Harvest Caramel Corn Food

HARVEST CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• You will need 10 cups of popcorn. We pop our popcorn on the stove (you can find our directions on How to Make Perfect Popcorn here) but you can use air-popped or microwave.
• After the popcorn is popped, make sure to remove all of the un-popped kernels. You don't want to bite down on one of those!
• Once you have made the popcorn, salt it liberally. It is so nice to taste the salty popcorn with the sweet marshmallow coating. Not quite like Kettle Corn but close.
• Melt 1 cup of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Add 1 cup of light brown sugar.
• Stir until thoroughly mixed with the melted butter.
• Stirring continuously, bring the butter and sugar mixture up to a low boil. When it reaches a boil allow it to cook for 4 minutes without stirring.
• After boiling for 4 minutes, add the vanilla and stir for one more minute.
• Take the caramel mixture off the heat and immediately add the baking soda.
• Stir the mixture. This will cause the caramel to change colors and foam up a bit. This is the chemical reaction that you want. The bubbling effect of the baking soda will aerate the caramel and make it lighter and smoother and therefore easier to coat the popcorn.
• Slowly pour about a third of the caramel mixture over the salted popcorn.
• Gently fold the mixture in with the popcorn. Continue to add the caramel mixture a bit at a time, stirring between each addition.
• The popcorn should be completely covered in the warm caramel corn mixture.
• Here is the candy that we added to our Harvest Caramel Corn. We added Rolo candy, Pretzel M&M's (Brown, Yellow, Red, and Orange), and Regular sized M&M's (Brown, Yellow, Red, and Orange).
• Pour the popcorn out onto a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil or a Silpat liner.
• Let the popcorn cool and then sprinkle with your candy mix-ins. Now your super delicious Harvest Caramel Corn is ready to serve!

HARVEST CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Dissolve the sugar, margarine, corn syrup and salt until firm ball stage.
• Remove from heat and add spices and baking soda.
• Pour over popcorn, stirring well.
• Spread evenly on baking sheet and bake at 250ºF 45-50 minutes stirring every 15 minutes until done.
• Cool.
• (Be careful-burns easily).

ALMOST-FAMOUS CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Put the vegetable oil and a few test popcorn kernels in a large pot. Heat over medium-high heat until the kernels pop, then carefully add the remaining kernels in a single layer. Cover and cook, shaking the pot, until there are several seconds between pops. Transfer the popcorn to a bowl. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
• Wipe out the pot, then add the sugar, corn syrup, molasses, peanut oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the peanuts. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until a candy thermometer registers 290 degrees F, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the popcorn until coated. Transfer the caramel corn to the prepared baking sheet and let cool, then break into small pieces.

THE EASIEST AND BEST CARAMEL CORN I'VE EVER MADE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°.
• Spray your largest cookie sheets.
• Pop the popcorn in the oil and set aside. I do this in two batches. Place in a very large bowl. (Plastic bowls work really well because the caramel won't stick; you could also spray the bowl with a bit of Pam).
• Over medium heat in a heavy saucepan, melt butter and stir in brown sugar, salt and syrup. Bring to a rolling boil.
• When it starts to boil, boil a full 5 minutes stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. (I used a plastic spatula and ended up sacrificing it)
• Remove from the heat and add the soda. Pour caramel directly on the popcorn and stir to coat completely.
• Pour popcorn onto the sheets and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool and break into pieces. Store in zip-top bags.

ILLINOIS CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place popcorn and nuts in a large bowl. Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Raise heat to high; bring to a boil without stirring. Cook until mixture reaches 248 degrees on a candy thermometer, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda.
• Add caramel to popcorn, and stir to coat. Transfer mixture to a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake for 45 minutes, stirring twice. Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Let cool. Break into clusters.

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.