Nutty Caramel Popcorn Food

NUTTY CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Pour the sugar into the center of a deep saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Carefully pour the water around the walls of the pan, trying not to splash any sugar onto the walls. Do not stir; gently draw your finger twice through the center of the sugar, making a cross, to moisten it. Over high heat, bring to a full boil and cook without stirring until golden caramel, about 10 to 15 minutes, swirling the mixture occasionally to even out the color.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the butter. Add the popcorn, pecans, and cashews. Pour onto a silicone baking mat on the counter, or a marble surface. Let the mixture cool a few minutes; then start breaking it up into clusters, working quickly so it doesn't harden and you don't burn yourself. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Note: I use Black Diamond Popcorn with its petit size "hulless" kernel. To popcorn properly, place the kernels in a heavy-bottomed large pot and cover then with oil. Put the lid on and cook on high until you hear the first pop. Immediately take it off the heat and let it sit 1 minute. Then return it to the heat and finish popping, shaking the pan the whole time. I don't know why this is better but this is what my dad does and his popcorn was always the best.

MISS BROWN'S PEANUT-PISTACHIO CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Grease or butter two large, rimmed baking pans. Combine the popcorn, peanuts, pistachios and sesame seeds in a very large bowl or roasting pan.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, peanut butter and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then cook until the mixture is completely emulsified and there is no visible melted butter around the edge of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda. (The mixture will puff up.)
• Pour the mixture evenly over the popcorn mixture and toss well to coat. Divide the popcorn between the two prepared pans, spreading in an even layer. Bake the popcorn for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes and rotating the pans so it cooks evenly. Let cool in the pans, about 20 minutes. Break into pieces to serve.

NUTTY CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Butter a large roasting pan.
• Combine popped corn and nuts in the prepared pan, mixing well. Place in the oven while preparing the glaze.
• In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, orange zest and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Boil for 4 minutes without stirring.
• Remove from the heat and mix in the vanilla and baking soda. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE SODA AS IT MAY MAKE THE SYRUP FOAM UP AND SPATTER A BIT!Gradually pour the glaze over the popped corn mixture, stirring to coat well.
• Bake until dry; stirring occasionally, approximately 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven. Using a metal spatula, free the popcorn from the bottom of the pan. Let cool completely in the pan.
• Break into clumps. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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.

LINDA'S NUTTY CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Pop popcorn, and set aside to cool.
• Mix popcorn and nuts together on a lg. cookie sheet (no smaller than 11x17x2-inch).
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• In heavy saucepan add sugars, butter, and syrup. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes to 245-250°F using a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat, and add soda and vanilla. Stir well, until creamy.
• Pour over popped corn and nuts, and mix well to coat all the corn with the mixture.
• Bake at 300°F, for 10 minutes, then stir.
• Bake 10 more minutes
• Transfer to a large sheet of aluminum foil.
• Spread mixture thin. Let cool completely.
• Break up, and store in an airtight container.

ULTIMATE CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Set your oven to 200 degrees. Spray a large cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, and set aside. Also spray a large (very large works best) metal or ceramic mixing bowl with non-stick cooking spray.
• Pour the popcorn into the mixing bowl you just sprayed, and put it in the oven to warm. Warming the bowl and the popcorn up beforehand helps with getting an even coating with the caramel when stirring it into the popcorn later.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the molasses, corn syrup, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Once the mixture starts bubbling, set a timer and let it cook for 4 minutes, stirring occassionally.
• Once the 4 minutes is up, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will foam and lighten up. Stir until blended.
• Pull the mixing bowl with the popcorn out of the oven. Slowly stir the caramel into the popcorn. I find a rubber spatula works best for this. Carefully keep stirring until the popcorn is evenly coated. Do be careful, the caramel is really hot! At this point, you can stir in any add-ins you might like, sprinkles, nuts, etc.
• Pour onto the greased cookie sheet and spread out evenly. Bake for 1 hour at 200 degrees, carefully stirring every 15 minutes.
• Once done, pour back into a large mixing bowl. The caramel popcorn will still be stightly tacky. Stir the caramel corn for about 5 minutes or so while it cools, to break up large clumps.

NUTTY AND NICE CRUNCHY CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250ºF.
• Combine popcorn and nuts in large bowl. Set aside.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir in sugar, corn syrup and salt.
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly then boil gently without stirring for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in ginger root and baking soda.
• Pour over popcorn mixture.
• Toss to coat evenly and turn onto a large roast pan or baking sheet.
• Bake in centre of preheated oven, stirring occasionally, for 35 to 40 minutes or until crisp and caramel coloured.
• Turn out onto waxed paper-lined tray.
• Cool completely and break into pieces.
• Store in tightly covered container.