Chocolate Covered Corn Nuts Food

DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED POPCORN SNACK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• Place the popped corn and nuts in a large roasting pan and mix together.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and butter.
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the chocolate. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture becomes very thick.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the chocolate syrup over the popcorn and nuts in the roasting pan and stir to coat evenly.
• Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Place the hot poppycock on a large cookie sheet, lined with foil and lightly coated with a nonstick cooking spray, to cool. Store poppycock in a plastic ziploc bag.

CHOCOLATE CORN FLAKES

Steps:

• Pour the corn flakes into a large mixing bowl, then pour about half of the bittersweet chocolate over them. Using a rubber spatula, mix until they are coated evenly. The chocolate will immediately begin to set. Once the chocolate has set, repeat with the remaining chocolate to give it second coat.
• Quickly scoop the chocolate corn flakes into small mounds onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. (It is easier to use one spoon to scoop the mounds and another spoon to scrape them onto the sheet pan.) It is important to work quickly because the mixture is easier to scoop before the chocolate hardens.
• If your kitchen is very hot, you can place the sheet pan in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden, however, do not leave them in the refrigerator for more than 10 minutes. If they get too cold, condensation will form on them when they are removed from the refrigerator due to the difference in temperature between the cold chocolate and the warm air, which will cause the chocolate to turn white. While this doesn't affect the taste, it does ruin the appearance.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry area for up to 2 weeks.
• How to Temper Chocolate (From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Prepare Caramel Corn:.
• Combine brown sugar, butter, syrup and salt in a saucepan.
• Boil 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add the baking soda and vanilla.
• Stir well and then pour over popped corn in a large roaster.
• If you have to put into two large tinfoil buttered roasters, it will be easier to stir in two pans.
• Bake in oven at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
• Pour onto waxed paper and cool.
• Break up into pieces.
• Chocolate Coating:.
• Melt chips, marshmallows, butter and water for about four minutes in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
• You can do this on the stove top too, just melt until very smooth.
• Place the cooled caramel corn and peanuts, if using, in a large roasting pan or on a large cookie sheet, single layer, and drizzle chocolate over lightly. Using a baggy with the corner snipped off, will help drizzling the coating over top.

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.

CHOCOLATY CARAMEL-NUT POPCORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Cook the popcorn according to manufacturer's directions, pour into a very large bowl, and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, salt, and corn syrup. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Take the saucepan off of the heat, and carefully stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda.
• Pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir well. Add the chocolate chips and almonds, then stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour this mixture into two large, deep baking pans and sprinkle with the shredded coconut.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200°F. Remove any unpopped kernels from popcorn. In very large roasting pan or very large bowl, place popcorn and nuts, or divide popcorn and nuts between 2 ungreased 13x9-inch pans.
• In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking 5 minutes without stirring; remove from heat. Stir in baking soda until foamy.
• Pour sugar mixture over popcorn mixture; toss until evenly coated. If using bowl, transfer mixture to 2 ungreased 13x9-inch pans. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on foil or cooking parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In medium bowl, place 3 cups popcorn mixture. In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle chocolate evenly over 3 cups popcorn mixture; toss gently to thoroughly coat popcorn. Spread in single layer on foil or cooking parchment paper. Cool about 2 hours or until chocolate is firm. Add chocolate-covered popcorn mixture to remaining popcorn mixture; toss gently to combine. Store tightly covered.

COOKING WITH KIDS: CHOCOLATE CORNFLAKE CAKES

Steps:

• Children: Weigh out the ingredients. Older children can do this by themselves with supervision and little ones can help to pour or spoon ingredients into the weighing scales. Put 50g butter, 100g milk or dark chocolate, broken into chunks and 3 tbsp golden syrup in a saucepan or microwavable bowl. Put 100g cornflakes in another large bowl.
• Grown ups: Melt the weighed butter, chocolate and golden syrup in the saucepan over a low heat or briefly in the microwave. Allow to cool a little before pouring over the cornflakes.
• Children: Stir the ingredients together gently using a wooden spoon. Spoon the mixture into 12 cupcake cases arranged on a muffin tray (or baking sheet, if you don't have one). Grown ups will need to do this for younger children or simply arrange on a tray and let the mess happen. Put in the fridge to set.