Spiced Caramel Corn Food

SPICED CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread nuts on a small rimmed baking sheet, and bake until fragrant and beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand until cool. Coarsely chop; set aside.
• Line a baking sheet with a Silpat (a French nonstick baking mat); set aside. In a medium stockpot, heat oil over high heat. Add popcorn, and cover. Once the corn begins to pop, shake the pan constantly. When the corn has finished popping, remove from the heat, uncover; set aside.
• In a large deep pot, at least 12 inches wide, stir together water, sugar, and corn syrup. Add vanilla pod and seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat without stirring. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, brush down the sides of the pan to remove any undissolved sugar granules. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, tilting and swirling the pan, until the mixture just begins to smoke and is a deep caramel color, 4 to 5 minutes more.
• Stir in the popcorn and nuts. Cook, stirring, while moving the pot on and off the heat to prevent the caramel from burning, until the popcorn is completely coated and the mixture is deep mahogany in color. Pour onto prepared baking sheet, and spread in an even layer. Let cool. Remove and discard vanilla bean. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

SPICY CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Lightly coat two large, heatproof rubber spatulas and a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover and keep the saucepan moving until all of the kernels have popped, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared bowl, removing any unpopped kernels.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and cayenne pepper.
• Have two large baking sheets ready. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt and 1/2 cup water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden caramel, 10 to 14 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking-soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up).
• Immediately pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn. Working quickly and carefully, use the prepared spatulas to toss the caramel and popcorn together, as if you were tossing a salad, until the popcorn is well coated.
• Spread the popcorn onto the baking sheets and quickly separate them into small pieces while still warm. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

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.

CARAMEL-COATED SPICED NUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat egg whites and water until foamy. Add the almonds, pecans and cashews; stir gently to coat. Combine the brown sugar, pie spice and pepper; add to nut mixture and stir gently to coat., Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

SPICED CORN

Steps:

• Fill a deep pan with water and bring to a boil. Add corn and salt and cook until corn is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add boiled corn, lemon juice, garam masala, chaat masala, chili powder, and salt and cook until corn turns light brown in color, about 5 minutes

SPICY CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• *Note: Make sure your chile powder is made from 100% chiles with no added spices like garlic and salt or it will ruin the flavor of your caramel corn. I nearly made this mistake once with Kroger chile powder but thankfully noticed it smelled more like prepared chili than plain hot chiles and sure enough, they had added the spices you would want in it if you were using it for chili (but not for your caramel corn!).
• Preheat oven to 200°F.
• Divide the popcorn into two large bowls or put in a large tub that allows ample room for stirring so that you'll have no trouble coating the popcorn when the caramel is ready. Sprinkle 1 cup nuts over each bowl of popcorn.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the baking soda. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once it begins to boil, stop stirring and allow to boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. Stir well and make sure that no lumps remain.
• Pour half of the caramel over each bowl (or all of it over just the one if you're using a tub) and stir each thoroughly, until the popcorn and nuts are pretty evenly coated.
• Pour into a large roaster pan or two jelly roll pans and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
• Spread onto waxed paper to cool. Serve once it is dry or store in an airtight container.

SPICY CREAMED CORN CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
• Toss the corn kernels with their juices and heavy cream together in a large bowl and mix to combine. Transfer 1 cup of the corn mixture to a food processor and puree until very smooth, then add back to the bowl. Fold in the jalapenos, chipotle sauce, 1/4 cup cilantro, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Spread the corn mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
• Mix the crushed tortilla chips, flour, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in the melted butter and toss together with a fork until clumps start to form. Sprinkle evenly over the corn filling.
• Bake until the top is light golden brown and the corn filling is bubbling up the sides, 35 to 40 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the Cotija and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

SPICED CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes without stirring., Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and baking soda (mixture will foam). Quickly pour over popcorn and mix well., Transfer to two lightly greased 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Bake at 250° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from pans and place on waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container.

SPICY CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Lightly coat two large, heatproof rubber spatulas, a very large mixing bowl and two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or a thin slick of oil.
• In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover and keep the saucepan moving until all of the kernels have popped, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared bowl, removing any unpopped kernels. Toss with salted peanuts, if using.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and cayenne pepper.
• Have the two large baking sheets ready. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt and 1/2 cup water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel, 10 to 14 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking-soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up).
• Immediately pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn and don't fuss if it doesn't all come out of the pot - you'll have plenty. Working quickly and carefully, use the prepared spatulas to toss the caramel and popcorn together, as if you were tossing a salad, until the popcorn is well coated.
• Spread the popcorn onto the baking sheets and quickly separate them into small pieces while still warm. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to two weeks or two minutes.

SPICED AUTUMN CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Mist a large bowl with cooking spray, pour in the popcorn and sprinkle the pecan halves across the top. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, cayenne pepper and pumpkin pie spice.
• In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, butter, salt and 1/4 cup of water. Cook over high heat without stirring for 10-14 minutes, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Next, carefully whisk in the baking-soda mixture.
• Pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn & quickly toss the caramel and popcorn together until the popcorn is evenly coated.
• Spread the popcorn onto two large baking sheets, break apart any large clumps, and allow to cool to room temperature.