Crispy Caramel Corn
Yield: 13 cups
1 heaping tablespoon solid coconut oil or peanut oil
1 cup unpopped white popcorn
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Heat coconut oil in a large pot over high heat. Add 6 kernels to pan as testers; cover. When at least 3 of the kernels pop,
add remaining kernels. Shake pan occasionally as corn pops. Keep over high heat until popping slows to a few pops per second,
about 5 minutes. Empty popped corn into a large brown paper bag. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Shake bag to distribute salt and drain
excess oil; discard unpopped kernels. Measure 13 cups of fully popped kernels; spread on large roasting pan; set aside.
Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and baking soda in medium heavy saucepan; heat to boiling over medium-high heat.
Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 235 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
Heat oven to 250 degrees F.
Carefully pour caramel mixture over popcorn. Stir mixture with heat-resistant spatula or buttered wooden spoon to evenly coat
popcorn, working quickly to coat kernels.
Bake popcorn 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes to continue coating uniformly. Remove pan from oven; cool on wire rack. Break
apart any clumps of corn with your hands.
Tips for success:
– Use white kernels for tender popcorn.
– Use coconut oil if you can find it. Though its saturated fat content is high, it makes a big flavour difference. Like
shortening, it is solid at room temperature. If you can’t find coconut oil, you can use peanut oil as a substitute.
– During baking, stir gently to avoid breaking kernels, but stir thoroughly to cover as many kernels as possible.