Candied Popcorn

I wanted to make some neighbor gifts yesterday, but I didn't have time to make and wrap individual caramels, nor make toffee and package it up, like I usually do.  So instead I whipped up a triple batch of this candied popcorn, scooped it up into bags, and tied it with a bow and our Christmas card. Viola!  This is a fast and delicious alternative to the classic candy-thermometer caramel popcorn that I usually make at Christmas time.  My friend Britni Hamblin brought some over a couple weeks ago, and I thought it was so delicious, and had such a pretty presentation, that I asked her for the recipe.  Thanks so much for sharing, Britni!

Candied Popcorn
submitted by Erin  ~ The Sisters Cafe

3 to 3 1/2 batches of air-popped popcorn (each batch is 1/2 c. unpopped corn kernels. So this would be the equivalent of 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of unpopped corn kernels)
2 cubes butter (1 cup)
1 1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup

First, pop all your popcorn.  Shake the popcorn and then scoop the top layers into a couple large mixing bowls. Leave the heavy and/or unpopped kernels behind. (This is important so no one breaks their teeth on your popcorn. :) )
Melt butter in a large pan.  Stir in sugar and corn syrup. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Continue stirring, on medium-low heat, until the mixture is completely smooth.  (It may bubble once or twice, but don't allow it to simmer or boil; if it does then the caramel mixture will be harder when it cools, which makes for brittle popcorn instead of soft popcorn.)  Turn heat off.
Using a ladle, drizzle the sugar mixture over a portion of your popcorn.  Then mix it with a spoon, add another portion of fresh popcorn, drizzle the mixture over it, and stir it around, etc.  Continue until all your mixture is evenly distributed on the popcorn.   (You do not necessarily have to use all your popcorn.  If you use less (ie, 3 batches), it will have a thicker coating. If you use more (ie, 3 1/2 batches), it will have a lighter coating.)
I packaged my candied popcorn into gallon sized twist-tie bags I bought at the grocery store. Or you can store it in a tupperware for a few days.  Or serve it right away!  Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Toffe Popcorn

Here is a quick and easy treat... perfect for a movie night with the kids or a party with friends. *This is a twist on Mel's white chocolate popcorn. The possibilities are endless with that one! (Check out the peanut butter version too!)

Double Chocolate Toffee Popcorn

submitted by Brittany at www.thesisterscafe.com

 

printable recipe here

2 bags butter microwave popcorn

1 bag white chocolate chips (Guittard works great)

3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 - 3/4 cup Heath toffee bits

Pop popcorn in microwave - remove any unpopped kernels. Place in a large bowl. Melt white chocolate chips in a glass bowl in the microwave on 70% power. Cook for one minute, stir the chips, then microwave for another 30 seconds on 70% power if needed. Stir until the chocolate is smooth. Drizzle chocolate over popcorn then gently stir to coat all the popcorn evenly. Sprinkle on the mini chips and the toffee bits. Fold in gently. Spread out popcorn on a cookie sheet to dry.

Super fast and easy Caramel Popcorn

Have you noticed that "fast and easy" are in a lot of my recipe descriptions lately?
Life has been crazy busy with my 5 boys and so, simple recipes are the way I roll right now! Last Sunday we were about to watch a John Bytheway DVD and my boys really wanted caramel corn. My Mom's recipe is the best of course, but I did not feel like taking all the time to get out the candy thermometer and watch and stir, plus I did not even have the ingredients on hand. So, instead I pulled out this quick and easy recipe. Now is it as good as my Mom's classic caramel corn? No...it doesn't compare, but my boys LOVE it and I love that it takes 5 minutes to make! So for a fun and quick treat it is perfect! Everybody wins:)
*PS : We used butter popcorn because that is all we had. But regular air popped popcorn would be great!
*PPS For something inspiring to watch with your bowl of popcorn, click here or here!

Easy Caramel Popcorn
submitted by Melanie

printable recipe here

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
11 large marshmellows-cut in half
2 bags of microwave popcorn--popped:)

Melt butter in pan, add sugar and let it come to a boil. Then stir in the marshmellows until melted and smooth. Pour over popped corn and stir. Enjoy!

Valentine Treat--White Chocolate M&M Popcorn & a winner

I just made this yummy Valentines treat for the ladies that I visit teach and thought I would share the recipe with all of you. It is super easy, very cute and best of all ... this treat is mouthwatering delicious. I had to use 'Butter Lovers' popcorn because that is all I had (my boys LOVE that stuff--and if my husband is picking out the treat they get it:)--thus the popcorn looks so yellow in the picture--but I think it is better with lightly buttered popcorn.
Anyway, have fun getting ready for Valentines days! If you still need some ideas, I found some cute free Valentines printables I posted about here.


White Chocolate M&M Popcorn
submitted by Melanie

Printable recipe here

2 bags microwave lightly buttered popcorn
1 package white chocolate, melted in double broiler or according to package directions
1 cup M&Ms (Use the holiday ones for a cute look)

First pick out all the unpopped kernals. Carefully toss together all ingredients being careful not to crush the popcorn and evenly distribute the M&Ms!


***And the Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook winner is:
Dan and Stacy who said:

"I would like to say it is something nutritious...but usually it is some sort of fast food that we can grab on the go or have my husband grab on the way home from work. This cook book would do wonders for my families nutrition. Not to mention our bank account. Thanks for all your fun recipes. I have never enjoyed cooking so much!!"

Please email me at melandboys@gmail.com with your address so we can have your new cook book sent out!

Mom's Caramel Popcorn

This is my mom's recipe, and it was her mother's recipe. In fact, when my mom gave me this recipe she was reading off of the original that she copied from my grandma and in the ingredients it read, "butter, the size of an egg." Funny, huh? I love making my favorite family recipes. This has so many fun memories attached to it - I love this recipe. Honestly, nothing beats real homemade caramel. It is just heaven!

This last time I boiled my caramel until it just barely reached 245° F and I thought it was perfect, but I wouldn't want it any firmer. (Anywhere between 243° F and 245° F would work probably, but like I mentioned in the instructions, use the icewater test too.) This is firm enough to not be totally messy and gooey, but it’s soft enough to be chewy. I don’t like having to break off brittle pieces of crunchy caramel popcorn; I prefer it to be soft enough so that it’s still pliable. However, it can still settle a bit when you put it into a bowl, so you may need to break it up a little with a knife so that you can take pieces of it easily. If you prefer it to be even softer, you can check it at a lower temperature. It’s all a matter of personal preference, really.
I pop 1 cup of popcorn kernels, which makes approximately 5 ½ quarts. Usually popcorn poppers will pop ½ cup of kernels per batch.

This is truly easy; the directions are long because I add a lot of little tips and extra instructions. But don't be alarmed - it's quite simple!

 

Mom’s Caramel Popcorn - the real deal
submitted by Erin

5-6 quarts popcorn (5 for adults, 6 for children; 1 cup of kernels is about right)
2 cups brown sugar
1 c. Roger’s golden corn syrup
1 c. heavy whipping cream (1/2 pint)
about 4 ½ T butter
2 tsp vanilla 

Pop popcorn using a hot air electric popcorn popper. Gently shake the popped popcorn in the bowl a little and then scoop out the popcorn with your hands, leaving the heavy unpopped kernels at the bottom. (Or, put into a garbage bag and shake so that the unpopped and heavy kernels settle to the bottom. Use the top popcorn for the recipe.)
First, melt butter in pan and up the sides, add corn syrup and cream, then carefully pour the sugar in the middle. (When making candy, do not let the sugar go up along the pan edges.) Near the end, add the vanilla. Using a candy thermometer, boil to 243-245° F (adjust to a lower temperature for high altitude). (Usually you boil it to the ‘soft ball’ stage, but I like it just a bit firmer than that. 245° F is the highest you would want to go – you might prefer it softer/gooier that me.) You may stir occasionally.
**If you don’t have a candy thermometer, get a glass of ice water and spoon a small amount of the caramel into the ice water and observe how quickly and how much it firms up. For me, I look for the caramel to either form a semi-firm ball, or it will firm up upon hitting the cold water in the shape of the drizzled stream (but it will still be quite soft and pliable), and will not readily adhere itself into a ball. (‘Soft ball’ stage= when placed on counter the caramel ball will slowly flatten a little.) I ALWAYS test out my caramel in ice water in addition to watching the thermometer. I get much better success when I rely on two methods instead of just one. In fact, I put more emphasis on the ice-water test than the temperature. 245° F just happened to be the point when I was satisfied with the ice-water test.
Take off heat immediately because the caramel will reach the hard ball stage quickly. Pour over popcorn and nuts (if desired). Do not scrape the pan because candy will turn to sugar if scraped. (This recipe has enough corn syrup that it will probably be okay, though.)
Form into balls with buttered hands or spread on a greased cookie sheet.

Reese's White Chocolate Popcorn

This is a variation of Mel's original White Chocolate Popcorn recipe. I added a peanut butter twist and it is really yummy! Easy to make and perfect for a unique party snack.

Peanut Butter White Chocolate Popcorn

submitted by Brittany

2 bags microwave popcorn

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 bag white chocolate chips (2 cups)

1/2-1 cup Reeses Pieces

Pop the popcorn then sift through to remove all unpopped kernels. Soften the PB in the microwave over 30 seconds, stir into popcorn to coat evenly. Melt the white chocolate either in a double broiler or in the microwave (over 2 minutes on 50% power, then stir chips until smooth). Pour over popcorn and gently stir to coat popcorn evenly with chocolate. Add Reeses Pieces as you stir in the chocolate. Spread out popcorn on waxed paper to set. Enjoy!