2/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
¼ teaspoon salt
8 slices bacon, sliced
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Pour maple syrup into a small sauce pot and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 8 minutes.
In a medium pot, heat the milk and heavy cream until it begins to bubble. Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Scoop out a few tablespoons of milk mixture and combine with egg yolks and whisk together for 2 minutes. Combine egg mixture with the milk and cream mixture and whisk continuously until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the maple syrup. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture through the strainer to catch any lumps. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 6 hours.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy and browned. Drain with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to catch any excess grease. When cool, break the bacon into small pieces.
To make the waffles, mix together buttermilk, melted butter, egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Do not over mix. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into a hot waffle iron and cook the waffles until golden brown and crispy. Place the cooked waffles on a wire rack to cool. Cut or tear the waffles into small pieces.
Pour the chilled ice cream base into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In last 3 to 5 minutes, fold in the bacon and waffle pieces. Pour into ice cream containers or freezer safe airtight containers. Chill for two hours or until firm.