You can’t possibly cheer on your favorite movies and stars during the Oscars this Sunday without some delicious snacks! We’ve got you covered with Honey Caramel Corn from The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook.
Makes about 20 cups, 8 to 10 servings.
Homemade caramel corn is a really easy way to impress your friends. Even people who don’t like caramel corn like homemade caramel corn; it’s crunchy, buttery, salty, sweet—all those things that make a treat inherently munchable. It also lends itself to endless variation (we’ve given you a couple ideas to start with); see how many different things you can add before sinking into a sugar coma!
INGREDIENTS:
- Cooking spray or vegetable oil 18 cups popped popcorn (about 2/3 cup/65 g unpopped kernels)
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick/110 g) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (85 g) honey
- 1/4 cup (85 g) light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- Extra-large (6- to 8-quart) bowl (with enough room to toss popcorn)
- 2 heatproof spatulas and/or wooden spoon
- Candy thermometer
DIRECTIONS:
1. Lightly coat the bowl and the heatproof spatulas with cooking spray. Place the popped popcorn in the bowl and set it all aside.
2. Melt the butter in a medium-size (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar, honey, and corn syrup, and using one of the oiled spatulas, stir to combine. Bring to a boil, and insert the candy thermometer. Stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching, cook the mixture to 300°F/150°C (hard crack stage), 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Remove the caramel mixture from the heat, add the baking soda, and stir thoroughly. Careful: This will cause the mixture to foam slightly.
4. Pour the caramel carefully and evenly over the popcorn and, using both spatulas, toss it constantly—like tossing a salad—until all the popcorn is coated with caramel, 8 to 10 minutes. (The more you toss, the less the popcorn will clump and the more even the coating will be.)
5. When the popcorn is coated but still warm, sprinkle the salt evenly over it and toss a few more times to distribute. Allow the popcorn to cool completely in the bowl, about 15 minutes. Immediately store the popcorn in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag; it will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week.
The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook is available now wherever books are sold including the following online retailers.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Powell’s | Workman
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