An Addictive Snack: Caramel Popcorn Twists

I know it is now January and everyone is supposed to be on a diet. Some of us still have this week as Christmas vacation. I thought I would post this recipe for something you can make for an evening of games or just as a delectable snack. I made it for New Year’s and might make it again as it is all gone.

My friend Jana decided to make this while we were visiting via FaceTime just after Christmas. I was walking her through the steps. It all went pretty good until the very end when she forgot to stir the mixture one final time a few minutes after removing it from the oven. I got to watch her hack into it with a spatula to try to break it apart.

I found the recipe last year on a bag of popcorn twists. It is pretty much the same as making caramel popcorn except that you let it boil for less time and bake it at a higher temperature.

The bag’s recipe is a little vague for someone who has never made caramel corn.

Ingredients

1 cup of salted butter (not margarine)

1/2 cup corn syrup (I prefer golden corn syrup over the light)

1 cup of brown sugar

1 bag of Old Dutch popcorn twists 227g (1/2 of giant bag from Costco)

1 tsp baking soda

Directions

Prepare a large roasting pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Pour in the bag of popcorn twists. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 250°.

In a medium saucepan heat the butter, syrup and brown sugar.

Stir to keep from burning.

Bring to a rolling boil and boil WITHOUT STIRRING for two minutes.
This is at the end of two minutes.

Remove from heat and fold in the baking soda. Stir until the colour of the mixture is all the same; it will look foamy.

Add the foamy mixture to the popcorn twists in the roasting pan. Gently stir to combine until all the twists are coated.

Place in oven (preheated to 250°) for 45 min. Stir mixture every 10 min. Don’t leave it for longer then 10 min before stirring as it starts to brown on the top.

After 45 minutes, remove from oven and place roasting pan on a cooling rack or pot holder. **Important** After 3 min stir to break up chunks. Do this once more 5 min later. Let cool completely in roasting pan then place in a covered storage container.