Christmas Popcorn Candy

Christmas Popcorn Candy

from recipetineats.com
Dessert
65 min
8 servings
210 kcal / serving

Recipe video above. This is Caramel Popcorn, dressed up for Christmas! Perfumed with warm traditional Christmas spices and studded with almonds, it is outrageously addictive. Great as a snacky dessert option, for gifting and store-like candy. Stays crispy 2 - 3 weeks!Baking soda makes the caramel coating foamy so it coats the popcorn thinly and evenly, rather than in sticky globs. CARAMEL COVERAGE: Use 1/3 cup kernels for full caramel coverage (very sweet, like candy pieces, pictured in post), 3/4 cup for a lighter coating (still sweet enough but you get some white patches, see this photo for comparison)

Ingredients

  • ¼ cupvegetable oil ((not required if air popping with a popcorn maker))
  • ⅓ cuppopping corn ((10 cups popcorn, note 1 for lighter caramel coverage))
  • ⅝ cupslivered almonds
  • 100 g7 tbsp butter (, unsalted)
  • 1 cupbrown sugar (, packed)
  • ½ cupcorn syrup (, light (substitute glucose, note 2))
  • ½ tspsalt
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • ½ tspbaking soda
  • 3 tspcinnamon powder
  • 2 tspginger powder
  • ½ tspallspice powder ((or more cinnamon))
  • ¼ tspground cloves ((or more cinnamon))

Directions

Popcorn

  1. 1

    Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add a few pieces of popcorn and wait until it pops, then quickly remove.

  2. 2

    Add remaining popcorn, elevate off stove to shake and spread corn out evenly. Cover with a lid. Once the popcorn starts popping in earnest, shake the pot gently once.

  3. 3

    Remove from heat when the popping almost stops (when you can count to 3 between pops) and transfer to a (very!) large bowl. You need 10 cups of popcorn.

Caramel:

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 110°C/230°F.

  2. 2

    Melt butter in a saucepaan over medium heat.

  3. 3

    Add sugar, corn syrup (or glucose) and salt. Stir until just combined.

  4. 4

    When it starts to bubble, simmer for 4 minutes - DO NOT STIR!

  5. 5

    Remove from heat then quickly whisk in Christmas Spices, vanilla and baking soda. Whisk vigorously for 10 seconds, then when you stop whisking, the caramel will foam and increase in volume.

  6. 6

    Quickly pour straight over popcorn, toss to coat.

  7. 7

    Sprinkle over the almonds, and toss again until caramel cools and starts to harden.

Baking to crisp:

  1. 1

    Spread popcorn across 2 baking trays.

  2. 2

    Bake for 45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes or so. Caramel will remelt for the first 2-3 tosses - tossing further coats popcorn more evenly with caramel. (If using glucose instead of corn syrup, bake further 15 minutes).

  3. 3

    Remove from oven, leave to cool. Gently break into pieces then transfer to airtight container for storage. Stays crisp 2 - 3 weeks!