a spatula and cook for about 1 minute on the other side. Transfer the snowmen to a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil between each batch.
5. Sift the remaining powdered sugar over the snowmen to create a snowy effect. Place half a strawberry on each snowman's head to create a hat and a strip of bacon across each neck to create a scarf. Create the piping, buttons, and smiley face using chocolate chips. Insert a large #840 tip into a medium piping bag or snip the corner of a zip-lock bag to create a 1/4-inch opening and fill with whipped cream. Decorate the rim of the hat with whipped cream. Serve immediately with warm maple syrup.