Tasty Tuesday: Caramel Corn

TASTY TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2022 — CARAMEL CORN

The first thing I think of when I think of Caramel Corn is my mother! I’d have to say Caramel Corn was one of her “trademarks” as a chef and a baker. Every year for as long as I can remember, from October through January she would make 3-4 batches of Caramel Corn every single day without fail!  Oh, she’d eat some, but she gave a lot away, sold some, and always had it on hand in case someone stopped by her house. This recipe is one of the best our family has ever had. It’s easy to make, just takes a little time. I know you’ll love it as much as we do.  My mother has been gone since 2010, but many of us in the family now make it ourselves.  It’s that good!  And the bonus is the memories we share. Please enjoy!

CARAMEL CORN

This recipe may be doubled or cut in half. As it is below it takes a big pan.  If stored  in a sealed container, it keeps quite a while.

Ingredients

2 cups light brown sugar

2 sticks margarine (not butter)

1 cup white – Lite Karo syrup

½ t baking soda

1 t vanilla extract

Pop 6 quarts of popcorn (or buy pre popped corn).

Instructions

  1. Bring brown sugar, margarine and Karo syrup to a boil on stove top and boil 5 minutes.  Then add baking soda and vanilla extract.
  2. Pour the syrup mixture over the popped corn in a big oven safe pan.  Stir well.
  3. Add nuts, if preferred.
  4. Stir well.  Pour into the pan for the oven. 
  5. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  Bake the syruped corn for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.  Keep the sweet syrup moving over the popcorn.
  6. After the hour remove from pan and put it on brown bags or parchment paper or paper towels to absorb any butter on the popcorn.  Spread to cool.

NOTES FROM CHEF:

I like to add salted nuts myself, but your choice. I also like mixed nuts, but you could use single variety of nuts too.

Take all the unpopped kernels out of the popped corn.  You do not want broken teeth from biting on a piece of popcorn that did not pop.

There are several varieties of popcorn. Your choice. I prefer the mushroom corn because it makes for a larger popped kernel.

Use a large enough pan to cook the syrup.  It does boil up and when you add the baking soda and vanilla it will foam.

Use a large enough pan for the oven to allow for stirring.

You can get creative – after the hour of cooking you could add a favorite candy, for example any favorite small candy that would work with the caramel and popcorn (like chocolate covered peanuts). 

Once cooled and you’ve had your fill, this caramel corn keeps well in either freezer zip bags or containers that seal and reseal. 

Bon Appetite’ with Love,

Granni K

To download this recipe, click here.