Bacon Cheese Humps

Photo via instagram

These gooey, cheesy, bacon-crowned slices are called Cheese Humps for a good reason: when you make them the way it was done in the 80s – with a thick slather of Kraft Cheez Whiz – they’d puff up like a balloon and make an inflated, cheesy hump.

I assume because Cheez Whiz is practically plastic? Ok, maybe that’s not fair. But I do see a long ingredient list, with “cheese culture” being the only cheese-like substance, and it’s way down at the bottom with paprika – meaning there’s not much in there…

Photo via instagram

Out of nowhere this morning, I had a major craving for this comfort food of my childhood. I whipped up a no-fuss, thick cheese sauce (I almost spelled cheese with a “z” – Kraft has good marketing!) out of simmering milk with grated cheddar and butter whisked in. It was a perfect stand-in for Cheez Whiz.

You spread the cheese sauce on slices of bread, top with cooked bacon, and broil – watching very closely – until the cheese puffs up and becomes blackened in places.

The result is toasted, crunchy crust with a super-soft interior and bubbling, slightly charred cheese with creamy, piping hot sauce underneath. And bacon. Of course, bacon. So satisfying.

Photo via instagram

If you did decide to make them with processed cheese spread, I WOULD NOT JUDGE. That puffy cheese hump (like the occasional grilled cheese made with melty processed cheese slices) is worth sometimes turning a blind eye on ingredients…

Cheese Humps

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

3 mins

Total time

13 mins

 

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup milk
• 4 oz (2 very loosely packed cups) grated cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 slices bread
• 4 slices cooked bacon

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler and place rack in the highest position.
2. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring milk to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and gradually add half of the grated cheese, whisking vigourously until smooth. Incorporate remaining cheese, continuing to whisk constantly. Whisk in butter.
3. Position slices of bread on a baking sheet. Divide cheese sauce among slices of bread and spread to edges. Top each with a slice of cooked bacon and broil until cheese is bubbly and blackened in spots, watching very closely; about 3 minutes.

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