Old Fashioned Caramel Corn Food

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.

OLD FASHIONED CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• In a saucepan mix butter brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla and bring to a boil.
• Boil for 5 to 6 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda until the mixture has puffed up.
• Allow 1 minute to rest.
• Placed popped popcorn in a large baking dish.
• (I use my very large turkey roasting pan without the lid.) Pour mixture over popcorn and stir until well coated.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Stir well to make sure the bottom doesn't burn, Bake for another 10 minutes.
• Pour onto a large surface to cool.
• (I cut a green garbage bag in half and cover my dining room table with it before pouring out the popcorn onto it. It saves on clean up.) Break apart to serve.

OLD FASHIONED MOLASSES "CARAMEL" CORN

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 250 deg.
• Place butter in a medium pot, on medium heat.
• While the butter's melting, pop the corn and put it in a large roasting pan. I used a disposable aluminum pan and a hot air popper (you won't need to butter the pan).
• Keep an eye on the butter and add the sugar, molasses, and salt to it as soon as its melted.
• Bring the candy to a boil and stir and cook it only till the sugar melts and the butter blends in entirely - just a couple minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir the vanilla and peanuts into the candy.
• Quickly add the baking soda and stir untill it's well mixed. It foams to make a lighter, more delicate candy.
• Pour the candy over the popcorn and toss untill it's evenly coated.
• Put the popcorn in the oven for 1 hour, tossing every 15 or 20 minutes.
• Let it cool completely before breaking up and putting into an airtight container.
• I developed this recipe by hacking others because I couldn't find another to suit me. I made this for Christmas treats and it was INHALED, you'll find it tastes like Cracker Jack; that candy is made with molasses, not corn syrup, I got a box yersterday to compare.
• You can easily double this, but double the baking time too.

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.

OLD FASHIONED CARAMEL POPCORN IN THE MICROWAVE!

Steps:

• Pop popcorn. (Update: 2- 3.5 oz bags popped microwave popcorn can be substituted, approximately same volume).
• Put popped popcorn in a large, brown paper grocery bag.
• Stovetop: Add syrup, sugar and butter to a pan and bring to a boil for two minutes. (Update: In a microwave safe bowl, nuke until ingredients are melted and bubbly, 3-5 minutes.).
• Add vanilla and baking powder and stir briefly.
• While foaming, quickly pour caramel into the brown bag, over the popped popcorn. Roll the top of the bag together until closed and shake well.
• Place brown bag into the microwave and nuke 45 seconds.
• Remove bag from the microwave and shake well. Do not open the bag.
• Repeat steps: nuke for 45 seconds, remove, shake well, 3 more times.
• Nuke again for 30 seconds, remove, shake well and pour onto baking sheets to cool. Toss the bag.
• Caramel will harden as it cools, break apart and enjoy!

MY AMISH FRIEND'S CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Place the popped popcorn into two shallow greased baking pans. You may use roasting pans, jelly roll pans, or disposable roasting pans. Add the peanuts to the popped corn if using. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, margarine and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend. Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.
• Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will be light and foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pans, and stir to coat. Don't worry too much at this point about getting all of the corn coated.
• Bake for 1 hour, removing the pans, and giving them each a good stir every 15 minutes. Line the counter top with waxed paper. Dump the corn out onto the waxed paper and separate the pieces. Allow to cool completely, then store in airtight containers or resealable bags.

OLD-FASHIONED CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 11x7-in. pan with foil; grease with 1 tablespoon butter and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil gently for 4 minutes without stirring. , Remove from the heat; stir in cream. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage), stirring constantly., Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and pecans if desired. Pour into prepared pan; cool. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut candy into 1-in. squares.