Caramel Corn

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I'm not sure this is a candy, but it's along the same vein. And I'm afraid I'm not giving a recipe or technique on this one. Rather, I'm looking for one.

If anyone has a foolproof recipe for a home made caramel corn, similar to Cracker Jacks, please share.

What I'm thinking of trying is to pop the corn in my wok (with the cover of course), and while still over the flame, but when the popping has stopped, sprinkle in granulated sugar and stir until the sugar has caramelized and is well mixed throughout the popcorn. Do you think it will work? Is there a tried and true technique? My wife is humgry for the stuff, and I have a very hard time saying no to my wife, or my kids for that matter.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[ronjohn55]

I'm not sure this is a candy, but it's along the same vein. And I'm afraid I'm not giving a recipe or technique on this one. Rather, I'm looking for one.

If anyone has a foolproof recipe for a home made caramel corn, similar to Cracker Jacks, please share.

What I'm thinking of trying is to pop the corn in my wok (with the cover of course), and while still over the flame, but when the popping has stopped, sprinkle in granulated sugar and stir until the sugar has caramelized and is well mixed throughout the popcorn. Do you think it will work? Is there a tried and true technique? My wife is humgry for the stuff, and I have a very hard time saying no to my wife, or my kids for that matter.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

Hi Goodweed!

I don't have a recipe to offer either, since they two or three times I've tried it I've ended up woth tasty but soggy caramel corn. However, from what I've seen and read, what you're decribing is likely to produce something more along the line of a kettle corn. Very tasty, but not caramel corn.

I've thought about my soggy but tasty reslts, and I've often wondered if getting the caramel hotter (to the "hard crack" candy stage) before adding it to the popcorn would work.

Just a few thoughts.

Good luck!

John

 

[scott123]

You wouldn't be able to caramelize the sugar evenly while it's on the popcorn. Although, if you carefully drained all the oil from the wok, you might be able to get brown sugar to dissolve/form some kind of coating. Maybe. It would probably be a far stretch from caramel corn, though.

Here is how caramel corn is made commercially:

From Food Product Design: Out of the Frying Pan

In the case of caramel corn, hot caramel coating is applied to the popped corn as it travels through a steam-jacketed coater. A small amount of a mixture of lecithin and oil is sprayed in the coater near the end of the coating process to separate the finished product as it is cooled and tumbled.

I would go with a recipe like this:

Homemade Cracker Jacks

If you had your heart set on using a wok, you could probably use a wok for coating the popcorn rather than a cookie sheet in the oven.

Caramel corn is a little less molassesy than cracker jacks. Here is a recipe:

http://www.kettlecornfactory.com/caramelnut.html

 

[grumblebee]

I would be wary of putting sugar directly into a hot wok. You might risk ruining your wok and/or starting a fire.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I tried the method I previously described. Adn teh result, though very tasty, was more like kettle corn. I used a medium heat setting after cooking the popcorn. And there was no oil to drain (I made clarified butter and it was absorbed by the popping corn). The caramel melted as it made its way to the wok bottom and mrelted into a nice caramel. But the wok was too full and the popcorn was hard to mix. I ended up spilling some onto the floor.

I think that maybe a more traditional caramel, maybe some ready made caramels even, melted into a liquid, and then drizzled into the popcorn wile stirring might give me what I want. I have to think that comercial caramel corn is probably rolled in a drum while being sprayed with hot, liquid carmel, then depostied onto some type of convery belt after a minute amount of fat is applied to prevent sticking.

In any case, I got pretty close. Refinement is necessary. And I will check out the links provided. Thanks everyone.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[kingfisherfd2]

Next time you go to the Grocery, ask for paper bags then try this recipe.
This is a big favorite of my family. Every year Mom make a couple batches. When it cools it crisps up really nice too.
Caramel corn

1. Spray the inside of a large brown paper grocery
sack with Pam.

2. Place 5 qts. of popped corn in the bag.

COATING

Combine in a microwavable container (at least a
quart size)

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Karo syrup
1 stick margarine
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Microwave on high for 2 minutes

2 .Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes.

3. Stir in 1/2 tsp, baking soda (It will foam and
become lighter in color)

COMBINING POPPED CORN AND COATING

1. Pour coating over the popped corn in bag. Stir and
shake.

2. Roll down the top of the bag and place bag inside
microwave.

3. Microwave on high for 11/2 minutes.

4. Remove bag and shake. Return to microwave for 11/2
minutes on high.

5. Remove bag and shake . Return to micrewave for 45
seconds on high.

6. Remove bag and empty into a bowl. Allow to cool.
The corn will crisp as it cools.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Next time you go to the Grocery, ask for paper bags then try this recipe.
This is a big favorite of my family. Every year Mom make a couple batches. When it cools it crisps up really nice too.
Caramel corn

1. Spray the inside of a large brown paper grocery
sack with Pam.

2. Place 5 qts. of popped corn in the bag.

COATING

Combine in a microwavable container (at least a
quart size)

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Karo syrup
1 stick margarine
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Microwave on high for 2 minutes

2 .Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes.

3. Stir in 1/2 tsp, baking soda (It will foam and
become lighter in color)

COMBINING POPPED CORN AND COATING

1. Pour coating over the popped corn in bag. Stir and
shake.

2. Roll down the top of the bag and place bag inside
microwave.

3. Microwave on high for 11/2 minutes.

4. Remove bag and shake. Return to microwave for 11/2
minutes on high.

5. Remove bag and shake . Return to micrewave for 45
seconds on high.

6. Remove bag and empty into a bowl. Allow to cool.
The corn will crisp as it cools.

Wow! That sounds amazing, and like it would be very succesful. I might thow some dry-roasted peanust into the mix as well. Thanks.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[kingfisherfd2]

Good weed? Have you given it a try? Like I said it is a family favorite, we go through about 2 popcorn cans full in about 3 days over Christmas.
I always like eating it while it is still hot, but you have to be careful not to burn yourself.
We like adding pecan bits to it to spruce it up.

 

[aeyla]

Ok I read this thread the other day and thought you would like to know about a little mistake I made making peanut brittle and how I stumbled on a very wonderful recipe for carmel corn that tasted great!!!
This is my post and I will follow with the recipe I messed up hehe.

I tried the first recipe last night, but do not have a candy thermo. So I tried to do the old fashioned way hehe. Well let me just tell you it did not turn out. It did not set so I had a sticky gloop of peanuts...
Well I am not one to waste things so decided to pop a batch of popcorn and try the gloop on it and see if I could make a popcorn ball like my mom used to make. Well instead I put it in the oven at 250 and camalized it to make one great batch of carmel corn!!!! I am so pleased that something so great came out of a horrible mistake.
I am going to post this in the carmel corn thread I read the other day. I think this is easier to do then some of the recipes I saw. The key would be to let it cool before mixing with the popcorn so you dont melt the corn.
Recipe from peanut brittle thread:
Peanut Brittle

1 c. white granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/4 c. water
1 c. raw spanish peanuts (skins on)
2 Tbs. softened butter

Grease a cookie sheet (I use butter to grease the pan.) In a heavy saucepan on medium heat, bring the sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil. Stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in raw peanuts. Set a candy thermometer in place. Stirring frequently, cook until temp. reaches 300F degrees. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in butter and baking soda. Work fast, this stuff wants to set! Pour at once onto greased cookie sheet. Spread mixture on the cookie sheet with a pair of forks into a rectangle shape. Let cool. Snap into pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes l lb.
Ok now I had a thick gloop that was cooled on a cookie sheet and just added it to plain popcorn in a bowl (very sticky) and then laid it on the sheet in a single layer in a 250 oven cking often once it browned I stired it and browned the rest. after cooling it had a beautiful brown crust and tasted devine. I am going to use a toffee recipe I have and cook it to the soft stage again and do the same and see if I can make something like poppycock (I love that stuff).

 

[Scott94596]

I need a good recipe for carmel corn.