Cracker Jack Copycat Food

CRACKER JACK - COPYCAT

Steps:

• Mix popcorn and peanuts in a large bowl or roasting pan. Keep warm in a 250°F oven.
• Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir in sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla.
• Quickly pour over warm popcorn while tossing until well coated. Spread in a shallow baking pan or roasting pan.
• Bake at 250°F for 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes. Make sure every piece of popcorn has been moved around on the bottom.
• Remove from oven and turn out onto foil to let cool.
• Store in a tightly covered container.

ADULT CRACKER JACK - TEQUILA-SPIKED CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250F° and position racks in the upper and middle thirds.
• Toss the popcorn with the roasted peanuts in a large heatproof bowl.
• In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar with the butter, agave nectar, corn syrup and salt and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Boil over moderate heat for 4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• Using a long spoon, stir in the baking soda and tequila; the syrup will foam. (See Note 4)
• Immediately pour the hot syrup over the popcorn and peanuts and, using 2 spoons, toss to coat thoroughly.
• Spread the popcorn on 2 nonstick baking sheets and bake for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally and switching the sheets halfway through, until golden and nearly dry.
• Turn off the oven, open the oven door completely and let the popcorn cool completely before serving.

CRACKER JACK - COPYCAT

Steps:

• Combing brown sugar, butter, simple syrup, and salt over low heat until butter is melted. Cook WITHOUT stirring for 3 minutes. Add baking soda and vanilla. Pour onto popcorn and peanuts and mix until evenly coated. Bake 15 minutes at 300 degrees. Break into chunks.

CLONE OF A CRACKER JACK®

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Spread popcorn in the bottom of a large, deep roasting pan. Sprinkle peanuts over the popcorn.
• Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar and butter are melted and sauce is thick and caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour caramel sauce over the popcorn and peanuts and stir to coat popcorn and peanuts completely, scooping any peanuts and caramel that fall to the bottom of the roasting pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until caramel and popcorn are crisped, about 45 minutes. Turn popcorn out in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper to cool completely.

HOMEMADE CRACKER JACK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250 degrees and grease two large rimmed baking sheets with neutral oil.
• Add the remaining 3 tablespoons neutral oil and 2 kernels to a large pot. Cover and heat over medium. Once you hear those first two kernels pop, add the remaining kernels, cover and cook, shaking occasionally, until the popping slows down, about 4 to 6 minutes. You should hear a few seconds of silence between pops. Remove from the heat.
• Transfer the popcorn to a large, heatproof bowl and discard any unpopped kernels. Add the peanuts to the popcorn and toss to combine. Set the vanilla and baking soda near the stove for easy access.
• In a small saucepan, stir the butter, brown sugar, molasses and salt over medium until the butter melts. Once the butter has melted, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and cook the mixture, undisturbed, until the temperature reaches 248 degrees.
• Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will become foamy. Immediately pour it over the popcorn and use a wooden spoon to coat it evenly.
• Spread the popcorn out onto the two prepared baking sheets. Bake until the mixture is dry, about 20 to 25 minutes, tossing occasionally. The mixture will dry out as it cools but may still be slightly sticky. Sprinkle with a bit more salt, to taste.
• Let the popcorn cool completely. It's best enjoyed the day it's cooked, but you can also store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.