Caramel Popcorn
4 quarts popcorn
1¼ cups sugar
2/3 cup margarine or butter
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
4-5 tsp. espresso powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
Spread the popcorn in an 11 x 18 inch pan, or two 9 x 13 inch pans. Butter a rubber spatula and set aside.
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, margarine, corn syrup, and espresso powder. Cook over medium heat, stirring until it boils. Continue cooking without stirring for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in the baking soda and vanilla. It will rise up and foam. Pour at once over the popcorn. Stir to coat with the buttered spatula.
Bake uncovered at 250 degrees for one hour, tossing occasionally, so all the popcorn will be coated. Remove from oven and pour into a large bowl. If left in the baking pan, a lot of the popcorn has a tendency to stick to the bottom. When completely cool and caramel is brittle, break apart and store tightly in a covered container.
version 2
Caramel Popcorn
Great caramel popcorn for any holiday or occasion. If you like chewy popcorn, bake less.
Yield:
5 quarts
Ingredients
- ½ cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 quarts popped popcorn
- Directions
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.
Step 2
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups brown sugar
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
- Step 3
Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.