The Craftiest Workshop

Below is my recipe for Caramel Corn. You will need this to make the Sweet and Salty snack which follows.

This is a recipe that I tend to make in the fall leading up to Christmas; usually more than one batch. I originally found it in one of my Gooseberry Patch Christmas books. It makes a tasty gift for a teacher or a friend. You can even fill some Christmas cellophane bags and sell it at a bake sale.

Creamy Caramel Popcorn

• 1 cup popcorn kernels (20 cups of popped corn)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup butter (you can use margarine but butter tastes creamier)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

The first step is to pop the corn. I use an air popper and my largest roasting pan.

Do 1/2 cup at a time. After the first batch, use a spoon and search for any kernels in the pan that did not pop and remove them. Pop the rest and again look for stray kernels. There is nothing worse than eating caramel corn and biting down on a popcorn kernel.

In a medium sized pot on the stove add the sugars, corn syrup and butter. It helps to cut the butter in smaller pieces to get it to melt quicker.

Heat over medium heat stirring until the mixture begins to boil. It should look something like this and when you lift your spatula it will be start to bubble.

Once it reaches this stage, remove your stirring utensil and let it boil for 5 min. DO NOT STIR.

After 5 min, remove from heat. Add baking soda, vanilla and cinnamon stirring as you add. The baking soda and vanilla react with the heat and it will puff up and sizzle so keep stirring.

I suggest you wear oven mitts for the next part. Years ago, while pouring the caramel, some dripped from the top of the pot and landed on my mixing hand. I still have a small burn scar today. The other option is to empty the pot and then begin stirring. I like to wear an oven mitt on the hand that I am stirring with. Once the popcorn is coated evenly, put it in the oven.

Set the timer for 10 min. Open the oven and stir until all the chunks are loosened. Put it back in the oven and continue stirring every 10 min for a total of an hour. After an hour, remove from the oven and set timer for 5 min (the cooler air has it solidifying quicker). Stir one more time and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

**Note** I made my caramel corn again and I was running out of popcorn kernels so I thought I would try the PC purple kernels to see what difference they would make. The popcorn was softer to chew but I found there were just as many, if not more, stray unpopped kernels as with regular kernels.

Sweet and Salty Snack Mix

• Caramel popcorn
• Pretzels
• Plain ruffle chips
• mini M&M’s or Reese Pieces
• milk chocolate wafers (2/3 cup per tray)
• white chocolate wafers (2/3 cup per tray)

I find the chocolate wafers in the bulk section at Save on Foods or Superstore. If you have a Bulk Barn, they also carry them.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and cover the bottom with caramel corn. Break up your pretzels into small bite sized pieces and distribute evenly over popcorn.

Break up some potato chips and place evenly over the pretzels.

I used M&M’s and Reese Pieces but you can add your favourite choc candy. The smaller pieces tend to adhere to the chocolate better.

Use 2 glass measuring cups and add about 2/3 cup of wafers.

If you reuse one measuring cup for both, make sure to wash and dry thoroughly in between.

Microwave the milk chocolate first. Put it in three times for 20 seconds, stirring between each. If wafers still aren’t completely melted, do another 10 sec. If you overheat the chocolate it starts to harden.

Put a small ziplock bag open inside a short wider glass. Pour the chocolate into the ziplock then seal it and cut a tiny hole in one of the corners. Drizzle the chocolate over the mixture on the cookie sheet.

Next, repeat the same with the white chocolate wafers.

Let cool on the pan until the chocolate hardens. Break into pieces and enjoy a tasty salty sweet snack.