How do I make good caramel Pop Corn?

[Magia]

I assume that melting toffees and pouring on top of unsalted pop corn, but how do I get the pop corn to keep "puffy" and not go gooey?
Anyone with a good tip? Or maybe I'm wrong.... :?

[Juliev]

Caramel Popcorn:

4 cups freshly popped corn lightly salted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup corn syrup (light)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


Put popcorn in shallow roasting pan (large pan). In heavy saucepan mix sugar, butter and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until boiling. Continue boiling 5 min. without stirring. Remove from heat; add vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn; stir to coat well.

Bake in preheated 250 degree oven for 1 hr., stirring several times. Cool, break apart and store in tightly covered container. (Cool on waxed paper so it won't stick to pan) Note; if desired 1 cup. peanuts may be added to popcorn BEFORE adding caramel sauce.

[Juliev]

Caramel Corn Snack Mix

1 cup unpopped popcorn
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups small pretzel twists
4 cups crispy rice Chex
2 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 250°.

Place popcorn in a large pot with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Over a low heat, begin to pop the popcorn. Constantly shake the pot to ensure that the popcorn kernels and oil do not burn. Once the popping has slowed, remove the pot from heat.

In a large saucepan, mix butter or margarine, brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring this mixture to a boil (over a medium heat) while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and do not stir for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and mix in baking powder and vanilla extract, stirring carefully.

In a large baking pan, combine popcorn, pretzels, cereal and pecans. Pour the butter mixture over the popcorn mixture, stir to coat.
Bake for 30 minutes, stirring the mixture after the first 15 minutes have elapsed.

[Magia]

Thanks Juliev :D

[Juliev]

Originally Posted by Magia

Thanks Juliev :D

you are very welcome Magia! :D

[Audeo]

Magia, here's the recipe I have always used for popcorn balls. In my opinion, the "trick" for getting the popcorn to remain fluffy and not get soggy or stale is to be certain to completely coat the popped corn with the syrup, and you have to work fast to get this done. One the syrup is poured over the popped corn (by the way, do this in the largest bowl you can find!) and stirred with a wooden spoon, it cools very quickly, so I get in there with my hands, well buttered, to mix some more.

Popcorn Balls

5 quarts plain popped popcorn (about 3 bags of microwave stuff)
1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan with a candy thermometer inserted, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Stir well and bring to boiling over medium heat. Stir in condensed milk; simmer, stirring constantly, until thermometer reads 238 degrees F (114 degrees C). Stir in vanilla extract.

Pour caramel over popped corn and stir to coat. Butter hands lightly; shape popcorn into balls about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.

[Magia]

Originally Posted by Audeo

Magia, here's the recipe I have always used for popcorn balls...

Thankyou verymucho :D

[SierraCook]

Popcorn balls and caramel popcorn remind me of Fall and harvest festivals, etc. I have not made a batch of caramel popcorn in ages. I can just imagine how good the house will smell.

[Zereh]

My mom always made them with marshmallows, I'm pretty sure the recipe was on the back of the marshmallow package. I liked them better this way because they were softer. =)

Here's a recipe I found Via search, I'm not sure if this is exactly the same or not:

• Measure 8 quarts popped corn into very large pan.

• Melt 1 package marshmallows and 1/4 pound butter in top of double boiler, stirring frequently. (Microwave works great for this too.)

• After marshmallows are melted, pour this mixture over popped corn and mix well.

• Wet hands with water and form into popcorn balls.

Z