Gluten Free Honey Vanilla Popcorn Balls Food

HONEY BALLS

Steps:

• mix together all ingredients except crushed corn flakes.
• Scoop out by teaspoon full and roll into balls, then roll in crushed corn flakes.
• Chill before serving.

WHITE CHOCOLATE POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Line 2 12-muffin muffin pans by placing a sheet of plastic wrap over the pan and pushing down into the cups slightly.
• Over barely simmering water melt the chopped chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the popcorn carefully to coat it evenly with melted chocolate. Working quickly, take off large spoonfuls of coated popcorn and form into a loose ball the size of a golf ball. Place it in the cup of the lined muffin pans to rest and sprinkle with the colored sprinkles. Insert a lollipop stick in the bottom and let it set up. To hasten the set-up, place them in the refrigerator. These can be wrapped in colored cellophane with twisted ends. Store at room temperature.

SWEET AND SPICY PEPITAS POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Pop the popcorn according to package instructions. While hot, carefully open package and dump into a large bowl.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until browned and popping, tossing and stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. (Do this in batches, if needed.) Add to the popcorn.
• Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar. Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, or 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes.
• Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes more. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and cayenne. Cool for about a minute. Pour caramel over the popcorn and stir to evenly coat.
• When the popcorn is cool enough to handle, coat your hands with some butter and shape into 4-inch balls. Wrap in waxed paper and tie with a string, if desired. Serve or store covered at room temperature for up to a week.

HONEY-NUT POPCORN BALLS

Steps:

• Bring 1/4 cup honey, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup almond butter, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring. Remove from the heat; using a rubber spatula, stir in 12 cups popcorn and 1 cup chopped salted mixed nuts until coated. Butter your hands, then shape into balls and roll in toasted sesame seeds.

STRUFFOLI/PIGNOLATA (AKA HONEY BALLS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl beat eggs, sugar, grated lemon peel (if desired), and 1 1/2 teaspoons oil until foamy.
• Gradually add flour and baking powder.
• *Using your hands, mix and knead the mixture well, forming a dough.
• Knead the dough until smooth.
• (*A Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook may be used for mixing/kneading the dough).
• Form dough into a ball.
• Place dough on a lightly floured surface, and divide dough into 8 to 10 smaller balls.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a"rope" about a 1/2 inch wide, and 10 inches long.
• Using a sharp knife, cut each rope into 1/3 inch pieces.
• (Optional, pieces may be rolled into balls about the size of marbles).
• Dust cut pieces with a bit of flour.
• Heat oil in a frying pan or deep fat fryer to a temperature of 375°F.
• Shake off excess flour, and fry the bits of dough (in small batches) until puffy and golden brown.
• DO NOT crowd the frying pan or fryer.
• Remove each batch of balls with a slotted spoon and place on heavy brown paper (or paper towels) to drain.
• Continue frying until all the balls have been fried.
• Place drained, fried balls into a large mixing bowl (or disposable roasting pan).
• Pour the honey into a large frying pan, and heat until bubbly, remove from heat.
• (Honey may be thinned with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of water to make a less sticky/sweet coating).
• Stir in grated orange peel (if desired) and pour honey mixture over the fried dough balls.
• With a wooden spoon, gently stir and toss the balls until all are evenly coated with honey.
• Using hands (or a spoon), place honey coated balls on to a large plate (or pie tin), mounding them into a cone/pyramid shape.
• Sprinkle with colored sprinkles.
• NOTE: If struffoli are too sticky to handle while shaping, slightly wet hands with cold water to help keep them from sticking to your hands while shaping.

CARDAMOM BALLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375.
• Cream shortening and sugar.
• Add honey, vanilla and egg, beat until lighter in color.
• Sift flour, salt, soda, and spices.
• Add dry to the shortening mixture blending well.
• Form into balls one inch across.
• Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes. I use a dark baking sheet and that helps them keep their shape better.

GLUTEN FREE POWER BALLS

Steps:

• Mix peanut butter and honey in a standing mixer until smooth.
• Add oats in gradually.
• Add nuts.
• Add rasins.
• Use a ice cream scooper (x2), use muffin holders, refrigerate over night. Freeze well with air tight container and wax paper.
• Put in muffin pan.

VANILLA RUM BALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together the cocoa and confectioners' sugar.
• In a food processor or blender crush/crumble the vanilla wafers.
• Add the crushed vanilla wafers to the sugar mixture and combine.
• Add the remaining ingredients.
• Form the mixture into 1 inch (2. 5 cm) balls with your hands.
• The balls should hold together easily and retain their shape.
• If the mixture is too dry to hold together or too wet to form balls, you can easily adjust the consistency by adding rum/sugar accordingly.
• Sprinkle the extra cocoa or ground chocolate on a flat surface and roll the balls in to coat.
• Have 'em on your cookie tray this year and watch 'em vanish before you know it!

HONEY SAND BALLS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, 1/2 Celsius powdered sugar and honey.
• Add flour, nuts, vanilla and salt.
• Mix thoroughly using hands if necessary. Shape into 1 inch balls and place 1 1/2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet or on a sheet covered with parchment paper.
• Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 14-16 minutes or until cookies are barely tinged with brown.
• While warm roll in powdered sugar.
• Cool and roll in powdered sugar again.

MRS. MUELLER'S HONEY POPCORN

Steps:

• Heat honey and butter in a small saucepan over fairly low heat until blended, stirring.
• Remove from heat and let cool down a bit.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F and line a jelly roll pan or two smaller rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a very large bowl, combine popped popcorn and nuts, then pour syrup over and combine so everything is evenly covered with syrup.
• Spread in one layer into prepared pan (s) and bake about 10 minutes, sitrring after the first 5 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool in pans.
• Variation: Use any type of nuts you prefer.