Do-it-yourself Caramel Corn (Outdated-Normal Recipe)

That is my late grandmother’s recipe for do-it-yourself caramel corn. Brimming with buttery taste, candy crunch, and from-scratch caramel, every handful (you’ll need to eat it that approach!!) is undeniably irresistible. You’ll make the 6-ingredient caramel sauce on the range, and whereas a sweet thermometer is useful, you actually can get by with out one. The recipe beneath is for plain caramel popcorn, however if you wish to costume it up, go forward and add nuts, melted chocolate, and/or a touch of cinnamon.

Each vacation season after I was rising up, my late grandmother made a double batch of this beloved do-it-yourself caramel corn. Family and friends would flock to the candy and salty snack, and it by no means lasted greater than a pair days. Grandma was comfortable to repeat the method; serving it introduced her a lot pleasure.

I began this web site 2 weeks after she handed away again in 2011, and I initially revealed this recipe just a few years later. I additionally included a variation of it in two of my revealed cookbooks (Sally’s Baking Dependancy and Sally’s Sweet Dependancy).

Through the years, I’ve scaled down the quantity of air-popped popcorn, so every bit is generously coated. At the moment I’m sharing some new step-by-step images, and a video tutorial is coming quickly!

Right here’s Why You’ll Love This Caramel Corn

• Simply 7 substances
• Salty, buttery, candy
• Nothing beats the do-it-yourself taste
• The caramel is chewy-crisp, not a break-your-teeth state of affairs 😉
• Take pleasure in plain or add some aptitude with nuts, chocolate, or spices
• Make-ahead; the caramel corn retains for days (if style testers can resist!)

I can’t make these things quick sufficient. It’s INCREDIBLY irresistible, and a fantastic vacation snack. The truth is, it’s been custom in our household to serve it together with a batch of spicy honey chex combine or seasoned pretzels as we beautify Christmas sugar cookies. Only a suggestion should you’re internet hosting a cookie adorning day and wish some snack concepts!

Seize These 7 Substances:

1. Popcorn: I discover that 10 to 11 cups of air-popped popcorn is the proper quantity for the amount of caramel you’ll have.
2. Brown Sugar: For that important brown sugar taste. Typical do-it-yourself caramel is constructed from common granulated sugar, and brown sugar is often saved for do-it-yourself butterscotch sauce. For caramel corn, nonetheless, you need a softer caramel texture and brown sugar helps obtain that.
3. Mild Corn Syrup: That is an crucial ingredient that offers the caramel a softer, chewier consistency. Additionally, and extra importantly, corn syrup helps forestall the cooking caramel from crystalizing right into a gritty, grainy texture.
4. Butter: A most important ingredient in caramel candies and caramel sauces.
5. Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar, an acid, will assist forestall crystallization because the caramel cooks. In the event you don’t have any, you possibly can depart it out. Corn syrup does the identical job. I nonetheless like to incorporate it, so the caramel says good and clean.
6. Salt: To stability the candy.
7. Baking Soda: Arguably a very powerful ingredient! The aim of baking soda within the caramel is to react with the acidic substances (brown sugar, cream of tartar, and corn syrup), which creates tiny carbon dioxide air bubbles. You’ll discover the caramel froths up if you add it. As soon as the caramel has cooled in your popcorn, the air bubbles contained in the caramel create a softer texture. The softer texture means you received’t be biting into hard-as-cement caramel. Fairly, the caramel is melt-in-your-mouth chewy and solely barely crunchy.

Don’t unintentionally use baking powder. I repeat: don’t use baking powder.

Use Air-Popped Popcorn

For finest outcomes, I like to recommend air-popped popcorn. I exploit this popcorn maker to pop the corn kernels. Clearly not everybody has a popcorn maker, however it’s a enjoyable kitchen instrument to have should you get pleasure from popcorn on the common. If utilizing microwave popcorn, search for a range that’s fairly plain, with out butter, and never overloaded with salt. In the event you don’t need to use store-bought microwave popcorn, do that helpful trick:

• Straightforward Air-Popping Technique: Add 3 Tablespoons of popcorn kernels to a typical lunch brown paper bag. Seal the bag tightly by folding excessive 2 occasions. Microwave the kernels for roughly 1 minute 45 seconds on excessive, or as much as 2 minutes relying in your microwave. This DIY air-popped popcorn technique makes 5 cups of popcorn. You’ll should do it twice to get 10 cups, which is what our caramel corn recipe requires.

After you have your popcorn prepared, begin the caramel sauce.

Caramel Coating for Caramel Corn

The caramel is somewhat totally different from my salted caramel sauce recipe, which is extra like drizzle or garnish. At the moment’s caramel, nonetheless, is a caramel sauce that has some elasticity (because of the corn syrup), and holding powder. That means, it may well cling properly to the popcorn, and never soften off.

Mix the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and cream of tartar collectively in a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Cook dinner and stir over medium warmth. As soon as the butter has melted and the combination is effervescent across the edges, let it boil for round 4 minutes. You probably have a sweet thermometer (I exploit and love this one), use it right here. Cook dinner the combination till it reaches 234°F-235°F (112-113°C).

As quickly because the caramel comes off warmth, stir within the baking soda. The combination will bubble up, nearly double in quantity, and seem frothy on the floor as you stir; that is regular and anticipated:

Pour over the popcorn, gently stir to mix, after which unfold out onto a lined baking sheet:

Bake at 200°F (93°C) for 1 hour, stirring each 20 minutes. Baking the caramel corn is crucial and helps the caramel set evenly over the popcorn.

Convey to bake gross sales, tote alongside on highway journeys, or function a easy finger meals at vacation events—everybody loves these things. It’s additionally an exquisite possibility should you’re ever in want of gluten free dessert recipes.

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Do-it-yourself Caramel Corn

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  Writer: Sally
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  Prep Time: 20 minutes
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  Cook dinner Time: 1 hour
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  Complete Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
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  Yield: 10-11 cups
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  Class: Snacks
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  Technique: Baking
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  Delicacies: American

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Description

Brimming with buttery taste, candy crunch, and from-scratch caramel, every chew of this do-it-yourself caramel corn is undeniably irresistible. You’ll make the 6-ingredient caramel sauce on the range, and whereas a sweet thermometer is useful, you actually can get by with out one. The recipe beneath is for plain caramel popcorn, however see Notes for different variations. This can be a nice make-ahead recipe for a celebration, bake sale, or gathering, and might simply be doubled.

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Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Line 1 or 2 12×17-inch baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
2. Pour the popcorn into the biggest bowl you’ve got, or unfold it onto the ready baking sheets. (Both approach is okay.)
3. Mix the sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and cream of tartar in a medium saucepan over medium warmth. Stir consistently because the butter melts and combination involves a simmer. As soon as simmering across the edges, enable to bubble with out stirring, for 4 minutes. (You probably have a sweet thermometer, the combination needs to be 234°F-235°F (112-113°C).)
4. Take away caramel from warmth and instantly stir within the baking soda. The combination will bubble up, nearly double in quantity, and seem frothy on the floor as you stir; that is regular and anticipated. Watch out, it’s highly regarded.
5. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and, with a big spoon or spatula, stir gently till all the popcorn has been coated. Go slowly right here and have endurance; it requires fairly just a few turns of the spatula/spoon because the caramel begins to harden. If it’s not already, unfold the popcorn evenly onto ready baking sheet(s).
6. Bake for 1 hour, gently stirring each 20 minutes.
7. Permit to chill on the pan for at the very least half-hour. The caramel hardens because it cools. As soon as cool sufficient to deal with, you possibly can break aside any giant clusters.
8. Cowl the popcorn tightly as soon as cooled. This caramel corn stays recent for as much as 2 weeks in an hermetic container, so it’s a fantastic recipe to make forward of time.

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Notes

1. Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Popcorn Maker | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Medium Saucepan | Sweet Thermometer
2. Popcorn: You want round 1/3 cup of kernels to yield 10-11 cups of popcorn. In the event you do not need a popcorn maker at residence, you possibly can merely add 3 Tablespoons of popcorn kernels to a brown paper bag. Seal the bag tightly by folding excessive. Microwave the popcorn for roughly 1 minute, 45 seconds on excessive, or as much as 2 minutes, relying in your microwave. This technique will make 5 cups, so that you’ll should do it twice. Alternatively, you should utilize store-bought natural-style microwave popcorn that has no butter added to it. In the event you use buttered popcorn, the caramel could not set and the caramel corn will likely be greasy.
3. Corn Syrup: Use mild corn syrup, not darkish corn syrup. This recipe won’t work with out this ingredient; it’s essential to assist forestall crystallization within the cooking caramel, and retains the caramel comfortable, stretchy, and chewy. As a substitute, strive my peanut butter caramel corn recipe as a substitute.
4. Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar helps to forestall crystallization within the cooking caramel. In the event you’re all out, you may make the caramel corn with out it. Simply know that its acidity helps to forestall crystals from forming in your caramel. Corn syrup does the identical job, too.
5. Add Nuts, Chocolate, or Spices: You may add 1 to 2 cups of your favourite salted or unsalted nuts resembling peanuts or cashews to the popcorn earlier than you stir within the caramel sauce in step 5. So as to add chocolate, I like to recommend drizzling melted chocolate or white chocolate on the cooled caramel corn. You don’t want to bake the caramel corn with the chocolate on prime. It’s also possible to add 1/2 teaspoon of floor cinnamon, and/or 1/4 teaspoon of floor nutmeg to the caramel off warmth if you stir within the baking soda.
6. double: Double all the substances. In step 3, let the caramel bubble for 7 minutes, or use a sweet thermometer. The sweet thermometer temperature stays the identical. The bake time additionally stays the identical. Don’t over-crowd the baking sheets; you’ll seemingly want 3.

Initially revealed in 2014, and likewise revealed in Sally’s Baking Dependancy

Key phrases: do-it-yourself caramel corn