Pour the 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 just simmered. Do not boil. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl until thick and pale in color. Temper the eggs by adding a few ladles of the hot milk and cream while whisking continuously. Then pour the egg-milk mixture back into the rest of the milk and cream, whisking continuously. Cook until the mixture has thickened, continuing to stir. You'll know it's ready when it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the 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, placing it directly onto the ice cream base to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

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.

To make the waffles: Mix together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and melted butter. In a separate bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Do not over mix. Pour ¼ 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 the waffles into bite sized pieces.

Pour the chilled ice cream base into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturers instructions until the ice cream is fully churned. Fold in the crispy bacon and waffle pieces. Pour into ice cream containers or freezer safe airtight containers. Chill for a few hours until firm. Scoop into bowls or serve with waffle cones, sprinkled with bacon and waffle pieces. Enjoy!