Caramel Corn Clusters Food

CARAMEL APPLE POPCORN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Heat the vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels; cover and cook, shaking the pan, until the popping subsides. Remove from the heat and let any remaining kernels pop for 30 more seconds. Divide the popcorn between the prepared baking sheets, discarding any unpopped kernels. Scatter the apple chips and almonds on top.
• Make the caramel: Bring the apple juice, brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook without stirring until the mixture is deep amber and a candy thermometer registers 280 degrees F, about 30 minutes (the caramel will bubble vigorously toward the end of the cooking time).
• Stir the butter into the caramel until melted. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the apple pie spice. Add the applejack and cayenne, if using, and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Pour the hot caramel over the popcorn mixture and carefully toss with two rubber spatulas. Let cool slightly, then separate the mixture into clusters while still warm. Let cool completely.

CARAMEL CORN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Heat oil with 3 kernels in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, covered, over moderate heat until 1 or 2 kernels pop. Remove lid and quickly add remaining kernels, then cook, covered, shaking pan frequently, until kernels stop popping, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover.
• Line bottom of a large shallow baking pan with foil. Lightly oil foil. Melt butter in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat. Add brown sugar and corn syrup and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, then boil, without stirring, until syrup registers 300°F on thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• Using a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula, stir salt and baking soda into syrup, then quickly stir in peanuts and popcorn to coat. Immediately spread mixture in baking pan as thinly and evenly as possible. Cool completely, then break into bite-size pieces.

CHOCOLATE PECAN CARAMEL CLUSTERS

Steps:

• For the caramel: Mix 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture is light amber and a candy thermometer registers 320 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream, then 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Return to low heat and whisk until smooth.
• Stir 1 1/3 cups chopped nuts into the warm caramel; cool until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape. Drop spoonfuls onto an oiled parchment-lined baking sheet; let set. Top with melted chocolate and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

CLASSIC CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Spray large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Add popcorn and place in preheated 250 degrees F oven while preparing caramel.
• Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla; mix well.
• Pour syrup over warm popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.
• Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
• Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Place 1 bag popcorn in the microwave; cook on high until popping begins to slow down, about 2 1/2 minutes. Repeat with remaining bags. Open bags carefully; divide popcorn between 2 shallow baking dishes. Mix in peanuts.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Combine brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring enough to blend. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in vanilla extract and baking soda until mixture is light and foamy.
• Pour brown sugar mixture over the popcorn-peanut mixture; stir to coat.
• Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 25 minutes, until a cooled piece of popcorn is crunchy, about 1 hour.
• Line a flat work surface with waxed paper. Pour popcorn onto the waxed paper. Break up any large clusters.
• Melt chocolate almond bark in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each melting, 1 to 3 minutes. Pour into a resealable plastic bag; snip off 1 corner. Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn. Let popcorn cool completely.

CHUNKY CARAMEL POPCORN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250°F Place popcorn, cashews and pecans in large roasting pan.
• Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil (7 to 8 minutes). Continue boiling 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda.
• Pour butter mixture over popcorn mixture in pan; stir well. Bake for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven; place onto waxed paper or parchment paper. Cool completely. (DO NOT BREAK INTO PIECES.).
• Place chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon shortening into resealable plastic food bag. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) for 30 to 45 seconds; knead bag. Continue microwaving at 15 second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn mixture. Repeat with white baking chips and remaining 1/2 teaspoon shortening, microwaving on MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power). Drizzle over popcorn mixture. Let stand until chocolate is set (3 to 4 hours). Break popcorn mixture into pieces.
• Store in container with tight-fitting lid or resealable plastic food bag.
• Recipe Tip
• Chocolate and white baking chips can be melted separately with shortening in a small bowl in microwave or in small saucepan over low heat until melted. Drizzle chocolate mixtures with fork or spoon.

CARAMEL COCONUT CLUSTER BARS

Steps:

• Toast the coconut: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the coconut in an even layer on the baking sheet and toast, tossing and turning every 4 minutes or so, until the coconut just starts to turn golden, about 12 minutes total. Remove the coconut from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Make the Cookie Base: Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to overhang on two sides. Lightly spray the parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and the flour mixture and beat just until combined.
• Turn the dough out into the prepared baking pan and, with lightly floured hands, press the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides). Prick the top of the dough with the tines of a fork and bake the crust for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until golden. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
• Make the Caramel Layer: In a medium saucepan, combine the corn syrup, both sugars, and 2 tablespoons of water and stir gently so you don't splash any of it up on the sides of the pan. Set the saucepan over low heat and continue to stir gently until the sugar dissolves. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the bulb of the thermometer is immersed in the syrup. Turn the heat up to medium-high and wait without stirring for the mixture to reach 240 to 245 degrees F, about 7 minutes. Keep a watchful eye on the temperature while you proceed with the next step-you do not want the mixture to exceed 250 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream and sweetened condensed milk. Gently warm the mixture; do not let it boil.
• Once the sugar mixture turns amber, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter and the warm cream mixture until completely combined (be careful as it will bubble up when you add the cream mixture). Place the pan back over medium heat, stop stirring, and bring the mixture back to 245 to 250 degrees F.
• Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and fold in 2 cups of the toasted coconut.
• Pour the caramel directly onto the cookie base and, working quickly, spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of toasted coconut over the caramel. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a knife to loosen the chilled bars from the sides of the pan, then lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang. Spray a sharp knife with nonstick cooking spray and cut the bars into twenty-four 3-by-1 1/2-inch rectangles and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• Assemble the bars: Melt both chocolates together in the bowl of a double boiler over medium heat or in the microwave (in a microwave-safe bowl, cook the chocolate at 50% power (medium) for 15-seconds bursts, stirring between each blast, until melted).
• Dip half of each individual bar in the melted chocolate, scrape off the excess chocolate with an offset spatula, and place the bar back on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bars.
• Alternatively, dip the bottom of each bar in the remaining melted chocolate, scrape off the excess chocolate with an offset spatula. Return to the baking sheet to set. Once set, squeeze the chocolate into one corner of the zippered plastic bag and twist the other end of the bag a few times to form a makeshift pastry bag. Use a kitchen scissor to snip off the small corner of the bag where the chocolate has collected (you don't want too large a snip or the chocolate will ooze out).
• Working quickly, drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern across all of the bars. Place the pan of bars back into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to let the chocolate set up. Serve immediately. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 4 days. They taste really good directly from the refrigerator as well as at room temperature-entirely up to you.