It’s fall y’all! Okay, that was cheesy but I am so excited for this fall-inspired caramel corn. The great thing about caramel corn is that it can be served at any time, at any event. It’s a great dish to throw on the table and let your guests nibble on. I hope you enjoy it! P.S. Don’t let the caramel scare you away, it really is easier to make than you might think!
Makes 11 cups. Takes about 25 minutes.
Popcorn Mix
Ingredients:
1 bag microwave popcorn, lightly salted/no butter
½ cup pretzels, broken into bite-size pieces then measured
½ cup honey graham crackers, broken into bite-size pieces then measured
½ cup freeze-dried apples, broken into bite-size pieces then measured
½ cup dry roasted peanuts
½ cup candy corn
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Pop the microwave popcorn.
3. Place the popped popcorn (careful to discard any un-popped kernels), pretzels, graham crackers and apples into a large oven-safe dish or bowl. Seriously, use as big of a dish as you have, it makes mixing the popcorn and caramel so much easier!
4. Place the popcorn mix into the oven while you make the caramel.
5. Measure out the candy corn and peanuts. Keep them close and keep them separate.
Caramel Corn
Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup 100% maple syrup
¼ cup dark corn syrup
¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Now it’s time to make the caramel! Time isn’t a luxury when making caramel, so it’s important to have everything you need ready and set out:
1. Measure out all of the caramel ingredients. Place the salt and baking soda into a small container and mix them together, set within reach of the stove top.
2. Set out trivets, oven mitts, a small bowl of water, a pastry brush and a long-handled utensil that can handle high heat near the stove top.
3. Lay out a long sheet of parchment paper, lightly greased, (about two cookie sheet lengths) or two silicone baking mats. These don’t need to be in reach of the stove top. Okay, now you are ready to make caramel!
Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Once melted, take it off the heat and let it cool for two minutes. Add the maple syrup and corn syrup. Next, add the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Stir until everything is evenly moistened. Do not over stir, you want to avoid the sugar crystallizing. Rinse off the utensil and set near the prepared trivet(s).
2. Take the pastry brush and wet down the sides of the pot. Granules that are left on the side of the pot may (and probably will) cause the entire batch of caramel to crystallize.
3. Put the pot on high heat and let boil, untouched, until it reaches 270 degrees F. This will take about 5 minutes. Just before it gets to temperature, take the dish of popcorn out of the oven and place it on the trivet(s). The dish will be hot!
4. Once the caramel hits 270 degrees F, take it off the heat immediately and add the salt and baking soda. Stir with the long handled utensil until everything is combined and smooth.
***It is so important to work quickly from step #4 to step #6. You do not want the caramel to harden completely until it’s laying out to cool at the end of step #6.***
5. Add the peanuts to the caramel, give it a stir, then pour it all over the popcorn mixture.
6. Once satisfied, carefully pour the caramel corn out onto the prepared parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Separate the popcorn kernels once they cool to the point they’re almost hard, about 5 minutes. Let it sit for another 5 minutes until completely cool and the caramel has hardened.
7. Add the candy corn and you are done! Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.