Cashew Caramel Corn Food

CASHEW CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
• Mix popcorn and cashews together in a large roasting pan.
• Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and cream of tartar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer inserted into the middle of the syrup, not touching the bottom, reads 260 degrees F (127 degrees C), 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove syrup from heat; stir in baking soda. Pour over popcorn and cashews; stir to coat.
• Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 20 minutes, until sugar mixture has baked and caramelized onto popcorn and cashews, about 1 hour. Spread cashew caramel corn onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to cool. If desired, form into balls while still warm.

CARAMEL CASHEW CUPCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
• For the caramel sauce: In a small, heavy saucepan, mix together the brown sugar, cream, vanilla and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and browns. Set aside to cool. Reserve 1/4 cup for the cake batter and 1/2 cup for the frosting; set aside the rest for drizzling on top of the cupcakes.
• For the cake batter: On an ungreased baking sheet, roast the cashews for 5 minutes; cool and chop into pieces. Reserve 1/4 cup for the batter and set aside the rest for garnishing the cupcakes.
• Sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, oil, orange zest, vanilla extract, eggs and the reserved 1/4 cup caramel sauce and 1/4 cup chopped cashews. Mix until smooth and completely combined.
• Pour the batter into the cupcake liners and bake until golden brown and risen, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
• For the caramel frosting: In a medium mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add the confectioners' sugar 1/4 cup at a time and mix until completely smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and reserved 1/2 cup caramel sauce and mix until combined.
• To assemble: Frost each cupcake with some of the caramel frosting. Drizzle the remaining caramel over the top of each cupcake and sprinkle with the remaining chopped cashews. Sprinkle with orange zest to taste. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

CASHEW CARAMEL SUNDAES

Steps:

• Bring 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon each light corn syrup and water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat; swirl (don't stir) until dark amber, 8 minutes. Remove from the heat; whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped cashews, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt. Sever over ice cream.

CASHEW CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 20cm square tin with foil and rub generously with vegetable oil. Add half the cashews to the tin. In a saucepan, bring the butter, cream and vanilla to the boil, then remove from the heat.
• In a large heavy-based saucepan, heat the sugar and syrup on a medium-low heat until it reaches 155C on a sugar thermometer. Do not stir or the sugar will crystallise. Turn off the heat and very carefully add to the cream mixture. Stir together and heat again until it reaches 125C on the thermometer. Remove from the heat and pour in the remaining nuts. Quickly pour into the tin, sprinkle over the salt and leave to cool.
• When firm (after 3-4 hrs), cut into pieces -use a knife that has been dipped into boiling water. Wrap in baking parchment until ready to eat. Will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight tin.

BACON AND CASHEW CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat popcorn and oil in covered heavy large pot over medium-high heat until kernels begin to pop. Using oven mitts, hold lid on pot and shake pot until popping stops. Pour popcorn into very large bowl. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until almost crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain; cool. Add bacon and cashews to bowl with popcorn. Sprinkle with coarse salt and cayenne; toss to coat.
• Bring cream and tea bag just to boil over medium heat. Remove from heat; let steep 15 minutes, occasionally pressing on tea bag with back of spoon to release flavor. Discard tea bag.
• Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; coat with nonstick spray. Coat 2 wooden spoons or heat-resistant spatulas with nonstick spray; set aside. Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 13 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add cream (mixture will bubble up). Stir until blended. Immediately drizzle caramel over popcorn mixture; toss with sprayed spoons until evenly coated. Transfer to sheet.
• Place caramel corn in oven and bake until caramel is shiny and coats popcorn, tossing mixture occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on sheet on rack, tossing occasionally to break up large clumps. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight in refrigerator.
• What to drink:
• The folks at Colt & Gray suggest The Derby, a classic cocktail made with bourbon, Bénédictine, and bitters.

BUTTERSCOTCH CASHEW POPCORN (SOOOO GOOD!)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250F degrees.
• Grease parchment paper on a 14x10" cookie sheet pan.
• Pop the popcorn.
• Put nuts and popcorn in a very large bowl or stock pot.
• Bring brown sugar, corn syrup and butter to boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in butterscotch chips, buttershots, baking soda and salt until blended and smooth.
• Working quickly pour syrup over popcorn and nuts, stir to coat thoroughly.
• Pour mixture into pan; bake 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven, cool mixture in pan about 15 minutes.
• Turn mixture out of pan onto foil to cool completely.
• Break popcorn into smaller pieces; store in zip lock bags in cool dry place up to 2 weeks if it last that long.

CASHEW CARAMEL YUMMIES

Steps:

• Mix flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and cashews together.
• Turn mixture into a greased 9x9x2-inch pan.
• Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until it springs back when poked.
• Topping: Mix butter, cream, cashews and brown sugar.
• Spread over hot baked mix.
• Cover completely.
• Place under a broiler for 1 minute until topping bubbles.

WHITE-CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CORN WITH CASHEWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place popcorn and nuts in a large bowl. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir in corn syrup, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook until sugar dissolves, stirring once or twice. Raise heat to high, and bring to a boil (do not stir). Boil, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 248 degrees, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in baking soda.
• Pour caramel over popcorn mixture, stirring to coat thoroughly. Transfer to 2 rimmed baking sheets, spreading in a single layer. Bake 45 minutes, stirring twice. Test doneness by removing a few pieces of popcorn from oven; if they crisp within 1 minute, popcorn is ready. Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle with remaining salt. Let cool completely.
• Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and completely smooth. Fill a small resealable plastic bag with chocolate, and snip a tiny hole in 1 corner. Drizzle chocolate over caramel corn. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 10 minutes, before breaking up.