Illinois Caramel Corn Food

CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°. Combine the honey, butter, molasses, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil, stirring, until the butter melts, about 2 minutes.
• Pour the caramel over the popcorn in a large bowl; toss well. Spread the popcorn evenly on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake, checking often, until the popcorn is crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool completely.

NUTTY CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Put the oil and 3 or 4 popcorn kernels in a large pot with a lid (at least 6 quarts). Cover the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Wait until you hear one of the kernels pop, then uncover the pot and add the remaining kernels. Quickly stir everything together then replace the lid. Cook the popcorn until the kernels begin popping and then reduce the heat slightly. Cook, shaking often, until the rate of popping starts to slow, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not wait for all of the kernels to pop or they will burn. Take off the heat.
• Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium pot. Heat over medium heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the baking soda.
• Pour the nuts on top of the popcorn. Then pour the caramel into the pot with the popcorn; stir to coat and spread the popcorn onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake, stirring occasionally, until slightly golden, about 20 minutes. Cool completely, and then break apart before serving.

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.

ROSEMARY-CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Heat oil and a few popcorn kernels in a large stockpot, covered, over high heat. When they pop, add remaining popcorn kernels. Cook, shaking pot, until popped. Transfer popcorn to a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Heat butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, until butter and sugar melt and a candy thermometer reaches 255 degrees. Remove from heat, and stir in rosemary, salt, and baking soda. Pour over popcorn; toss. Transfer to a baking sheet.
• Bake, stirring occasionally, until dried, about 45 minutes. Let cool before serving. Popcorn can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Placed popped corn in a very large roasting pan that allows enough room for thorough stirring of corn during baking.
• In a 3 quart saucepan (or larger), melt butter.
• Add brown sugar and corn syrup and bring to boil, stirring constantly.
• Allow to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add 1 teaspoon baking soda (CAUTION: with the addition of the baking soda, the mixture will foam up and almost double in size. Make sure your saucepan is large enough to allow for the foaming hot mixture.) Pour hot mixture over popped corn and mix well.
• Bake at 200 degrees for one hour, stirring thoroughly every 15 minutes during baking.
• Continue to stir occasionally during cooling.

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.

LIGHT CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Pop the popcorn and put it into a bowl. Make sure there is some extra room in the bowl if possibble. You'll need that room when you toss the popcorn.
• In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave together the butter and honey, only until melted. Over heat it, and it WILL burn (trust me, I've done it.).
• Using a regular spoon, drizzle 2 spoonfuls of the butter/honey mixture over the popcorn and toss thoroughly. THIS IS CRUCIAL. Put any more on at once and it won't turn out right.
• Repeat step three. Most of the mixture will be gone before it seems like you're getting anywhere with this. Be patient, and when the honey/butter is all gone, enjoy:).

SUGAR FREE CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• melt butter in large sauce pan, add xylitol and cook over med heat for 2-3 minutes. Working very quickly, add baking soda stirring as it foams. As foaming subsides, drizzle over popped corn.
• Bake at 275 for 1 hour, gently stirring every 15 m inutes.